Rykneld Secondary Modern School Derby
Encyclopedia
Ryneld Secondary Modern School was a secondary modern school
for boys on St Albans Road Derby. It merged with Bemrose School
in 1975, and admitted girls, becoming a comprehensive school
. The single-storey brick building had a prominent clock tower, and was set in grounds that included tennis courts and football field at the rear. After-school activities included gardening and bee-keeping. The site and buildings, which had remained empty for some time and become vandalised, were sold for £1 in .... and the buildings demolished to make way for a new infants school. Attendees at the original Rykneld school had failed the 11-plus examination then in operation, and would leave without GCE or other qualifications, unless they passed the 13-plus examination entitling them to attend a Grammar School
.
A memorable part of English lessons was 'Spelling round the wall' (known as 'spelling up the wall') along with 'Literature round the wall', and the keeping of a 'Reporters Notebook' by every pupil. The former were innovative methods of teaching using a game in which all pupils formed a line around the classroom a moved up one place if they answered a question correctly, with a prize for the top speller in the school. The literature game led to pupils committing to memory the names of famous works and their authors, with Jock Scullan, the English Teacher, telling them, "one day, many years from now, you may find pleasure sitting in front of a warm fire and reading these books" (at least one pupil did!)
of Rykneld Street connected the garrisons of the wild north with the civilised Roman towns of the south, and Rykneld School and the adjacent Rykneld Recreation Ground are on land originally known as the Firs Estate. The Firs Estate belonged originally to Canon Edward Abney
along with a Regency
house in which he lived on Burton Road. Abney's son, sir William Abney sold the estate; most of which went for housing in St Luke’s Parish Derby. Canon
Edward Abney
, a friend of William Fox Talbot
, was a pioneer of photography
, and his son Sir William Abney became one of the most important figures in Victorian
photography. 11 acres of the Firs Estate were retained by Sir William until 1913, when they were sold to the City council
to become the site of Rykneld recreation ground
and Rykneld School.
I remember my english teacher was a Mr. Hadley who was also a very good sports teacher and taught hockey, I remewmber him well as I was in the school hockey team.
Rally, with Radio Amateurs traveling from afar for a day of entertainments including model planes, stalls selling electronic components, and an auction, as well as demonstrations by licensed radio amateurs. The first Wireless Club in England was formed in Derby in 1911.
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
for boys on St Albans Road Derby. It merged with Bemrose School
Bemrose School
Bemrose School , was a grammar school for boys in Derby, England, until 1975, when it became a comprehensive. It became comprehensive in 1989. There were a few difficult years as the school worked to establish itself as an all ability school for Derby. It became a Foundation School and then a...
in 1975, and admitted girls, becoming a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
. The single-storey brick building had a prominent clock tower, and was set in grounds that included tennis courts and football field at the rear. After-school activities included gardening and bee-keeping. The site and buildings, which had remained empty for some time and become vandalised, were sold for £1 in .... and the buildings demolished to make way for a new infants school. Attendees at the original Rykneld school had failed the 11-plus examination then in operation, and would leave without GCE or other qualifications, unless they passed the 13-plus examination entitling them to attend a Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
.
A memorable part of English lessons was 'Spelling round the wall' (known as 'spelling up the wall') along with 'Literature round the wall', and the keeping of a 'Reporters Notebook' by every pupil. The former were innovative methods of teaching using a game in which all pupils formed a line around the classroom a moved up one place if they answered a question correctly, with a prize for the top speller in the school. The literature game led to pupils committing to memory the names of famous works and their authors, with Jock Scullan, the English Teacher, telling them, "one day, many years from now, you may find pleasure sitting in front of a warm fire and reading these books" (at least one pupil did!)
Origin of the School and the name Rykneld
The name Rykneld derives from the great Roman RoadRoman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
of Rykneld Street connected the garrisons of the wild north with the civilised Roman towns of the south, and Rykneld School and the adjacent Rykneld Recreation Ground are on land originally known as the Firs Estate. The Firs Estate belonged originally to Canon Edward Abney
Edward Abney
Sir Edward Abney was an English politician.Abney was the son of James Abney of Willesley. He was educated at Ashby School and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1652-3. He was a Fellow of Christ's College from 1655 to 1661. Knighted in 1673, he served as MP for Leicester Borough...
along with a Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
house in which he lived on Burton Road. Abney's son, sir William Abney sold the estate; most of which went for housing in St Luke’s Parish Derby. Canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Edward Abney
Edward Abney
Sir Edward Abney was an English politician.Abney was the son of James Abney of Willesley. He was educated at Ashby School and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1652-3. He was a Fellow of Christ's College from 1655 to 1661. Knighted in 1673, he served as MP for Leicester Borough...
, a friend of William Fox Talbot
William Fox Talbot
William Henry Fox Talbot was a British inventor and a pioneer of photography. He was the inventor of calotype process, the precursor to most photographic processes of the 19th and 20th centuries. He was also a noted photographer who made major contributions to the development of photography as an...
, was a pioneer of photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, and his son Sir William Abney became one of the most important figures in Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
photography. 11 acres of the Firs Estate were retained by Sir William until 1913, when they were sold to the City council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
to become the site of Rykneld recreation ground
Recreation Ground
A recreation ground is a type of park.Recreation Ground is the name of the following stadiums in the United Kingdom:*Recreation Ground , the home ground of Aldershot Town F.C., located in Aldershot, England...
and Rykneld School.
Teachers
Teachers included: Cedric Astle (head teacher), Normal Bucknall, Mrs Clark (secretary), Mr Jarvis (deputy head, nicknamed Jasper, who became head at Dale School), Eric Coates (who took over as deputy head), Mr Dobson (PE), Mr Hand (art), Mr Lowry (science), Mr Brooker (metalwork), Mr Johnson (music), Mr Jolly (geography), Mr Chapman (French), Mr (Jock) Scullan (English).I remember my english teacher was a Mr. Hadley who was also a very good sports teacher and taught hockey, I remewmber him well as I was in the school hockey team.
Rykneld Radio Rallies
Many people came to know Rykneld School as the site of the Derby Amateur RadioAmateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
Rally, with Radio Amateurs traveling from afar for a day of entertainments including model planes, stalls selling electronic components, and an auction, as well as demonstrations by licensed radio amateurs. The first Wireless Club in England was formed in Derby in 1911.