great denham primary school
Bedford,
Great Denham Primary School and Pre-School is situated at the heart of the Great
Denham Community and conveniently situated for Bedford town and road links to
the M1 and A1. Great Denham village is a new and growing community with
facilities including a Nursery, Sainsbury's Local, independent retail outlets
and The new Village Hall which opened in 2016. Our school opened in September
2012 with just 100 pupils, we have now grown to over 560 pupils in 2022! We are
now a three-form entry primary school in Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3
and two form in Year 4,5 and 6. We also have a Nursery class for children from
the September after their third birthday. When our pupils leave us at the end of
Year 6 they transfer to one of many local secondary schools including Biddenham
Secondary School and Lincroft Academy. Great Denham Primary School opened its
doors for the first time in September 2012 with just over 100 children and 15
staff. In 2022 we now have over 580 children and 100 staff! The school had a 7
classroom extension in 2018 and we are now taking 90 children in each year group
up to Year 4. Eventually, we will have 650 children with 3 classes in each year
group. Many of the original staff remain at the school including the Headteacher
and one of the Deputy Headteachers. Our Family Groups When children leave our
early years they join one of our four family groups which they will remain in
until they leave GDPS in Year 6. Each family group wears their own coloured polo
shirt and there are regular opportunities throughout the term for children to
learn, play and compete in their family group. Each family has a head boy and
girl who are elected by the rest of their family. The head boys and girls are
children from Year 6. The idea of having family groups came from wanting to
create a small school feel within a large primary school. Each family has a Head
of family (a member of the school leadership team). Our families have even
written their own family songs which we sing regularly in assembly!
