The Revd Denise Parrett signed her final register on Wednesday 15 July after 37 years of primary school teaching. To celebrate her remarkable career and her contributions to the community, Herne Juniors CE School hosted an ‘Assembly Bangers’ concert which was open to all children past and present from the school as well as parents, staff and governors. The Bishop of Dover, The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin was also in attendance and said a prayer of blessing over the children and their parents as they headed off on their summer break.
l-r Bishop Rose, Revd Denise Parrett, Revd Chris Carnaby-Denyer, Archdeacon Estella Last
Denise is well known to generations of school children in Herne Bay for her enthusiastic and infectious love of music, particularly hymns that can be sung at high volume and with actions during collective worship. Her choice of songs included Sing Hosanna, I Danced in the Morning, and We are Marching in the Light of God, which many of the adults remembered from their own school days.
Denise spent 35 years of her teaching career in Herne Bay, first at Briary School (now Thornden Wood School) before moving to Herne Juniors for the final 14 years of her career. She has also completed theological training and is the Curate of Christ Church St Andrews in the town where she uses her musical gifts for congregations of all ages.
Denise said: “Working with such kind, committed and talented staff has been a delight and has been the reason I lasted so long in teaching. Year 6 productions have been a highlight; to see how much the children standing on the stage have grown in confidence over the years and that they are well prepared for their next stage in education. I also loved the carol dash in Herne Bay where we shared music across the generations by singing in as many care homes as possible in one day.”
Mal Saunders, Headteacher at Herne CE Junior School said of Denise: “She has an extraordinary talent for bringing people together through music and helping them discover confidence they didn't know they had. She understands that music builds confidence, creates community, expresses faith, and brings joy. What Denise achieved through music went far beyond enjoyment; it became something that nourished the soul and strengthened the bonds between us all.”
Rebecca Swansbury, Deputy Director of Education in the Diocese said: “Effective Church of England schools provide moments where children and adults come alive as a community in moments of joyful singing. That’s certainly what happened as the children sang beautifully and brought such joy to everyone present.”
Herne Juniors is one of 105 Church of England Schools in the Diocese of Canterbury and it is rated outstanding by Ofsted in every area. Its latest stated that ‘Worship is fun, relevant and relatable, and rooted in the Christian vision. This means pupils and adults deeply understand what it means to flourish spiritually’ and the report praised the school’s connection with its local church .