We value our ongoing relationships with former students and because of this we are launching our Alumni Register and need your help!
We would welcome the development of links with our former students, to update us with what you are doing, but also to spread the word with people you know who attended our school. We’d love to hear from students who left recently and also former students who left many years ago.
Our aim is to grow our Alumi Family.
Information from some of our Alumni Family
Click here to complete our Alumni Register
Mr R Anthony
- Microbiologist, RIVM the Netherlands
- Studied at DHFS from 1983 to 1987
- Advice to students: More is possible than you (or others) think.
- Greatest achievements: Maintaining a scientific career.
Mr A Bennett
- Senior Finance Business Partner, Connells Group
- Studied at DHFS from 1978 to 1982
- Advice to students: Your abilities are infinite, don’t let your own perceived limitations stop you.
- Greatest achievements: Being dedicated and convinced of my own abilities to run marathons and ultra marathons after years of back issues and major surgery. You can do anything if you want it enough.
Ms H Bentley
- Administration Officer, Mercia Learning Trust
- Studied at DHFS from 1976 to 1983
- Advice to students: Get your Level 5 in English Language or there is very little you can do at Sixth Form. You only have one real chance at your exams so work hard. Study what you enjoy, have outside interests too.
- Greatest achievements: My boys. Having a very varied career.
Mr E Buchan
- Finance Assistant, Derbyshire County Council
- Studied at DHFS from 2006 to 2013
- Advice to students: Be kind and enjoy yourselves. There are more important things than money. Take time for yourself.
- Greatest achievements: Performance analyst for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club (2 year internship) and Derbyshire County Cricket Club (8 months)
Mr M Chapman
- Account Manager, Broadcom / VMware
- Studied at DHFS from 1992 to 1996
- Advice to students: Focus on what you love and enjoy where there is a natural passion, this will lead you to the right path for you. Forcing yourself to make effort on things which you don’t enjoy will not benefit you in the long run!
- Greatest achievements: Managing to get on a type of apprenticeship at 18 with Coca Cola which came with a degree, rather than going to traditional university. It gave me the platform to go on in life and do well in my career.
Ms C Cheney
- Nursery Officer, The Avenue Nursery
- Studied at DHFS from 1989 to 1997
- Advice to students: Work hard, play harder
- Greatest achievements: Having a job that I love, and worked hard to get. When you enjoy it, it’s not really work.
Ms H Eyre
- Event Steward, Showsec
- Studied at DHFS from 1980 to 1996
- Advice to students: Work hard
- Greatest achievements: My children
Ms S Fossumstuen
- Teacher – Frogn High School, Norway
- Studied at DHFS from 1976 to 1983
- Advice to students: Find a good study/work-life balance and follow your dreams!
- Greatest achievements: Starting a life, studies and a teaching career from scratch in Norway.
Mr S Godber
- ANPR Manager, South Yorkshire Police
- Studied at DHFS from 1980 to 1986
- Advice to students: Enjoy!
- Greatest achievements: Building the country’s first digital CCTV system, then being part of building the first National ANPR system. Assisting in catching bad people.
Dr G Harvey
- Retired General Medical Practitioner
- Studied at DHFS from 1963 to 1970
- Advice to students: Take advice and work hard.
- Greatest achievements: Thanks to the support of the school I was encouraged to apply for Oxford University and for medicine -and I was successful. I have had a very fulfilling career as a result.
Mr B Holliday
- Customer Service Lead, Aviva
- Studied at DHFS from 1989 to 1994
- Advice to students: Do the subjects you enjoy, don’t worry about what you’ll do with them, it will all work out.
- Greatest achievements: My daughter
Ms P Hutchinson
- Retired languages teacher
- Studied at DHFS from 1954 to 1961
- Advice to students: Enjoy and make the most!
- Greatest achievements: Head of Languages, King Edward V11, Sheffield
Ms K Johnson
- Receptionist, NHS
- Studied at DHFS from 1982 to 1987
- Advice to students: School years are definitely the best years – work hard now and you will reap the rewards in later life.
- Greatest achievements: Many happy years working in the transport industry and at 53 semi- retired and living at the coast.
Mr R Kerr
- Retired
- Studied at DHFS from 1956 to 1963
- Advice to students: Do not be afraid to make choices and take risks.
- Greatest achievements: Vice-President Academic, University of Manitoba, Canada. Father of three wonderful “kids”.
Mr J Mawbey
- Senior Marketing Manager, Harworth Group PLC
- Studied at DHFS from 1991 to 1999
- Advice to students: Don’t put pressure on yourself to know what you want to do as a profession when you leave school. You have lots of time in your twenties to work that out and explore different paths. University also isn’t a guarantee to a job so apprenticeships can be a great way to start a career.
- Greatest achievements: Running my own business for 3 years, being a marketing pioneer in the renewable energy industry, and leading the marketing for a property company that has recently entered the FTSE 250. I’ve also developed a strong hobby in astronony and recently delivered my own space & astronomy session to the Science club at DHFS, utilising my own photography!
Mr J Morris
- Managing Director, Stauff UK Limited
- Studied at DHFS from 1976 to 1981
- Advice to students: Obviously work hard on your chosen subjects especially in the last few years running up to exam time but also prepare for job interviews, focus on your social skills, be presentable, be friendly, ambitious, really do your homework on the company you are being interviewed by, ask questions, show confidence and a strong interest in the company’s business – we have never asked to see academic qualifications, it will show through their personality.
- Greatest achievements: 44 years at Stauff, starting on the shop floor aged 16 as employee number 13 and working my way up to Managing Director in 2004, now employing 182 people across 3 locations Sheffield, Aberdeen and Belfast.
Ms S Munday
- Head of Professional Development, Department of Business and Trade (Civil Service)
- Studied at DHFS from 1997 to 2004
Ms A Parker
- Grants Funding Advisor, Sheffield Hallam University
- Studied at DHFS from 1993 to 2000
- Advice to students: Work hard but don’t forget to take time to rest and don’t put yourself under too much pressure. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, you are you, just focus on working to YOUR best abilities and no one else’s! Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on, not bring you down.
- Greatest achievements: My children (2 of which are now at DHFS!)
Mr J Roberts
- Vice President of Claims, American Insurance Group
- Studied at DHFS from 1977 to 1981
- Advice to students: Concentrate on getting a good degree that leads to a job. Try and get professional qualifications in the job and build on them as you change employer as part of your career.
- Greatest achievements: Having worked in the UK, Argentina for 6 years, then transferred to Houston. Moving a family and 3 children is a challenge.
Ms D Stockley
- Currently retired.
- Studied at DHFS from 1975 to 1979
- Advice to students: Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who have your best interests at heart.
- Greatest achievements: Becoming a mother. Becoming a General Manager in John Lewis. Becoming an Independent Consultant and having singular accountability for my success/failure.
Mr M Taylor
- Chief Economist, Rothschilds & Co
- Studied at DHFS from 1978 to 1982
- Advice to students: Study hard but enjoy the experience, a tough world of work awaits!
- Greatest achievements: Writing an economics paper that helped in a small way to prevent the UK from joining the Euro.
Mr D Turner
- Student reading for BA History, Merton College, University of Oxford
- Studied at DHFS from 2015 to 2022
- Advice to students: Do everything in your power to achieve your goals. It may not go as intended or the route you planned, but there is always a way; it is your responsibility to make sure that setbacks aren’t the end of your story.
- Greatest achievements: Dealing with initial rejection from university and making the most of my year out. Despite the initial setback, I worked as a shop assistant and a caseworker for an MP, gaining experience, saving money and eventually getting accepted into my chosen university. I’m optimistic about what post-university life holds.
Mr N Wheat
- Production Planner, Tri-Wall UK
- Studied at DHFS from 1978 to 1986
- Advice to students: Forget university unless you have the drive and ambition to be a success. Get a decent trade and earn real money when you’re young and not saddle yourself with debt.
- Greatest achievements: To be a published author.
Mr A Wilson
- Mental Health Advocate & Facilitator, Self employed
- Studied at DHFS from 1978 to 1982
- Advice to students: Don’t assume that what you want to do right now will be your final career destination. Everything can and will change.
Keep your eyes and ears open, always be willing to learn, challenge yourself and please know that EVERYONE struggles at some time or another. It’s all part of growing up and life. No one avoids that. - Greatest achievements: Having a wonderful, and recently married, son (who also attended DHFS). Having a long and very happy marriage. Successfully carrying out CPR and training cops for 20 years. Completing a 30 year Police career, including 17 years of front line response team management. Surviving a mental breakdown and then studying to bring me to where I am now, and still helping people cope with life and work.
Mr L Wilson
- Software Engineer, Race Technology Ltd
- Studied at DHFS from 2016 to 2023
- Advice to students: Enjoy the process, work hard and don’t let the haters stop you following your passions and interests.
- Greatest achievements: Managing to get a Degree Apprenticeship in the final month of school, after having applied for a traditional undergraduate degree.
Ms S Wing
- Teacher of Geography – Secondary School, Kensington Aldridge Academy
- Studied at DHFS from 2012 to 2019
- Advice to students: To take every opportunity! Don’t take your school years for granted and work hard – it’s only for a short time!
- Greatest achievements: Becoming a secondary school teacher aged 22. Moving to London and trying to make a difference in an inner city school.