Richard John Cyril Allen attended DHFS during the mid 70s. He dropped out of school at 15 to play drums for the hard rock band Def Leppard, overcame the amputation of his left arm in his early 20s, and continues to play and tour with the band until this day...
Football star, Gary Cahill, was a student at DHFS through the mid-to-late nineties. He is now a professional centre back, with over 50 caps, who plays for and captains both the Premier League club Chelsea, and the England national team...
Nicola Minichiello (born Nicola Gautier) studied at DHFS during the early nineties, when she was better known for her shot put, javelin, and heptathlon skills. She went on to become the first British female bobsleigh driver to win a World Championship gold medal...
Rob Aitken graduated from DHFS in 1996, before going on to study Motor Vehicle Mechanics at Chesterfield College. Rob now works as a Formula One pit crew member. He's remarkably relaxed for someone who wears fireproof overalls for a living...
Hannah Vaughan dreamed of being a pilot when she was a student with us in the mid 2000s, but her dream nearly became a nightmare. After multiple setbacks, she finally achieved her life goal and became a British Airways commercial pilot in 2015...
Jack Shephard was an avid sportsman during his time at DHFS in the early 2000s. He competed in the Dwarf World Championships at the age of seven, became Para-badminton World Champion at age 20, and now sets his sights on the 2020 Paralympic Games...
After leaving DHFS in 2009, James Campbell became our first Grammy Award nominated student at the start of 2017. He's worked with artists such as The Wanted, Gary Barlow, and Mica Paris, and now tours with other A-listers as part of his freelance studio work...
Chris Paul left DHFS in 2007, with A Levels and a near immaculate attendance record. He caught the eye of an acting scout and worked as a regular support actor before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. He's performed with Derek Jacobi and Ben Wishaw...
Michael Franey left us in 1999 and went on to study Biochemistry at Birmingham University and Edinburgh University. Now settled in Oslo and working with the Norwegian Pollution Authority, Michael spends much of his time collecting and analysing sea water...
Being the only non-US recipient of a distinguished honors award from the Association of American Geographers for his contributions to higher education, David J. Unwin credits DHFS as a major influence on his life since his time with us in the late 50s and early 60s…
Richard John Cyril Allen attended DHFS during the mid 70s. He dropped out of school at 15 to play drums for the hard rock band Def Leppard, overcame the amputation of his left arm in his early 20s, and continues to play and tour with the band until this day...
Football star, Gary Cahill, was a student at DHFS through the mid-to-late nineties. He is now a professional centre back, with over 50 caps, who plays for and captains both the Premier League club Chelsea, and the England national team...
Nicola Minichiello (born Nicola Gautier) studied at DHFS during the early nineties, when she was better known for her shot put, javelin, and heptathlon skills. She went on to become the first British female bobsleigh driver to win a World Championship gold medal...
Rob Aitken graduated from DHFS in 1996, before going on to study Motor Vehicle Mechanics at Chesterfield College. Rob now works as a Formula One pit crew member. He's remarkably relaxed for someone who wears fireproof overalls for a living...
Hannah Vaughan dreamed of being a pilot when she was a student with us in the mid 2000s, but her dream nearly became a nightmare. After multiple setbacks, she finally achieved her life goal and became a British Airways commercial pilot in 2015...
Jack Shephard was an avid sportsman during his time at DHFS in the early 2000s. He competed in the Dwarf World Championships at the age of seven, became Para-badminton World Champion at age 20, and now sets his sights on the 2020 Paralympic Games...
After leaving DHFS in 2009, James Campbell became our first Grammy Award nominated student at the start of 2017. He's worked with artists such as The Wanted, Gary Barlow, and Mica Paris, and now tours with other A-listers as part of his freelance studio work...
Chris Paul left DHFS in 2007, with A Levels and a near immaculate attendance record. He caught the eye of an acting scout and worked as a regular support actor before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. He's performed with Derek Jacobi and Ben Wishaw...
Michael Franey left us in 1999 and went on to study Biochemistry at Birmingham University and Edinburgh University. Now settled in Oslo and working with the Norwegian Pollution Authority, Michael spends much of his time collecting and analysing sea water...
Being the only non-US recipient of a distinguished honors award from the Association of American Geographers for his contributions to higher education, David J. Unwin credits DHFS as a major influence on his life since his time with us in the late 50s and early 60s…
If you're a former student of DHFS, we want to hear from you! We are proud to have played some part in your lives and would be thrilled if you'd tell us about your experiences. Download the sample profile template for ideas.
Alumni communities have two distinctive strengths: relatability and sustainability. Having grown up in the same area, and perhaps having had some of the same teachers, former students make ideal role models. You can offer advice to students from your own context.
Submit your Alumni profile to feature on our website
What you've done and where you've been since leaving us, could help motivate and inspire our current students, helping them feel more confident in making decisions about their future. We'd love you to join our alumni network and stay connected with the school. Download the sample template below and submit your profile today!