With a combined service spanning several decades, Danuta and Kay have devoted themselves to nurturing and guiding hundreds of girls throughout their time in Dean. As Dean House prepares to host its reunion on 12 May, these cherished figures pause to reflect on their extraordinary journey as Matrons.

Danuta: I was Matron within Dean house for 38 years, and it was always more than just a job for me. I loved every moment, and I can genuinely say that I woke up every morning looking forward to life in the house. I was originally a lab technician, and I took the role as a part-time Matron at Dean when my children went to school. Dean was one of the first girls houses at Rugby School, so at the beginning we just had LXX and XX girls and the sanitorium sat above the accommodation. Dean was always a wonderfully family-oriented house, and I gradually transitioned into being full time when my son started at university.

Kay: I joined Dean House in 2006 and I've been a live-in Matron from the outset, balancing the responsibilities of the role with raising my son. Joining Dean House provided the flexibility I needed, allowing me to be present for my family while caring for the girls within the house. Danuta and I shared 14 of our years at Dean together, and we were a brilliant team. Our partnership provided consistency for the girls, and we were often the perfect balance alongside the personalities of the Housemistresses.

Danuta: Our role extended far beyond the typical nine-to-five. I'd be on duty from 7am, getting the girls up for the day, and then Kay would take over at 5pm for the evening. You never switch off from the job as the girls feel so much like family. As matrons we act much like a mother figure, ensuring the girls felt supported and valued, whilst always instilling good boundaries and discipline.  

Kay: The role of Matron is incredibly rewarding, and we’d always make a huge effort to say ‘good morning’ to the girls, to ask about holidays, check in about exams, remind them of Mother’s Day and Father's Day. We make birthdays special by bringing in a cake and celebrating together. In fact, we had 3 birthdays just last week! We reassure parents that the girls are being looked after well, reporting back regularly and preventing any worries.  

Kay: The evolution of Dean House has mirrored the changing times. We've witnessed many transformations over the years. The most recent upgrades include new common rooms and a brand-new kitchen which has been very popular - the girls made some wonderful crispy cakes there last week. We even took it upon ourselves to re-paint one of the Common Rooms with special decorative touches for the girls, which was great fun! One of the biggest challenges has been keeping up with technological advancements, and the introduction of smartphones. Balancing technology with good values has become really important within the house, and I’ve been keen to ensure the girls navigate these waters safely. I try to make sure the girls are always present and engaged in their surroundings rather than sitting on their phones.

Danuta: One of the most significant technological advancements at Dean has been the transition to online registration systems. Many former Dean girls will recall the traditional 'CO' (Call Out) during teatime, where we manually called the register and recorded attendance on a clipboard. However, in today's digital era, CO now happens digitally throughout the day, during break, lunchtime, and teatime. Students even sign in to all their classes this way.

I vividly remember a particular incident before this change. There was a day when we called out the girls' names during 'CO’, only to find one girl missing. The situation caused us great concern, especially since her friends were unaware of her whereabouts. It turned out she had boarded a train to London that morning! Acting swiftly, I contacted her, convinced her to return, and met her at the train platform to bring her safely back to Dean.

Kay: Amidst these changes, the essence of Dean House has largely remained the same—the bonds between the staff, matrons and girls, forming lifelong connections. One of the most touching moments that I recall was in the run up to the last Dean reunion. My mum had passed away and a group of D Block girls came knocking on my door. They presented me with a card and a beautiful elephant charm for my bracelet. I asked them the significance of the charm and they said that ‘an elephant never forgets, and you never forget’ and that has really stuck with me. I now think of that every time I look at the bracelet and it brings me great joy to know that I am so appreciated as a matron and mentor for the girls.

We love it when Dean girls drop in for a cup of tea to reminisce. Between us we’ve seen so many girls grow up here. Danuta has even seen a mother and now both her daughters through their time at Dean, which was really touching. We are really looking forward to the reunion on the 12 May.

If you would like to attend the Dean House Reunion on 12 May, register your place using this link. We'd love to see you there!