杏吧原创

All at Wave Nine Maidens AP Academy are looking forward to celebrating our 150th birthday! We will welcome former pupils, staff, parents, and members of the local community for an afternoon of celebration, reflection, and connection. The birthday event to mark the 150^th milestone of the academy will take place on Friday 24 October 2025 from 12pm 鈥� 2pm.

A School Steeped in History

The school first opened in 1875 as Four Lanes County Primary School, the school has long been affectionately known as Nine Maidens by locals 鈥� a nod to the nearby stone circle on the Downs. Over the decades, it has remained a cornerstone of the Four Lanes community, educating generations of children and adapting through times of war, weather, and change.

A Day to Remember

The celebrations will begin at 12 noon with the ringing of the old school bell by John Nurhonen, a former headteacher. Guests will then be invited to tour the academy, view historical displays, and take part in photo opportunities. The event will conclude at 2pm with the cutting of a specially made cake 鈥� shaped like the school building itself.

鈥淭his will be a very exciting moment in the history of Nine Maidens Academy,鈥� said John Watson, Head of School. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to welcoming back those who have been part of our journey over the past 150 years.鈥�

Stories Through the Years

Those attending will receive a celebratory booklet containing photos and stories of the rich history of the school. From the first formal logbook entry, dated 18 January 1875, descriptions from when the school served as a distribution centre for evacuees during World War 11 through to Coronation Day celebrations in 1953 and the serving of sausage sandwiches to stranded motorists in the blizzard of 2023.

Nine Maidens has always been more than just a school.

鈥淲e are enormously proud of the role the school has played in the education of children in Four Lanes during its existence as the County Primary school and now as an Alternative Provision Academy,鈥� said John Watson.  鈥淒espite all of the inevitable changes, societal and otherwise, which have taken place over the past 150 years, it is great to see that two things have endured: the guarantee of a warm welcome and the name Nine Maidens.鈥�