Former Highfields School pupil sends thank you letter and pins and badges from Australia

A former Newark pupil who migrated to Australia in the 1960s has sent a thank you letter to her school — and returned her house pins back to where they ‘belong’.

Susan Dhu, known as Susan Clayton during her time at school, attended Highfields School in London Road, Newark for preparatory school and forms one and two.

In 1967, just after she left the school, she and her family migrated to Australia, where she still lives.

Susan was going through some boxes in her home where she discovered her blazer badge and house pins from her time at the school.

The school, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, will display Susan’s items in a display on its history.

In her letter, Susan wrote: “I was excited to see that Highfields has kept its motto (be valiant).

“I have remembered it and reminded myself to be valiant at times when I did not feel so confident or brave as I needed to be.

“Although I have experienced quality schooling in Australia, I have not attended another school like Highfields.

“I need to minimise my belongings now.

“Most material things are not important, but I enclose my badge and pins to you as I cannot think of another place they would belong.”

She ended the letter by thanking the school for the ‘great positive’ start to her education.

A Highfields School spokesperson said: “We were so surprised to receive the letter, and it is wonderful that the writer feels so positively about her time here at Highfields that she wanted to write to us and send us her badges.

“We think it really demonstrates how special Highfields is, and our pupils really do have lifelong memories from their time here.”