Highfields School, Newark marks its 80th anniversary with cake and happy birthday

A school marked a major milestone last week with special cakes and birthday celebrations.

Highfields School first opened on March 28, 1945, to 21 pupils who started by bringing their own cushions or chairs to sit on.

The school’s original home was a space above Sheldrake’s chemist shop near Newark’s Palace Theatre, and was established by a small group of Newark families.

The group wanted an education for their children that was more than was provided locally at the time following changes made to education in Newark as a consequence of the Education Act in 1944.

The school moved to its current site on London Road in October 1945 following the acquisition of Highfields House in its 12 acres of parkland.

Eighty years later, the school has over 100 students, who marked the big day by singing Happy Birthday and lighting candles, before heading outside to scatter wildflower seeds across the grounds.

The activity was part of the school’s ongoing rewilding project — a key focus of its environmental mission this year.

To make the day more special, the school hosted a cake design competition where it asked the pupils to describe the flavours of the recipe, and to draw what they imagined the cake to look like.

Elliot Pallet was the winner of the competition, with a lemon flavour cake and filling.

Further cake competition winners were Isobel Banks, Hugo Kinnear-Mellor, Finn Davidson, Barnaby Podmore and Felix Payler-Carpenter.

“It's very important to mark this anniversary because there have been so many periods of national adversity which Highfields has navigated successfully, holding strong to its core purpose and aims,” said Sarah Lyons, the school’s headteacher.

“Highfields is a very special place to grow and learn. It cherishes childhood whilst preparing young people for the wider world.”

The school will be hosting a second birthday event on June 13 at 3pm, as it marks the official registration of the school by the government in 1945, and both past and present Highfields pupils and their families are invited to join the celebrations.

Sarah added: “This is a school where children flourish through strong teaching and learning, nurturing relationships and the most wonderful natural environment.

“We are immensely proud of our history, our repeated excellent inspection outcomes, but most of all, our pupils past and present, and the impact a Highfields education continues to have today in producing not only leaders and global citizens of the future but individuals with integrity who above all value equality and kindness.”

Highfields will also open its doors to prospective families on Saturday, April 26, for its next Open Day.