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All at Wave Nine Maidens AP Academy enjoyed celebrating our 150th birthday! We welcomed former pupils, staff, parents, and members of the local community for an afternoon of celebration, reflection, and connection. The birthday event to mark the 150th milestone of the academy took place on Friday 24 October 2025.
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 began at 12 noon with the ringing of the old school bell by John Nurhonen, a former headteacher. Guests were then invited to tour the academy, view historical displays, and take part in photo opportunities. The event will concluded with the cutting of a specially made cake 鈥� shaped like the school building itself.
鈥淭his is a very exciting moment in the history of Nine Maidens Academy,鈥� said John Watson, Head of School. 鈥淲e have enjoyed welcoming back those who have been part of our journey over the past 150 years.鈥�
Stories Through the Years
Those attending received 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�
