A Nostalgic Visit to Highfield School - Part 1

By Brian Pears

Highfield School on Highfield Road was due to reach its 100th anniversary on August 17th 2008, but sadly it will never reach that milestone because the building is now scheduled to close in the summer of 2006. The school will move to new premises on the recreation ground off Whinfield Way which it will share with St Joseph's Roman Catholic School, while the old building will be demolished and the site used for housing.

The new premises will doubtless be fully geared to the needs of the 21st century, so I'm sure that both schools will benefit from the move, but it is sad that we are to lose a building which played such a big part in many of our lives.

These photographs are my attempt to produce a visual record of the old school before it disappears for ever. They were taken during four visits to the school between April and July 2005, but have been arranged to give a virtual walk through the school. I hope they bring back happy memories: I certainly enjoyed revisiting the school to take them.

With thanks to the Head Teacher and Staff of Highfield Community Primary School and the Manager and Staff of High Hopes Neighbourhood Nursery.

Alongside each photograph is a plan showing the location of the camera and the approximate coverage of the shot. The accompanying text is aimed primarily at my contemporaries - I was a pupil at the school from 1951 to 1957 - but may also be helpful and of interest to others.

The view of Highfield School from the top of Highfield Road. Note the wall decorations and the sign above the arch which proclaims "Welcome to Highfield Community Primary School" - rather different from the view in our day. In those days this entrance was used by infants and girls; today it is used by all the children. It is not always appreciated that this two-storey block was a late addition to the school: it was built in 1928, some twenty years after the rest of the school.

The school flag bearing the school motto "Aiming High", the school logo which is perhaps suggestive of the Angel of the North, and the school name "Highfield Community Primary School". (I cheated - the photograph has been flipped horizontally because it actually shows the back of the flag.)

Another view of the two-storey block from the end of Hillcroft.

The boys' entrance from our day is now used only by staff. Back then the only vehicle parked in the yard was a Ford Zepher, registration number PUP ***, owned by the headmaster, Mr Swan, and it was always parked facing the school directly in front of the gate.

Looking towards South View from the boys' entrance. Today the view is obscured by Hillcroft which was built on what was waste ground. How well I remember running across that waste ground at dinner times to the little sweet shop at 12 South View East to buy liquorice, sherbet or similar treat.

The boys' door which is now used only by staff. A number of our class photographs were taken in front of this door - a background no longer available because of the toilet block which now stands to the left of the door. The bay window of what was Mr Swan's office can be seen on the right of this picture.

Highfield School Class 7 1955

BACK ROW: Martin Harrihill, James Tulip, Colin Bates, Colin Burdon, Clive Gibb, Christopher Morley, Stanley Meek, John Clasper, Derek Stirling, Ronald Bewley.

THIRD ROW: Eileen Gray, Mary Hague, Judy Carr, Judith Walker, Joan Dutfield, Patricia Johnson, William Lake, Barbara Foley, Jean Atkinson, Pauline Taylor, Anne Herron.

SECOND ROW: Ann Hogarth ?, Ann Blythe, Linda O'Neill, Pauline Logan, Kay Coverdale, Miss Butler, Mr Swan, Alison Nattrass, Sheila Adamson, Jenny Goodfellow, Joan Tiplady, Jean Laws.

FRONT ROW: David Wishart, Leslie Walton, Alan Wainwright, John Wainwright.

Highfield School Class 8 1955

BACK ROW: John Ferguson, Gordon Dixon, Keith Logan, Sidney Mountjoy, Keith Harper, Brian Pears, Derek Thompson, Norman Charlton, Raymond Hunter, Kenneth Hopper, Edward Tones, David Taylor, Thomas Lawson Alan Purvis.

THIRD ROW: Brian Greener, William Armstrong, Ann Ackerley, Ronald Hagan, Dorothy Daglish, Curtis Collins, Marie McNaughton, Malcolm Charlton, Valerie Johnson, Barrie Couthard, Sylvia Clasper, Melvyn Cook.

SECOND ROW: Margaret Simpson, Angela Musgrove, Ivy Bland, Vera Gardner, Mary Webb, Miss Butler, Mr Swan, Marjorie Coleman, Jean Scott, Susan Gray, Maureen French, Kathleen Knight.

FRONT ROW: Reginald Parker, David Oliver, Kenneth Stewart, Dennis Wilson, Thomas D'eath, George Liddle, Peter Ward, John Hague.

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