150 Years of Memories: Nine Maidens Academy to Mark Historic Birthday

Friday 24th October will be a day of celebration and reflection at Nine Maidens Academy near Four Lanes, as the school marks its 150th birthday with an afternoon of festivities, history, and community spirit.

From Four Lanes CP to Nine Maidens

Originally opened in 1875 as Four Lanes CP School, the site has always been affectionately known as Nine Maidens (‘Nine Stones’) by staff and locals because of its closeness to the Downs and the nearby stone circle.

After many years under Cornwall County Council and later Cornwall Council, the school became part of Wave Multi Academy Trust in 2018. The Trust runs alternative provision and specialist academies across the South West for pupils who have faced exclusion, trauma, or barriers to mainstream education.

A Celebration Steeped in History

The anniversary celebration will begin at 12 noon on Friday 24th October, when former headteacher John Nurhonen rings the old school bell. Guests will be able to take tours of the school and enjoy photo opportunities before the event concludes at 2pm with the cutting of a specially made cake in the shape of the school building.

“This will be a very exciting moment in the history of Nine Maidens Academy,” said Head of School John Watson. “Over the past 150 years the school has been at the centre of the local community, providing education to thousands of boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 16, as well as playing a vital role during major events such as wars and coronations and extreme weather, including blizzards and floods.

“We are hoping as many former pupils, staff and parents as possible will join our celebrations as well as people who have been involved with the school over its long history.”

📷Nine Maidens School 2025

Echoes of the Past

In the first formal logbook from 18th January 1875, headteacher Mr Mollard recorded 31 children attending the school, with 13 boys and 18 girls. By 1891, his successor Mr Opie was offering pupils a shilling for perfect attendance.

Mr Opie also helped shape the school’s sporting life by clearing part of the Downs for a pitch, which remains in use today. In 2015, the area was upgraded with a Multi Use Games Area for pupils to enjoy.

During World War II, the school became a distribution centre for evacuees. One evacuee, Ethel from Islington, returned in 2016 and shared fond memories of being given chocolate and sweets by American soldiers stationed in the field opposite the school.

Coronation Day in 1953 brought more than 400 people through the school gates, braving the rain to celebrate together.

Stories Through the Seasons

The school’s history is also marked by moments of Cornish weather drama. “However, despite the many historic moments which have been marked by the school, it is often the weather which grabs the headlines,” said John.

“In the winters of 1954 and 1955 the headteacher accompanied the children home to make sure they arrived safely while in November 2023 the then Principal Andie Parker Jones made sausage sandwiches and cups of tea for stranded motorists after a sudden blizzard stopped the children getting to school and blocked the B3297 for several hours.”

A School Built to Last

Over the decades, Nine Maidens has undergone many upgrades. The 1950s saw new floors, electricity, and a kitchen fitted so meals no longer had to be transported from miles away. More recently, the Wave team installed new windows and doors in 2022, replaced the roofs in 2023 and 2025, and fitted air source heating in 2024 to replace the old oil system.

John added, “We 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. Despite 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.”

Supporting Young People Across Cornwall

Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy supports students from across Camborne, Redruth and the Lizard peninsula, catering for both primary and secondary pupils.

Wave Trust currently operates eight Alternative Provision Academies, two Medical Academies and a Special School across Cornwall and Devon.

For more about the Trust and its schools, visit Wave MAT’s website

📷Nine Maidens School 1975