Heacham Elementary (previously known as "Top School") was originally sited beyond the church green through the archway but increased numbers and cramped conditions led to the founding of the current Heacham Infant and Nursery School which was built by F W Shanks of Hunstanton in 1906 at a cost of £3,300.  The school house was built at the same time at a cost of £500.  The school finally opened on 7 January 1907 comprising separate infant and junior departments able to accommodate 200 junior and 96 infants.

2007 marks its 100th anniversary and pupils and teachers over the past years - along with parents of current pupils - were invited to visit the school on Friday, 23 February 2022 as part of its celebrations.  Further celebrations are planned throughout the year.

Guests were given tours of the school by Governors.  Both children and staff attended school dressed in Edwardian dress for the day, to mark the period when the school first began.  Teachers and parents did the school proud - they looked great as you can see from some of the photos. 

Pupils dressed
 
in Edwardian
 
clothes to

mark
 
the 100th
 
anniversary

of the

school

A great deal of time and thought had been put into the fantastic display of old class photographs depicting the school's history which greeted the visitors to the school.  Congratulations to the organiser/co-ordinator of the display.

Guests

view the
 
photo

gallery
 
showing
 
students
 
over the
 
past 100 years

Laid out on a table in the hall were the school registers going right back to the start of the school's life when it was originally situated beyond the church green through the archway and was known as Heacham Elementary or "Top School". 

The event was attended by three past Head Teachers including Mr Frederick Williman (1947-1974), Mrs June Pendall (1978-1989) and Mr John Marshall-Grint (Mrs Belfield's predecessor 1989-2004).

Mr Williman, the longest serving Head Teacher, was in charge when the devastating flood of 31 January 1953 hit Heacham.  On learning of the flood situation, Mr Williman acted decisively.

Mr & Mrs Williman took the initiative to provide hot food and shelter to some 65 flood victims who had been rescued that night.  The school became a place of refuge for many villagers.

Guests,
 
pupils and
 
teachers
 
assemble
 
for
 
the cutting
 
of the
 
cake

The afternoon was rounded off by releasing 145 blue and white balloons into the air - one for each child currently attending the school.