This year, The Elms Nursery and Junior School in Long Eaton celebrates its 20th anniversary. On Friday 11th October the school marked the occasion with an exciting day of activities that brought together the whole school community.
Commemorative events included a ceremonial tree planting, a time capsule and the opening of the new Lower School library by the Parents’ Social Association.
Every class held birthday parties in the school’s honour, enjoying party games and making their own party hats, and pupils from Reception to Year 6 took part in a fun run across the school’s 45-acre campus. Families and friends of the school were also invited to join the celebrations, which included an anniversary afternoon tea and a fun fair on the terrace.
As well as being an occasion for celebration, the 20th anniversary celebration provided an opportunity for the whole school community to reflect on how far The Elms has come since the decision was made to expand successful independent secondary school Trent College with the addition of a thriving junior school. School year 2017/18 saw Trent College celebrating its 150 year anniversary.
Deputy Head (Pastoral) Mrs Lucy Deller is one of three teachers who have accompanied the school on its twenty-year journey. Reflecting on how The Elms has changed, she said, “The Elms has grown significantly since 1999 when it started with 132 pupils, with all classes being based in the Lower School Main building and eating lunch in one of the classrooms! But throughout the past 20 years I love the fact that the school has continued to maintain its strong sense of community and despite the growth in numbers The Elms still feels like a strong family unit where pupils and staff support and care for one another.”
The Elms continues to progress with the times and deliver a 21st century education under its current Head, Mrs Faith Potter, who joined the school last year. Over the past two decades, The Elms has evolved into a forward-thinking school made up of pupils who are committed to giving back to their local community and taking action against environmental issues.
A recently formed Eco-Council of pupils at The Elms has embraced the ‘Adopt-a-Park’ community scheme, linking the school to neighbouring park West Park, and pupils have been actively involved in litter-picking and recycling schemes. The school has organised several upcoming events, including a ‘Switch Off Fortnight’, that they hope will promote their important eco-message and bring awareness to ongoing environmental issues around the world.
Summarising the day, Mrs Potter explained, “Many jobs of the future don’t exist and will require children to be at the forefront of innovation, as engineers and leaders. The outstanding specialist subject teachers and facilities at The Elms prepares our pupils to become adaptable learners with the ability to solve problems creatively. Our excellent pastoral care and school values ensure that they do this with integrity, resilience and passion.”
