Newport’s first newly-built school for more than 50 years began welcoming children at Nine Acres on 30th June 1951 – 75 years ago today.
The new Newport County Infants School at Nine Acres was officially inaugurated by Mrs H.C. Benwell, former vice-chairman of the London County Council, at a time when the county town was expanding rapidly after the Second World War.
Built at a cost of around £40,000 – the equivalent of roughly £1.5 million today – the school was designed by architect Mr F.H. Booth.
The new premises featured 6 classrooms, a large assembly and dining hall, entrance halls, staff rooms and a kitchen capable of preparing meals for 250 children each day.
Large windows were designed to flood the classrooms with sunlight during summer months while still keeping the building warm in winter, while hardwood floors were laid in the classrooms and assembly hall.
The opening of the school came as Newport faced increasing demand for school places as new housing developments spread around the town during the post-war years.
Even before construction had finished, the site itself had become the subject of disagreement between Newport Town Council and Newport County Council after the land at Nine Acres was acquired from the Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society.
Over the decades that followed, thousands of Island children passed through the school gates as Nine Acres became firmly established as one of Newport’s best-known schools.
Former pupils still recall playground games, school dinners, sports days and Christmas productions held inside the school hall, while generations of local families would eventually see their own children and grandchildren attend the same school.
Nine Acres later adapted to major changes in Isle of Wight education, surviving the transition from the old 3-tier school system to the modern primary structure while many older schools across the Island disappeared altogether.
Today, nearly 75 years later, Nine Acres continues serving families from across Newport and remains a familiar part of the county town landscape. In 2024, the school was rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.
