February 6th 2025 marks the one year anniversary of our much-loved friend and colleague Mrs Anne Sproston. Anne is always in our thoughts: we continue to talk about her, share memories and remember the fun-loving personality she was. It would only be fitting for us as a school to celebrate Anne’s life and contribution to Heyes Lane. Since last February, we have taken time, alongside Anne’s family, to consider the best way to do this. We feel now is the best time to share our plans with the wider school community.

In partnership with our wonderful PTA, through this year's 'big fund-raising project', we will be creating a brand new outdoor classroom on the school site. This will provide a dedicated space for the children at Heyes Lane to draw, colour and paint - all things that Anne loved to do and enjoyed teaching to our children. We have also commissioned sculptor, Ian Gill, to create a unique piece of art that incorporates Anne's favorite flower, a daffodil. This thoughtful creation will be an impressive 2.5m tall, be made of the same material as the Angel of The North and most importantly, serve as a beautiful and meaningful way to remember Anne and keep her memory alive in our hearts.

We know that many children, parents, former colleagues and friends of Anne’s will welcome this news. Believe us when we say, we needed time to find a way to remember our incredible friend in the best way we could imagine.

Our plans will soon become a reality and we look forward to sharing updates with you in the coming weeks.