IN 1513, Henry VIII was king and England and Scotland were doing battle at Flodden Fields.
Meanwhile, a new school was opening in Nottingham.
Nottingham High School was founded by Dame Agnes Mellers.
It was on November 22 that year that the king himself sealed the foundation deed.
The school was initially based in Stoney Street.
Five centuries on it is still going strong, albeit in a different place – in Waverley Mount – and several events are taking place throughout the year to mark its 500th anniversary.
One of the most significant aims for head teacher Kevin Fear is to be able to provide more bursaries to ensure that children from families unable to afford the fees don't miss out.
A huge fundraising drive is underway, made up mostly of donations from former students, to provide these bursaries.
It has already passed the £1m mark, enough to fund three or four extra places through the school. This would be in addition to the 130 boys already receiving bursary support.
Mr Fear said: "We want to ensure that children who are able to come to the school because of their academic ability aren't prevented from doing so because their families cannot afford to send them.
"We want to get into the communities of Nottingham where there are a lot of bright lads who might not otherwise get the opportunity."
Mr Fear said many parents forego luxury holidays and expensive cars to send their children to the independent school, which has around 1,000 four- to 18-year-olds.
Mr Fear is only the 40th in a line of heads that began with John Smith, appointed in 1513 to execute the intentions of Dame Agnes.
He has been head since 2007, having previously been second in command since 2000.
The school boasts many ex-students who have gone on to become household names.
These include Rushcliffe MP Ken Clarke, Olympic athlete Andy Turner, and DH Lawrence.
Mr Fear said many more alumni had gone on to become successful business people in the city without being in the public spotlight.
His hope is that the 500th anniversary will see many more pupils starting on that pathway, regardless of their family background.
