Following the introduction of the tripartite secondary education system under the 1944 Education, Widnes had an extremely selective secondary school system that persisted to the early 1970s, with barely 3 per cent of 11 year olds passing the 11 Plus exam to go to the Wade Deacon Grammar School.

As head, Roberts was not only a strict disciplinarian but also keen monitor of the boys' academic and sports activities and progress, and dress.

Gibson also initiated closer relations with the Girls School, including various social events.

At this time, footballer Ted McDougall moved to the school and in 1965 became an apprentice with Liverpool FC under manager Bill Shankly.

Two years later, on Saturday 5 September 1981, the school's science block was set on fire causing damage estimated to have cost £100,000.

In 1998, Keith Bates who replaced Blacow as headteacher introduced a house system that radically change the way the school operated.

The four new houses were Radcliffe (Blue), Hurst (Yellow), Bancroft (Green) and Lovell (Purple).

Keith Bates would stay with the school until 2003 and was replaced by his deputy head Mr Jeff Hughes.

From 2004 Fairfield was designated as a specialist college in the performing arts and received extra government funding, including a complete refurbishment of the lower school building into a self-contained performing arts suite.

It was also widely recognised for its sporting achievements, most notably when in 1999 Michael Owen, Kevin Keegan and Ant & Dec visited the school as part of a football programme.

Jeff Hughes would later go on to be an internet sensation when he recorded a video of him performing Gangnam Style.

The home economics classrooms which were left unused by Wade Deacon were partly demolished in November before being cleared in January 2014.