what does hailsham and norfolk mean to the student from the beginning to end of the novel?

During their childhoods, the characters see Hailsham as an idyllic school and place to grow up. They look back on their childhoods fondly. Later, they begin to understand the reasons they were kept isolated from the outside world, and things don't look quite so pretty.

Norfolk is looked upon with both sadness and hope. The students are looked upon as "normals" for the first time during their visit there. This realization is good and bad..... knowing they can pass for normal and understanding how much they have in common with the other people is bittersweet to say the least. For Tommy, this knowledge is life changing.