We’re all one big family!

First day of AKS Lytham campus being open to all. Year 7s looking forward to their first day in senior school

The controversial merger of KEQMS with Blackpool’s Arnold School last year saw a fresh name – Arnold King Edward School, or AKS – unveiled along with a new maroon uniform.

But for the 2012-13 school year, the pupils remained on the school sites they had occupied while they were still separate establishments.

In the meantime, work got underway on a £6.4m extension programme to make sure the site at Clifton Drive South, St Annes would be able to accommodate all pupils from the start of the new school year.

More than 800 pupils passed through the gates as the new term got underway and AKS headmaster Jim Keefe said: “It is a tremendously exciting time for the AKS community as we come together on one campus at the start of the school year.

“We have created a new drama studio, sixth form centre, art facility, music recital room and recording studio and there has been widespread refurbishment throughout the campus, including the entrance area, music practice rooms, science laboratories, staff room and administration suite, while work also starts on our new sports hall later this month.

“My colleagues and I are delighted to welcome all our pupils, new and old, and in particular, to open our brand new nursery and junior school in a state-of-the-art building on King Edward Avenue, which will provide an inspirational learning environment for our younger pupils. A phenomenal amount of work has also been completed in our senior school over the summer.

“The campus is large enough to provide our pupils with a rich variety of academic and co-curricular opportunities and challenges, while being small enough to allow us to understand and inspire each and every child in our care.”