Arnold School

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Arnold School
Buildings of the closed Arnold School, Arnold Avenue, Blackpool (geograph 4665907).jpg
School buildings after closure (2015)
Location
Arnold School
Lytham Road

Blackpool
,
Lancashire
,
FY4 1JG

England
Coordinates 53°47′22″N3°02′49″W / 53.78946°N 3.04687°W / 53.78946; -3.04687
Information
Type Independent school Public school
MottoHonor Virtutis Praemium
("Honour is the reward of virtue")
Established1896
FounderF. T. Pennington
Closed2013
Local authorityBlackpool
Department for Education URN 119839 Tables
Head teacherJ. Keefe
Gender Coeducational
Age2to 18
Houses
  • Howarths
  • Listons
  • Penningtons
  • School
Colour(s)   Arnold Green, White
Former pupils Old Arnoldians
Website www.akslytham.com

Arnold School was an independent school in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, established on the Fylde coast in 1896 during the Victorian expansion of public boarding schools in England.

Contents

The school was in the United Church Schools Trust group of schools and was a long-standing member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. In September 2012, Arnold School merged with King Edward VII and Queen Mary School in Lytham St Annes to form Arnold KEQMS (now AKS Lytham), and from September 2013 the new school was fully co-located at the Lytham St Annes site.

History

Arnold School was founded by Frank Truswell Pennington on 4 May 1896. Known initially as South Shore Collegiate School, the school moved to a site in Lytham Road when Pennington took over and gradually expanded the buildings of an earlier Victorian Public School. He then adopted the former school's name of Arnold House School, named after Dr Thomas Arnold, Headmaster of Rugby School. The name was later shortened to Arnold School. The school was founded on Christian principles and a tradition of service. [1] Following Pennington's death, the school enlarged as a Direct Grant boys' grammar school, flanked by a sister Arnold High School for Girls. The abolition of the Direct Grant system placed Arnold School back into independence, and in 1938 the school was then given to the Old Boys, who elected a Governing Council. Arnold High School for Girls became a separate institution and continued as a local authority maintained grammar school. The step towards co-education was taken during the leadership of Cameron Cochrane in 1973–1978. Richard Rhodes, then deputy head, afterwards became the Headmaster, before leaving and becoming headteacher at Rossall School. [2] Arnold merged with King Edward VII and Queen Mary School (KEQMS) in September 2012, forming ArnoldKEQMS which operated on the sites of both original schools until September 2013 when it became wholly based in Lytham St Annes. [3]

Coat of arms

Arnold School coat of arms. Arnold-School.jpg
Arnold School coat of arms.

The school was granted a new Coat of Arms in 1999. The shield bears three red roses of Lancashire on a silver field between wedges of Arnold green. The crest is a red rose between two laurel leaves (for scholarship), standing on silver and blue waves (for Blackpool). [1]

Expansion and development

The Victorian school saw significant developments in the mid-20th century and the early 21st century. Some developments include the completion of a new Sixth Form Centre and Preparatory School in 1972; the Art and Music departments in 1981; the Design Centre in 1990; the all-weather playing field in 1993; the Kindergarten in 1995; the Information Technology Centres in 1997; the Modern Languages Faculty in 1997; the Centenary Complex in 1998; the opening of the Windmill Charities Room in 2003. [1]

On 1 June 2008 Arnold School joined the United Church Schools Trust. There followed an immediate investment in the infrastructure of the school, and the installation of the latest technologies available. Major refurbishments of the Sixth Form Centre, Fifth Form Lounge, and Dining Room were also undertaken.

Amalgamation

Arnold merged with King Edward VII & Queen Mary School (KEQMS) in September 2012. The new school is called AKS Lytham. Contentiously, parent groups opposed to the merger submitted objections to the Charity Commission which prompted a review prior to allowing the merger to proceed. The Charity Commission completed their report and announced on 11 November 2011 that they had approved the decision. A KEQMS parent group immediately announced their intention to appeal against the Charity Commission decision. The appeal was lodged with HM Courts and Tribunal Service – First Tier Tribunal on Friday 9 December 2011. The appeal was heard on 11 and 12 April 2012 [4] [5] and a decision was released by the tribunal on 17 May 2012 stating that the merger was going to proceed. [6] The parents group did not appeal this decision and the merger went ahead successfully over the course of 2013. [7] United Church Schools Trust (a large education charity), the group responsible for the merger, committed to an expenditure in excess of £9 million, in order to upgrade the infrastructure at the Lytham site so as to accommodate the expanded school.

Headmasters

Notable Old Arnoldians

Honours
Academic
Public life / Commerce
Sport
Arts/Theatre/TV
Literature

References

  1. 1 2 3 "AKS, Introduction & History of the School" (PDF). arnoldkeqms.com. August 2014.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. "Arnold School". Hayloft Publishing Ltd.
  3. "AKS Introduction and History" (PDF). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  4. "Our appeal has been submitted". An Independent Future. Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  5. "School fight appeal". Lytham St. Annes Express. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  6. "Tribunal Decision" (PDF). HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  7. "Campaign Announcement". An Independent Future. Retrieved 29 May 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. "Sir Walter Clegg - a Fylde man of sharp wit and deep humility". Blackpool Gazette. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  9. "Holdgate, Martin Wyatt, Sir - Zoological Society of London". zsl-archive.maxarchiveservices.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  10. "History | About AKS Lytham | About Us | AKS Lytham". www.akslytham.com. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  11. "Arnold School, Blackpool - Combined Cadet Force Honour Board". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  12. "Committee – The William Leech Research Fund" . Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  13. "Geoffrey Marshall". The Telegraph. 10 July 2003. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  14. "Charles Moseley | Biography". Charles Moseley. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  15. "Michael Smith – Biographical". NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  16. 1 2 "Notable Alumni Gallery". OAKS Alumni. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  17. "Victoria Atkins follows in her political parents' footsteps". Lancashire Evening Post. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  18. "Jimmy Armfield's pride as it's revealed new school will bear his name". Blackpool Gazette. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  19. "Christian Day". Northampton Saints. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  20. Glanville, Brian (23 December 2024). "George Eastham obituary". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  21. "Tom Graveney, cricketer - obituary". The Telegraph. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  22. "Tributes following the passing of Blackpool-born former England rugby union international". Blackpool Gazette. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  23. "Rugby codes unite in tribute to David Stephenson". Blackpool Gazette. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  24. BBC. "Natalie nets place in England squad". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  25. "History | About AKS Lytham | About Us | AKS Lytham". www.akslytham.com. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  26. 1 2 Quietus, The (23 June 2020). "Memorabilia: Dave Ball Of Soft Cell And The Grid Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  27. "History | About AKS Lytham | About Us | AKS Lytham". www.akslytham.com. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  28. "Television presenter and actor". Old Barrovians. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  29. Cryer, Anna (23 March 2018). "Corrie star to sleep on Blackpool streets". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  30. "Tim Woolcock". BELINDA TAYLOR ART. Retrieved 21 August 2025.

Further reading