AKS Lytham

AKS Lytham (AKS), is a private co-educational day school located on the Fylde, Lancashire, England. It is based on a coastal 35-acre site in Lytham St Annes. AKS Lytham is a member of HMC and a part of the United Church Schools Trust family of schools.

AKS is a member of the Round Square group of schools, a network of more than 200 schools in 50 countries. The school also provides an on-site Forest Schools programme within the Prep School grounds. The school hosts lectures for the Lytham St Annes Classical Association, the largest branch of the Classical Association set up by a former student.

History

AKS Lytham was formed from the merger of King Edward VII and Queen Mary School (KEQMS) in Lytham St. Annes and Arnold School in Blackpool. In 2000, KEQMS was formed from the merger of King Edward VII School, Lytham and Queen Mary School, meaning that AKS Lytham was formed from four schools. The school was branded as ArnoldKEQMS from 2012 to 2014 and is now known as AKS Lytham.

Rating

The quality of education at AKS Lytham for the Prep School, Senior School, and Sixth Form was rated as Excellent in all areas (ISI, 2022), with the Nursery rated as Outstanding (OFSTED 2023). In 2023, 78% of A level grades were A*-B and 50% of grades were 9-7, earning recognition as one of the top ten Independent Schools in the North West (The Sunday Times, 2024).

Facilities and grounds

The AKS Lytham campus has a 35-acre coastal location, a site with playing fields, as well as an artificial all weather sports ground. The school allows for external hire of their facilities.


The school's campus caters for ages 0–18, with a Nursery, Prep School, Senior School, and Sixth Form.

Headmasters

During the school merger of 2011-2012, it was announced that Jim Keefe, headmaster of Arnold from 2010, would take the helm of the newly formed AKS Lytham, leaving KEQMS Headmaster Robert Karling to step down.

Keefe remained in post until July 2014, when he took up the helm of St John’s Ravencourt School in Winnipeg.

Achievements

Hockey has been successful at the national level, while rugby and drama also hold awards, and music has an international reputation. Sports teams tour in the UK, Europe, and the Southern Hemisphere, and a large number of pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at bronze, silver, and gold level. The school also has a large Combined Cadet Force (CCF). The school has a House structure and charity features in school actions, both in support of local needs as well as international needs.

A list of achievements and statistics, included in the AKS Lytham prospectuses:

* 95% of students achieve their first choice university.
* There is an 80% participation rate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, with almost 200 pupils involved.
* 26 students gained county honours for Hockey (2023/24 season).
* 4 students gained county honours for U18 Rugby (2023/24 season).
* International trips and tours take place for sport, music, academic subjects and Round Square opportunities.
* 4 active alumni networks with 3,500+ members.
* 35% of students play a musical instrument or perform in an ensemble.
* 95% of students gain distinctions in LAMDA examinations.
* AKS have topped the Tycoons Enterprise Competition national leaderboard for 9 years in a row.
* Every child from Years 3-6 plays a musical instrument.

School Crest

The AKS school crest was introduced in 2017, after years of deliberation as to whether to school would have one. The decision was made to incorporate the previous coats of arms from all three merged schools, rather than to create a new one. The three previous schools mottos were removed, these included:

* King Edward VII School - ''Sublimis Ab Unda'', which is Latin for 'raised from the waves', in reference to the fact the school was funded by the 1719 flood disaster.
* Queen Mary School - ''Semper Fidelis, Semper Parata'', which translates to 'Always Faithful, Always Prepared'.
* Arnold School - ''Honor Virtutis Praemium'', which translates to 'Honour is the reward of virtue'.
Both King Edward School and Queen Mary School shared a coat of arms, which then became the KEQMS crest after their 1999 merger. This crest contained Excalibur rising from the ocean, in reference to the King Edward School 1719 flood disaster, as well as a marigold, which grew abundantly on the site of Queen Mary School and a shell representing the seaside position.

The Arnold School coat of arms was granted in 1999. The shield contained three red roses of Lancashire on a silver field between wedges of Arnold green. Their crest was a red rose between two laurel leaves (for scholarship), standing on silver and blue waves (for Blackpool).

The new crest incorporated all of the above elements in silver and burgundy. It is now used on uniforms and all school properties.

File:Arnold-School.jpg, The previous Arnold School coat of arms, incorporating the red roses of Lancashire
File:AKS-Crest-2017.jpg, AKS Lytham crest 2017- 2021
File:Crest only 2021 (1).png, AKS Lytham crest 2021–present

References

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Schools in the Borough of Fylde
Private schools in Lancashire
United Learning schools
Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Lytham St Annes