Tag: Education

Blackpool Sixth Form College

Blackpool Sixth Form College was established in 1971 as a sixth-form centre for Collegiate Grammar School before becoming an independent college in 1989. Today, Blackpool Sixth is recognised as an outstanding sixth-form college specialising in education for 16 to 19-year-olds. With a student body of just over 2,000, the college fosters a close-knit and supportive community. It prides itself on academic excellence, delivering high-quality teaching, learning, and pastoral support. Serving a broad area that includes Blackpool and the wider Fylde and Wyre districts, the college is known for its vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming environment. In December 2021, an Ofsted inspection… Read more »

Blackpool Multiversity

Blackpool Multiversity is an ambitious project aimed at transforming higher education in Blackpool by creating a state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral campus in the town’s centre. Spearheaded by Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC), the Multiversity seeks to integrate digital and business education, skills development, and innovation to position Blackpool as a premier destination for higher education and training. The campus will collaborate closely with businesses of all sizes, ensuring that the curriculum is co-created with employer partners to meet current and future workforce needs. This partnership aims to attract employers to the area by providing facilities for workforce upskilling. The Multiversity plans…

Lytham Academy of Performing Arts

Lytham Academy of Theatre Arts, or L.A.T.A. as it’s affectionately known, was established in 1994 and is based at 15 St Alban’s Rd, Lytham Saint Annes FY8 1UB. The academy was founded with the aim of providing young people with experience and training in all aspects of theatre production. Affiliated with the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), L.A.T.A. hosts an annual regional awards evening where accolades are presented for the best musicals, plays, and performances from the previous year. The academy has won several awards, including recognition for their productions of The Vackees, and every show since has garnered… Read more »

The Fylde’s Kirkham Grammar School

Kirkham Grammar School is a prestigious, selective, co-educational day and boarding school located in Kirkham, Lancashire. Although it holds a Preston postcode, it is situated within the Fylde area. Established in 1549, its origins trace back to a chantry school linked to St Michael’s Church in the 13th century. The school remained on church grounds until 1911, when it moved to its current location on Ribby Road. The main building and the headmaster’s house are both Grade II listed on the National Heritage List for England. In 1585, the Thirty Men of Kirkham, a group managing parish affairs, took over… Read more »

Ross Goodwin Starts Judo Academy

Ross Goodwin started Kaidokan Judo Academy in Blackpool in late 2015. Within a short time from opening, the academy achieved tremendous success within the community by being awarded the area’s Community Sports Club of the Year along with the Area and Regional Coach of the Year Awards (Fylde, Blackpool & Lancashire twice). Goodwin is also a current…

Salvation Army Citadel and Blackpool Grammar School

The Salvation Army Citadel in Blackpool, located on Church Street, is a significant historical and community landmark. Constructed between 1904 and 1905, the building was originally the Raikes Road Technical School, designed in the Baroque style by architects R. B. Rots, Sons, and Hennings. Later, it served as Blackpool Grammar School before becoming the headquarters for the Salvation Army. The building is a Grade II-listed structure, characterized by its red brick and terracotta details, a slate roof, and a prominent copper-domed tower on the southwest corner. Today, the Citadel is a vital center for the Salvation Army’s mission in Blackpool…. Read more »

Blackpool & The Fylde College

The technical college, originally completed in 1936, has evolved through several mergers over the years. A school for fishermen has been based in Fleetwood since 1892, and in 1987, this nautical college merged with Blackpool and the Fylde College to form the institution that exists today. The college’s main campus is in Bispham, with a network of additional campuses across the Fylde coast, many of which are connected to the University Centre on Palatine Road. Altogether, the college operates from nine campuses along the 17-mile stretch of coastline in the Fylde. Bispham Campus The primary site for school leavers and… Read more »

Blackpool Music School

Formed in 2006 by John Shaw & Jim Lomas, Blackpool Music School offers the community of Blackpool and the wider Fylde area the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument at minimal cost. The school offers affordable memberships for any age from 8 years upwards and provides training in the use of a variety music of musical instruments, including: keyboard, piano, saxophone, guitar, drums and ukulele as well as training for singing, music theory and more. They endeavour to keep their costs minimal, which allows them to offer value-for-money memberships for those on low incomes, the disabled, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, children excluded… Read more »

Arnold School Merges with King Edward VII and Queen Mary School

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. Arnold School, a respected independent school with a rich history dating back to its founding in 1880, closed in 2013 when it merged with King Edward VII and Queen Mary School (KEQMS) in Lytham St Annes to form a new institution called AKS Lytham, as seen in the picture of its current state. The merger was designed to combine…

Elmslie Girls School

Elmslie Girls School, founded in 1918 by three sisters—Elizabeth, Polly, and Peggie Brodie—was an institution that stood out not only for its academic success but also for its distinctive atmosphere and strong sense of community. Located on Whitegate Drive in a large, detached house, the school served as a nurturing environment for girls, offering them opportunities to excel in various fields, including competitive sports, music, science, and the arts. Elmslie Girls School, which was an all-girls school for the majority of its history, did admit boys at the preschool or early years level. The school was known for providing an… Read more »