Welcome
from the Headmaster
The journey from an idea to reality can often seem obvious in hindsight, with the final product obscuring the long road to creation. The ‘gem’ paperclip – so ubiquitous that people forget it even has a name – followed years of false starts with fastenings before the final device was produced; now, it’s everywhere. The inception of our Development Office, superbly led by Sarah Walton, similarly followed years of planning, and the achievements since are the result of many people’s creativity and passion. I am delighted to share that over £180k has been raised in support of bursaries and school developments. Current students have been enriched by the generosity of notable alumni, including the entrepreneur John Hutt and the TV producer Andrew Mackenzie-Betty, as well as many others, who have joined us in school to share their expertise and experience.
Our school owes much to our Chair of Governors, Phil Owen, who steps down this year after many decades of service to AKS and Arnold. It is fitting, then, that our first cohort of transformational bursary students is due to join us in the Sixth Form in September, with his vision and support for the Foundation impacting the next generation: thank you.
David Harrow, Headmaster
AKS Lytham, Clifton Drive South, Lytham St Annes FY8 1DT 01253 784100 I www.akslytham.com
Arnold School Focus
King Edward VII School Focus
Queen Mary School Focus
KEQMS Focus A Conversation with...
Director of Development From our
As we reflect back over the past academic year, I am so proud of how far we have come since we established the Development Office in September 2022.
This year we have been keen to engage with alumni from across all of our heritage schools and it was a joy to be able to host our first alumni reunion in the OAKS Hall at AKS in September to celebrate the Old Arnoldians’ 125th Anniversary. We hope that this marks the first of many reunion dinners for all of our heritage schools. This September we are hosting our first KES/KEQMS Reunion Dinner and also an Old Arnoldian 2024 Reunion Dinner.
Over the Spring and Summer terms, we have also continued to benefit from alumni coming in to school and talking to students about their career and experiences.
A big thank you to notable alumni Simon Brailsford (Old Lidunian), Andrew Mackenzie-Betty (Old Arnoldian) and John Hutt (Old Arnoldian). They all delivered insightful sessions about their huge accomplishments within their respective fields and their life lessons to our Sixth Form Students as part of the enrichment programme. In Spring, Arnold alumnus Simon Boynton and KES alumnus Ian Tottman also delivered fascinating sessions about their careers to students from Year 9 upwards.
On Sunday 28th April, we welcomed over 120 participants from our alumni, school and local community who came together for the Change Their World Charity Walk. Alumni from across our schools walked alongside current students of AKS, staff, parents and local supporters to support the AKS Lytham Foundation and raise funds for transformational bursaries.
The activities at school continued on Wednesday 1st May, when the Prep School and Nursery participated in their own beach-themed event. A huge thank you to all the Prep children and their families who raised a staggering £1,500 as part of the final total.
Through our combined efforts, a total of £30,081.62 has been raised during Donation Week 2024.
Two weeks after Donation Week, the Development Office was contacted by an alumnus who had been receiving
all of the communications from the Development Office about Donation Week and shared our belief in the power of transformational bursaries.
This generous support has resulted in our first major gift of £50,000 to support the Change Their World Bursary Appeal.
This contribution marks a significant milestone in our journey and underscores the incredible potential of our community to make a difference in the lives of young people through the AKS Lytham Foundation.
A huge thank you to all of our donors who came together to make this happen. Along with other donations raised this year, the AKS Lytham Foundation will be able to support our very first fully-funded transformational bursaries from this September into Sixth Form.
Finally, in early June, Phil Owen handed the role of Chair of the AKS’s Local Governing Body to his successor, David Stanhope, having been a governor for 26 years and Chair for the last 5. Phil’s involvement with the school began 54 years ago, when he joined Arnold Junior School as a 5-year-old in 1970.
Over the past few years, Phil has been instrumental in establishing and supporting the Foundation and its charitable efforts and we are delighted that he will continue his involvement as a Trustee of the AKS Lytham Foundation from September.
Sarah Walton Director of Development
01253 376040
sarah.walton@akslytham.com
Donation Week success raising funds to support fully-funded transformational bursaries at AKS
On Sunday 28th April, the sun shone at AKS as we welcomed over 120 participants from our alumni, school and local community who came together for the Change Their World Charity Walk. Alumni from across our schools walked alongside current students of AKS, staff, parents and local supporters to support the AKS Lytham Foundation and raise funds for transformational bursaries.
The mission of the new bursary appeal for the AKS Lytham Foundation is simple: we aim to provide life-changing opportunities through educational bursaries for talented, local children who might otherwise not be afforded the chance. We believe that every child deserves equal opportunities to thrive, regardless of their circumstances. Yet, with only 14 out of 40+ current bursaries covering 75% of fees, the AKS Lytham Foundation aims to bridge this gap. Our goal is to offer fully-funded transformational bursaries from Senior School through to Sixth Form. These bursaries won’t just cover tuition fees; they also ensure all additional expenses are taken care of, giving recipients the support they need to excel and thrive.
The Change Their World Charity Walk started our first ever #AKSDonationWeek24 which was an opportunity to highlight what we aspire to achieve through the AKS Lytham Foundation. The Development Office was contacted by many members of our alumni and local community and many pledged their support to the Bursary Fund along with messages of support.
Over the past week, many alumni have recalled their fond memories of their time at Arnold School, King Edward VII, Queen Mary School or KEQMS and how the Direct Grant Scheme and other similar forms of financial assistance enabled them to benefit from a free place at our heritage schools which changed the trajectory of their lives forever.
The activities at school continued on Wednesday 1st May, when the Prep School and Nursery participated in their own beach-themed event. From hula-hooping to beach ball relays, a great time was had.
A huge thank you to all the Prep children and their families who raised a staggering £1,500 as part of the final total.
The Development Office is delighted to announce that, through our combined efforts, a total of £30,081.62 has been raised during Donation Week 2024!
A huge thank you to all of our donors who came together to make this happen. Along with other donations raised this year, the AKS Lytham Foundation will be able to support our very first fully-funded transformational bursaries from this September into Sixth Form.
Phil Owen, Chair of Governors said:
“As Chair of the Local Governing Body, I have been delighted to help get the AKS Lytham Foundation off the ground. I was lucky to benefit from a free place at Arnold School under the old Direct Grant Scheme. It’s very warming to be able to support gifted and talented children benefit from a great education here at AKS”.
Chris Dickson, Chair of the Foundation said:
“It has been incredible to see alumni, parents, students, staff and local supporters come together to support the first Donation Week for the AKS Lytham Foundation. Through your support and through the continued fundraising efforts of the Development Office at AKS Lytham, we will now be able to support our very first fully-funded transformational bursaries from this September into AKS Sixth Form”.
Celebrating Marion Jill Wood, Arnold School’s Longest-Serving Alumna
In a morning of memories, Tim Rice, Marion’s son, shared stories of Marion Jill Wood, the longest-serving alumna of Arnold School, and sister of the late Sam Wood, who sadly passed away last year. Sam was featured in the Winter 2022 edition of the OAK Magazine.
Marion was born on 29th July 1925 and lived at 567 Lytham Road. She attended Arnold School for Girls starting at the age of five in 1930 and continued until approximately 1941. Following on from her time at school she joined the WRENS on 4th August 1943, just after turning 17. She served much of her time at the HMS Varbel II base on Loch Striven, Scotland, the secret base for the Royal Navy’s X craft midget submarines.
Marion recalls several of her teachers: Alice Catherine Moore, the headmistress who also taught scripture, Miss Lavington who taught English and Chemistry, with chemistry lessons held at Arnold Boys’ School, Miss Brakie who taught French, Miss Thomas who taught Maths, Miss Fielding who taught Music—often rapping fingers for wrong notes—and Miss Kershaw who taught Geography. Marion also remembers Mr Pennington and Mr Holdgate. Although she doesn’t have specific recollections about them, she understands that Mr Pennington was known for being very strict, aligning with Sam’s memories of him as a firm but fair headmaster.
Marion’s connection to Arnold School runs deep. Her husband, Harry Chadwick Rice, born on 9th December 1921, also attended Arnold School and their son Tim continued the legacy, attending from 1970 to 1977.
Through these memories and photographs Marion Jill Wood’s association with Arnold School is celebrated, preserving the rich history of the school and its students.
Arnold School Focus
Pictured is Marion in the school choir, second from the left on the front row. Another photograph captures her outside her home on Lytham Road. On sports day, Marion is pictured racing alongside classmates Margaret McGee, Heather Turnbull and Jean Camiya. Additionally, there is a treasured photo of her in the WRENS.
Careers Spotlight on Hollywood insider Sandro Monetti
Honoured as Notable Alumnus by AKS Lytham
AKS welcomed former pupil, CNN Correspondent, Author and Filmmaker, Sandro Monetti to the school whilst visiting his hometown of Blackpool
AKS staff and students were thrilled to welcome former pupil Sandro Monetti, now a distinguished Hollywood insider, as he was honoured as a notable alumnus. During his visit, Sandro discussed the shared values between himself and the school, highlighting the importance of a well-rounded education that blends academic excellence, character development and a commitment to community service both locally and globally.
Sandro Monetti attended Arnold School between 1979 and 1984 and is a multi-award-winning journalist, author, producer and broadcaster who started his career as a reporter for the Blackpool Gazette after graduating from a journalism course at UCLan in 1987 he went on to work for leading national newspapers in the UK before moving to Los Angeles, which has been his home for the past 20 years.
Currently Sandro works as a Royal expert for CNN, cohosts BBC Radio’s Oscars coverage each year, also works as a film executive and is one of Hollywood’s top Q&A moderators and event hosts who has interviewed all of the biggest stars in the world, including George Clooney, Sylvester Stallone, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Al Pacino, Benedict Cumberbatch and many more.
Sandro has published several successful books and stage plays and last year wrote and directed the Oscar qualified documentary movie, Tech to the Future, showcasing amazing innovations of today which will make the world of tomorrow a better place. He is currently developing a stage musical version of action movie Die Hard.
Dedicated to mentorship, community, and creating opportunities for all, his leadership of New Talent programmes in America for BAFTA, where he has served five years on the Board of Directors, saw him win awards from the White House and the United Nations. Sandro has also lectured around the world, helping students in a range of subjects to reach their full potential and created the world’s first Bachelor of Arts university degree course in Celebrity Journalism.
He is also a Trustee for the Royal Society of Saint George, whose Patron is King Charles III, championing good causes and the best of British around the world.
Over the years, Sandro frequently visits his family in Blackpool and is a passionate advocate for his hometown, having just been made a Born and Bred Ambassador for the town as part of the Business in the Community (BITC) Initiative led by the Prince’s Responsible Business Network.
Sandro said:
“This was the kind of ‘Back to the Future’ moment we should all be so lucky to experience. So moving to return to my old school decades later and so pleasing to find it in such good hands. Especially so to find the AKS staff helping students to follow their passions - which is just what I did in moving from the Fylde Coast to the West Coast of America.”
David Harrow, Headmaster at AKS Lytham said:
“I was delighted to welcome Sandro to AKS, and to be part of his return journey to the Fylde. The stories of his time at Arnold, supported by copies of his old school reports, and then of the incredible trajectory of his career, were inspiring and extraordinary, and we are all grateful that he found time to revisit his old school to see what has changed and what has remained intact.”
As a passionate advocate of supporting young people, Sandro recognises how alumni can continue to support current AKS students with career education and mentoring.
If you would like to share your careers journey since leaving school, please contact us at alumni@akslytham.com
AKS Sixth Formers enjoy a visit from Notable Alumnus
Simon Brailsford
We were delighted to welcome Notable Alumnus, Simon Brailsford into AKS Lytham. Simon featured as a keynote speaker as part of the schools careers programme and shared with our Sixth Form students a fascinating insight into his career.
Simon Brailsford attended King Edward VII School from 1976 to 1983. He then joined the Royal Air Force after leaving KES and enjoyed a 28-year military career as a navigator on C130 Hercules aircraft. Simon saw active duty on operational tours in the Middle East, Bosnia and Afghanistan and was seconded to work with the United Nations, NATO and the Royal Household. He was Equerry to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II between 1998 and 2001.
Following front-line flying tours, Simon gained a master’s degree in Defence Studies at the University of London. He commanded Operations Wing at RAF Lyneham, spent 3 years at Air Component Command in Germany and in 2009 became the RAF Inspector of Flight Safety.
Simon retired from the RAF in 2012 as a Group Captain and joined the corporate world where he currently leads global aviation and land transportation with energy giant BP. The role allows Simon to influence operations in well-found and emerging countries, shape safety and sustainability standards for the industry and set the conditions for local opportunities in aviation.
Simon generously took the time to share with students stories from his fascinating career. He provided the packed audience with an insight into his role as the Queen’s Equerry. Having served in the forces, Simon grasped the opportunity to work in the royal household – an all-consuming role but a time he recounted very fondly.
Simon shared with students the importance of building your network to help open the door to new opportunities and how every experience (even negative) is an opportunity to learn. He advised our students to always put themselves forward for opportunities and to do something different and exciting as part of their career journey.
When asked what the best day of his career has been so far, he had numerous. Most notably, when he was at the heart of one of the most watched events in history, when he became involved in the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Monday 19th September 2022.
Simon also shared that the period he served in the RAF, flying into enemy territory in Sarajevo for 2½ years providing essential supplies such baby milk and food to the people effected by the war, was also a period in his life that he was proud of.
Thank you, Simon Brailsford, for inspiring our students!
The Remarkable Journey of Notable Queen Mary School Alumna Jean Salmon (née Bloxham)
In the male-dominated world of 1950s British motorsport, Jean Salmon (née Bloxham) emerged as a trailblazing female racing driver. Her journey from a speed-loving young girl to a prominent racer showcases her courage, talent and indomitable spirit.
Born in 1926 in St Annes, Jean Noel Edwina Liver was inspired by her mother, Ethel, one of the first women in Britain to hold a driving licence. This early exposure to speed and beautiful cars fuelled Jean’s passion for motorsport. She attended Queen Mary School from 1940 to 1945, where she developed the resilience and determination that would later define her racing career. After school, she became an air stewardess and had the memorable experience of serving Winston Churchill.
In 1947, Jean married racer Roy Bloxham, who recognised her potential. Roy secretly entered her into the Ladies’ Race at Goodwood’s 1955 International meeting, where Jean secured third place despite her initial fear. She then competed in sprints and hill climbs, primarily driving her Aston Martin DB2, earning over 60 trophies and 15 podium finishes, including seven victories. Jean’s career saw significant achievements, including her election as an honorary member of the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) in 1993, becoming a full member in 2001. However, tragedy struck in 1961 when her husband Roy died in a race at Goodwood. This loss led Jean to retire from professional racing, but she remained connected to the sport, becoming a director at the Gerrards Cross Motor Company with racing driver Michael Salmon, whom she later married.
As one of the few women to race regularly and successfully in the 1950s Jean paved the way for future female racers. Jean passed away in 2016 at the age of 89, leaving a lasting impact on the racing community.
Alumna Jenny Eclair Announces 2025 Tour: Jenny Eclair: Jokes Jokes Jokes Live!
Alumna Jenny Eclair has announced the dates for her highly anticipated 2025 tour: Jenny Eclair: Jokes Jokes Jokes Live! This tour celebrates her memoir of the same name, offering fans a hilarious and heartfelt journey through her life. Jenny’s story begins at drama school, where she indulged in cider and sausage rolls, and continues through a series of colourful and often chaotic chapters. Her memoir covers everything from punk poetry, anorexia and the misery of bedsit life to her days as a waitress, navigating life without a clue and ultimately becoming the first woman to win the Perrier Award. Jenny’s career has evolved over the decades, seeing her become a mother, author, grumpy old woman, podcaster and nana. Still performing to sell-out crowds forty years later, Jenny’s tour invites audiences to look back at her remarkable journey with her signature wit and humour. The show promises an eclectic mix of punk poetry, animal impressions, and baritone nursery rhyme singing, ensuring an evening of laughter and nostalgia. Don’t miss this chance to see Jenny Eclair live and experience the comedy of a woman who has spent decades making us laugh.
Warning: punk poetry, animal impressions and baritone nursery rhyme singing may feature!
A Day at Pemberton’s Farm with Alumnus Tom Pemberton
During the launch of our Change Their World Campaign, we had the pleasure of visiting Pemberton’s Farm. Here, we caught up with AKS Lytham Foundation Patron and KEQMS alumnus, Tom Pemberton, of Tom Pemberton Farm Life. Our visit included a tour of the farm and a filming session for part of our campaign video in which Tom was a natural.
Walking into Tom’s world, we learned about his journey in farming and his work sharing farm life through his incredibly successful YouTube channel @TomPembertonFarmLife, which boasts over 575,000 subscribers. Tom’s channel captures daily life on the farm, from cows calving and ewes lambing in spring to preparing winter feed during summer. He shares the highs, the lows and everything in between, with each video offering a genuine glimpse into the life of a modern farmer. Adding to the charm of his channel is Tom’s sense of humour. He effortlessly weaves funny anecdotes and light-hearted moments into his videos, making them not only educational but also entertaining. Releasing two videos a week, Tom’s content regularly gains millions of views, making him a significant figure in the online farming community.
Our visit was not only a chance to explore the farm but also to witness the passion and dedication that Tom pours into his work.
A conversation with Mr Smyth
Reflecting on three decades of teaching upon his retirement this July.
Q: What inspired you to become a teacher and what year did you start teaching and where?
A: I started teaching in 1985 at Hulme Hall Grammar School near Stockport. I enjoyed school and so felt it would be a natural fit. I liked the idea of holidays too. Being naive, I didn’t take into account that English involved a lot of marking to be done out of hours.
Q: Can you share some of the most memorable moments from your teaching career?
A: There are too many to list. Memorable moments are being created all the time in teaching. This week, doing freeze-frames with a delightful and excited group of Year 5 children who were so enthusiastic and immediately just responded to the task openly was very memorable.
Q: How has the teaching profession changed since you first started?
A: Teachers are not trusted as much as they were to get on with the job. I find that irritating, but perhaps it is right. I had some very uninspiring teachers when I was at school. The other thing that has changed is the internet. When I first started teaching, you just had one textbook for the year, the class reader and photocopies were rarely used. Now teachers are making their own resources a lot more. In many ways that’s good. The ability to import pictures and cut and paste text means teachers can teach things they like doing rather than boring things in a textbook that they don’t gel with. In other ways of course, with the internet, you end up with there being too many sources of information of very varying quality.
Q: Can you share a story of a student or class that had a significant impact on you?
A: My first Year 9 class at Arnold School in 1997 were a joy every lesson and it was like talking to friends. It is wonderful when a class is all ‘onside’ like that, and you can do so many interesting activities with them.
The Year 11 class of all boys which I inherited (that’s never good - halfway through a course!) when I first taught in Burnley were the opposite extreme. It is in these circumstances that you have to learn quickly how to cope.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced throughout your career?
A: There are lots of challenges in teaching. Things can go wrong very easily. Most teachers have dreams about being late or not having the right stuff for a lesson. Most challenges are day-to-day problems such as technology not working, or, as happened to me when teaching in my first school, a fluorescent tube falling down of its own accord and shattering on a desk covering everyone in the vicinity in a fine dust. I dread to think what it contained.
Q: What advice would you give to new teachers entering the profession?
A: My advice would be to stay cheerful and positive, and learn to say ‘no’ to things if you have overcommitted. Be yourself, and the students will respect that. Actually, I’m not sure that’s good advice in all circumstances. I’d think I’d encourage Vladimir Putin, for example, to try to be someone different. My advice to everyone would be to try
to get in the headspace of living in and enjoying the moment because now is all there is. Everything else has gone and everything to come has yet to happen, so enjoy now. That’s much, much harder than it sounds, and it’s especially important for a teacher who must ‘be there’ for their students at all times.
Q: Will you stay involved in education in some capacity after retiring?
A: I might not like retirement. I’m in two minds about whether I will. I hope so. The obvious answer is I’m looking forward to not marking any books and not having to get up early in winter. I may well stay connected with education. It’s all I’ve known since I was four. I’m not sure in what capacity though. I might well do some private tutoring. I like the idea of it but then doing it always makes me want to fall asleep, which I don’t think is a good look. Being an invigilator is tenuously connected to education, but you can’t read a book at the same time but you have to just stare at people and do nothing. I can’ t cope with that level of mental inertia. I may do exam marking but that is the worst sort of work. Good work is either absorbing so you don’t notice, or easy and repetitive so you can think about something else. Exam marking is both tedious and repetitive, and requiring of intense concentration as you have to get it right. I don’t think I’ve got the right mind-set. I think doing people’s ironing would be an ideal job because you don’t have to concentrate on it, you can see the fruits of your labour immediately and you can watch the telly at the same time. What’s not to like.
Upcoming School and Community Events
Old Arnoldians’ Reunion Dinner
Friday 6th September from 6.45pm. The OAKS Hall, AKS Lytham
Tickets available now : www.oaksconnect.com/events
KES and KEQMS Reunion Dinner
Saturday 7th September from 6.45pm. The OAKS Hall, AKS Lytham
Tickets available now: www.oaksconnect.com/events
Whole School Open Day
Saturday 12th October. AKS Lytham.
Autumn Music Concert
Wednesday 16th October, 7.00pm. The OAKS Hall, AKS Lytham
Tickets available nearer the time
PTA Christmas Fair
Sunday 14th December from 11.00am. AKS Lytham
Carol Service
Tuesday 17th December, 7.00pm.
Old Arnoldians’ vs Old Lidunians’ Boxing Day Match
Thursday 26th December, 3.00pm at Fylde Rugby Club. Sweeny Todd
Thursday 23rd January – Saturday 25th January at Lowther Pavilion. Tickets go on sale in November from Lowther Pavilion.
If you are a former pupil or teacher from Arnold, KES, QMS, KEQMS or AKS or are a current parent or grandparent of AKS today then this online network is for you.
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LinkedIn: OAKSAlumni
Join today to find old friends and colleagues, attend events and reunions whilst also being able to support AKS students and graduates. oaksconnect.com is now live!
Email: alumni@akslytham.com
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