A NEW name is being sought for Lowestoft's biggest school ahead of what is being hailed as an exciting new era. Kirkley High School will become an academy in September – the first school in Waveney to acquire the status.

This week, the school's sponsor, the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), revealed that it had launched a major consultation exercise with the local community in an effort to find it a new name and logo that is 'based on the ideas and designs of students' at Kirkley and its feeder schools in south Lowestoft.

'The Academies Enterprise Trust firmly believes in full consultation with the local school community to enable everyone to have their say,' an AET spokesman said. 'We want people to come forward with their suggestions for the new Academy name – perhaps a name which reflects the local area, a landmark, a local historic connection or it could reflect what the Academy aims to provide in terms of quality of education and skills.'

With the only condition that the word Academy must be included in the name, the sponsors are also encouraging people to design a logo or school badge, with a prize for the student who produces the best one.

'The new Academy will need to have its own personality and identity, but consistency is key,' the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, work is continuing to prepare the school for the change to academy status in the autumn.

Acting head Liz Redpath has been in charge at the school since Richard Pickard left as a result of ill health,

'We have provided another experienced headteacher to support Kirkley and Liz Redpath,' the AET spokesman added. 'This is Keith Sharp, who has many years of experience in headteaching, and we also hope to be making announcements soon on who the new headteacher will be.'

Waveney MP Peter Aldous, who was due to meet AET representatives this week, offered his 'full support' to the sponsors after the Department of Education agreed to release funding for the latest phase of the Academy.

He said: 'This is excellent news for Kirkley. I look forward to working with Suffolk County Council and the trust to ensure we have an academy that is focused on providing the best secondary education the area has ever seen. I offer them my full support so it can provide the best possible education to pupils in south Lowestoft.'

l To submit designs for a new logo, or to suggest a name for the academy, contact the school reception or e-mail lowestoft@academiesenterprisetrust.org