THE Archbishop of Canterbury has officially opened the St Lawrence Academy in Scunthorpe.

Dr Rowan Williams was given a warm welcome by students and teachers at the academy on Doncaster Road, which will be North Lincolnshire's first church-backed education academy.

The school, formerly known as High Ridge School, was reopened to pupils in September.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, accompanied by John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln, David Rossdale, Bishop of Grimsby, and Dr Tim Ellis, Bishop of Grantham, officially opened the site and spent the day with students.

The Archbishop said he was thrilled to visit Scunthorpe and the new academy, which he said the Church of England had chosen to support as part of its long-running commitment to education.

"The Church of England has always had complete commitment to education and when you look at education in this country, it's the church who took the lead in the 19th century," he said.

"It's about doing our duty in the community, especially in the areas where there's a real need for an expansion in education, and that's why we've supported the opening of St Lawrence Academy."

The school's special guests were kept entertained throughout their visit, which featured a performance from a Rwandan dance group and a tour of the school to see the pupils at work.

For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph and to view a video of the visit, click here.