ings , ▁The ▁St ▁Leon ards ▁Academy ▁and ▁The ▁H ast ings ▁Academy . ▁ ▁Ark ▁Alex andra ▁ ▁After ▁contin ual ▁budget ▁def ic its , ▁Ark ▁took ▁the ▁content ious ▁decision ▁to ▁bring ▁Ark ▁Hel ens wood ▁and ▁Ark ▁William ▁Parker ▁together ▁as ▁one ▁school ▁on ▁two ▁sites . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Hel ens wood ▁campus ▁would ▁house ▁K S 3 , ▁years ▁ 7 - 8 ▁and ▁the ▁William ▁Parker ▁campus ▁years ▁ 9 - 1 3 ▁which ▁includes ▁the ▁sixth ▁form . ▁The ▁Minister ▁approved ▁this ▁proposed ▁mer ger ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁Ark ▁Hel ens wood ▁closed ▁and ▁merged ▁with ▁Ark ▁William ▁Parker . ▁Ark ▁Alex andra ▁assumed ▁the ▁legal ▁identity ▁of ▁Ark ▁William ▁Parker ▁with ▁an ▁expanded ▁co - ed uc ational ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 2 1 0 0 ▁students ▁across ▁two ▁sites ▁and ▁it ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁Princi pal ▁and ▁Executive ▁Princi pal ▁of ▁Ark ▁William ▁Parker ▁assumed ▁their ▁same ▁roles ▁at ▁Ark ▁Alex andra ▁Academy ▁and ▁they ▁are ▁assist ed ▁by ▁an ▁Associ ate ▁Regional ▁Princi pal ▁and ▁a ▁Regional ▁Director . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁the ▁Princi pal , ▁Steph anie ▁New man , ▁announced ▁she ▁was ▁ste pping ▁back . ▁She ▁was ▁appointed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁as ▁the ▁Act ing ▁Princi pal ▁which ▁makes ▁her ▁the ▁longest ▁serving ▁Princi