It officially opened on 10 June 1958 as Burscough County Secondary School under the Headship of Brian Stone, and cost just over £120,000 to build.

Several years prior to construction, a report commissioned by the Divisional Executive Education Committee accepted that Burscough had a "good case" for a secondary modern school "in the very early future".

A secondary modern for Burscough, with a proposed three-form entry, was put top of the list in Lancashire's building programme for the year 1954 to 1955.

[1] Residents of Burscough in 1954 had expressed concern at the lack of educational facilities in the area and the surrounding outlying districts.

Mr W A Dean, divisional education officer, explained the standard practice in prefixing "Ormskirk" to all schools located in the urban district.

The eventual decision not to include Ormskirk in the school's name was the original recommendation approved by the Divisional Executive.

Headmaster Brian Stone noted at a prize-giving ceremony that cuts to education funding meant they had not been able to secure "the much needed extra classrooms".

[8] However in the following year, the school put out a tender for the construction of two additional classrooms, also to include alterations to some existing buildings.

[12] The school was later threatened with closure in 1969 under plans for comprehensive education, until a late reprieve in November 1969 due to an increase in pupil numbers.

[15] The school was later extended again with the construction of a Performing Arts building, in response to gaining specialist Science College status.

The original building is where the modern school entrance and main corridors are, including classrooms on the upper floor.

It accommodates the art and SEN departments, as well as a pastoral support centre on the ground floor with a smaller secondary cafeteria adjoined to it.