Our Schools

Halfpenny Lane School

Halfpenny Lane
J, I & N School

Orchard Head
J, I & N School

De Lacy
Primary School

The King's
School

Carleton Park
J & I School

Larks Hill
J & I School

The Rookeries
J, I & N School

Carleton
High School

320

Teachers

8

Schools

3700

Students

Core Values

At Pontefract Academies Trust, we live by our Core Values and Guiding Principles.
They inform and guide our daily work from the classroom to the central team.

ACHIEVEMENT WITHOUT EXCUSES

  • We have an unwavering focus on achievement. This is paramount so that all of our children and young people enjoy greater life chances.
  • We take responsibility for ensuring that they succeed. We own our own performance and do not rest on our laurels or seek to blame others.

OUR PEOPLE MATTER

  • We know that our people make a difference to the lives of our 3-16-year-olds. We want to make our schools places where great teachers want to teach, lead and build a career. Investment in the recruitment, development and retention of the best people is a top priority.
  • We aim to provide professional work environments where our people have the support and tools to do a great job and push our children and young people to scale new heights in a safe and secure environment.

EXCELLENCE AS STANDARD

  • We set high standards. “Good enough” is simply not. We do not accept second best from our pupils or ourselves.
  • The Trust aims to be a highly reliable school improvement organisation that is disciplined in its approach to improving performance. A Trust with clear plans and, simple and precisely executed systems that not only develop and sustain excellent performance, but never stifle individual flair.

PUPILS COME FIRST

  • Our schools are run for the benefit of children and young people, not the ease of adults. Their achievement comes first and staff in schools and the central Trust office work to this end.
  • The Trust aims to keep low priority tasks away from front line teachers and leaders so that they can focus explicitly on our core business of teaching and learning.

“STRONGER AS ONE”

  • We take collective responsibility for each other and the results of all of our children and young people. We enjoy sharing our success as a Trust while recognising the strengths of individuals and each school. To this end collective accountability is rooted in a “if one fails we all fail” mentality.

  • As a family of schools we collaborate with each other, challenge each other and share best practice. We do not let competition get in the way of our desire to get the best outcomes for all.

Latest News

Latest News
6 May 2021

Childrens Author and Poet, Conrad Burdekin to be the Patron of Reading for Pontefract Academies Trust

Pontefract Academies Trust has enlisted the support of Yorkshire born author and poet Conrad Burdekin to be their Patron of Reading. More than 3900 children in Pontefract will benefit from this appointment and are all very excited about his upcoming interactive workshops that will be taking place in all Pontefract Academies Trust primary schools over…

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30 April 2021

Pontefract Food Bank Thank Pontefract Schools for their Support

Together the 3,900 pupils and over 300 staff members of Pontefract Academies Trust collected 315kg…

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26 April 2021

Halfpenny Lane Welcomes new Headteacher Hayley McNeill

Pontefract Academies Trust and Halfpenny Lane is delighted to welcome Hayley McNeill as Headteacher of…

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20 April 2021

Pontefract Children Win National Writing Competition

Twelve children are following in the footsteps of their favourite authors such as Jacqueline Wilson…

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