Be part of shaping the future

Our governance structures.

Our formal structures are designed to give robust oversight and management of our schools, without unnecessarily restricting innovation.

Trustees provide strategic oversight and ensure that the Trust meets it legal obligations, both directly and through the Audit and Risk Committee.

Formulation of strategy and day to day operations are delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, Julian Appleyard OBE. He is supported by an Executive Leadership Team, our Headteachers and professional experts within our central services team.

Our Headteachers are challenged and supported by School Performance Review Boards (SPRBs). These are individual to each school. Our SPRB members are appointed by the Trust Board, ensuring we have the balance of skills required to oversee a modern school.

Join our School Performance
Review Board

Pontefract Academies Trust is a multi-academy trust educating around 4,000 young people in Pontefract, comprising of two secondary schools and seven junior and infant schools. As a Trust we are always keen to welcome governors who are committed and passionate about the local community as well as the children and young people in our area. Most of our members have links with the local community, some live and work in Pontefract.

At Pontefract Academies Trust we are looking to include and involve people from a variety of backgrounds and different ages and cultures.  We aim to attract individuals from various job roles and levels with experience and expertise in financial or legal practice, business management, marketing, social work and charity work. This list of course is not exhaustive, the more experience one holds, the better placed you would be to make a difference to the lives of the children within our Trust. The role is voluntary, but comes with ample rewards.

How does being a governor benefit you?

  • A chance for you to give something back and make an impact to the local community.
  • Develop skills in a professional board environment.
  • Gain access to training, resources and experiences that are transferable to your professional life.
  • Use your own professional expertise and skill-set to support the work of the school.

Key responsibilities of a governor:

  • To provide independent challenge to the school leadership primarily in respect of pupil performance, the quality of the school experience and execution of the School Improvement Plan.
  • Work in partnership with the Trust and school leadership to ensure an active, high quality and effective programme of stakeholder and community engagement is delivered.

We feel privileged to be in a position of looking for new talent to appoint as our school governors.

To register your interest please submit a letter via email to clerk@patrust.org.uk. Your letter should outline the skills and experience you will bring to this role. A member of the Trust Board/Clerk to the Trust Board will discuss your letter with you, with the final appointment being made at the next Trust Board meeting.

In addition to this, If you are interested in Governance opportunities at Pontefract Academies Trust, please complete the two skills audits linked below:

Trustee Skills Audit

Local Layer of Governance (School Performance Review Board) Audit