Governance Structure
Our school is operated by Pontefract Academies Trust.
The Trust was created under the provisions of the Academies Act 2010, as amended by the Education Act 2011. Its structure of governance is constituted under the Articles of Association. The Trust is an exempt charity by virtue of the Charities Act 2011.
The Funding Agreement between the Department for Education (DfE) and the Trust sets out the terms and conditions on which grant is made. The Trust Board is responsible for ensuring that the conditions of grant are met. As part of this process the Trust is required to have in place appropriate arrangements for sound governance, financial management, securing value for money and accounting, and for using public funds for the purposes for which they were intended by Parliament.
This Trust Board is accountable in law for all decisions about its schools. This does not mean that the Trust Board is required to make all of the decisions itself. Some decisions can be, and are delegated, including to SPRB, delegated officers, and other Trust Board established committees. The Scheme of Delegation sets out the framework which the Trust Board has approved.
All governance documentation for the Trust, including the Funding Agreement, Scheme of Delegation and Articles of Association can be found here.
Larks Hill J & I School and De Lacy Primary School SPRB
The Larks Hill J & I School and De Lacy Primary School SPRB is a sub-committee of the Trust Board and has various responsibilities delegated to it through the Pontefract Academies Trust Governance Policy and Scheme of Delegation.
The SPRB of Larks Hill J & I School and De Lacy Primary School is currently made up of:
| Name | Role | Appointed By | From | To |
| D Wilkins | Chair | Trust Board Appointed Parent | 05/10/2020 | 13/12/2024 |
| J Parkinson | Headteacher, De Lacy Primary School | Ex-officio | 01/10/2021 | Not Applicable |
| T Hollies | SPRB Member | Trust Board | 04/02/2014 | 31/08/2026 |
| A Lunn | SPRB Member | Trust Board | 07/03/2019 | 06/03/2027 |
| A Dee | SPRB Member | Trust Board | 17/09/2014 | 16/09/2026 |
| K Adams | Headteacher, Larks Hill J& I School | Ex-officio | 01/09/2022 | Not Applicable |
| S Khan | Vice Chair | Trust Board | 20/07/2021 | 19/07/2025 |
The Chair can be contacted at the following address:
De Lacy Primary School
Chequerfield Lane
Pontefract
WF8 2TG
or by email at dwilkins@patrust.org.uk
Our SPRB
Coming soon
For most of my career I have worked as a manager for bus and tourist companies. I am now semi-retired but work part-time for Poppleton’s Coaches in Pontefract.
I have been a member of the SPRB for 16 years. I am also Chair of Governors and a Director at New College in Pontefract, Chairman of the Carleton High School Parent, Teacher and Friends Association and a member of the committee of the Wakefield Association of School Governors. I also serve on the Transportation and Rail Groups of Pontefract Civic Society.
My two daughters attended Larks Hill J & I School 10 years ago and I am pleased to give my services as a way of showing my gratitude to the school for the education which they received.
Coming soon
Coming soon
I grew up on a council estate on the outskirts of Leeds in the late 50s and in the 60s I was selected for a place at the local grammar school, where I decided teaching was to be my career. After qualifying as a teacher I worked in a secondary school, later in primary school and finally a nursery school, at which point I started working with families.
A move into ‘Family Learning’ followed and I worked for a number of providers who created and developed courses to help parents support their child’s learning, improve their own skills, develop their confidence and enable them to have more of a say in local community matters. I later moved into my current role in Adult Education, becoming an Area Education Organiser for the Workers Educational Association.
When my children started secondary school I was asked to become a member of the SPRB and I also became a governor at a local primary school. During this time I took on a range of roles, usually in relation to special needs, safeguarding and inclusion.
My heart lies with working with parents, seeing the impact learning has on families, seeing a parent lead by example, the parent celebrating their child’s success and, in turn, raising aspirations for their family and future. I feel proud and privileged to be part of that and, as a member of the SPRB, to be part of Pontefract Academies Trust.
Having been to school in Otley, West Yorkshire, I went on to study English at Trinity College, Cambridge University. From there I began Teach First and entered my teaching career in an area of social deprivation near Halifax. After learning my craft in the classroom I took on a leadership role in the Sixth Form of an outstanding school, supporting it to rapidly improve outcomes and raise the aspirations of its students.
Following this, I was appointed as Assistant Headteacher for Behaviour and Safeguarding in a challenging school with a diverse cohort of students. Recently, I have moved into a similar role for Student Support at The King's School and am thoroughly enjoying my work for the school and the Trust. My areas of specialism include safeguarding culture and practice, improving attendance and managing behaviour to create a positive climate for learning.
I joined the SPRB in January 2019.
Coming soon.
SPRB Current Register of Business Interests
| Role | Name of business or organisation/educational organisation | Nature of business or organisation | Nature of interest | Date of appointment of acquisition | Date of cessation of interest | ||
| D Wilkins | Chair | None declared | |||||
| J Parkinson | Headteacher, De Lacy Primary School | None declared | |||||
| T Hollies | SPRB Member | Worker Education Association (WEA) | Provider of Adult Education | Employee | 1995 | N/A | |
| A Lunn | SPRB Member | None declared | |||||
| A Dee | SPRB Member | Poppletons Coaches | Coach Operator | Part-time Driver | 01/09/2017 | N/A | |
| New Collaborative Learning Trust | 6th Form College | Director & Governor | 2016 | N/A | |||
| Carleton High School PTFA | Secondary School | Chairman and Trustee | 2017 | N/A | |||
| K Adams | Headteacher, Larks Hill J & I School | None declared | |||||
| S Khan | SPRB Member | None declared | |||||
SPRB Membership & Attendance Summary 2022/23
| From | To | Appointed by | Meetings attended | Out of a possible | |
| Kara Adams (Ex Officio: Head of LHS) | 01/09/22 | N/A | Ex Officio | 5 | 5 |
| A Dee | 17/08/14 | 16/09/26 | Trust Board | 5 | 5 |
| T Hollies | 04/02/14 | 03/02/26 | Trust Board | 4 | 5 |
| S Khan (Vice Chair) | 20/07/21 | 19/07/25 | Trust Board Appointed Parent | 4 | 5 |
| A Lunn | 07/03/19 | 06/03/27 | Trust Board | 3 | 5 |
| J Parkinson (Ex Officio: Head of DEL) | 01/01/21 | N/A | Ex Officio | 5 | 5 |
| D Wilkins (Chair) | 14/12/20 | 13/12/24 | Trust Board | 4 | 5 |