Middle Leders (ID 1274)

• Mrs G Jefferson
  Curriculum Leader of English
  Mrs G Jefferson

  Gail grew up in Brighouse and always knew she wanted to be a teacher. For her work experience, in Year 10, she spent two weeks at a Primary school and this confirmed her career choice as she loved supporting smaller groups of children in Years 4 and 5 with their reading and creative writing.

  Following completion of her degree in English Studies, she wanted to gain some experience in a secondary setting so took a year off studying where she gained invaluable experience as a Learning Support Assistant at a nearby high school. This confirmed Gail's love of all things English. She attended Leeds University to gain her PGCE and completed her second placement at South Halifax High (what is now Park Lane) has been here ever since.

• Mrs L Bradbury
  Curriculum Leader of Maths
  Mrs L Bradbury

  Lynne joined Park Lane Academy in 2018 as an experienced leader of mathematics. After working as a Curriculum Leader of Mathematics, Lynne will join the Senior Leadership Team as the Assistant Headteacher in September 2024.

  As an Assistant Headteacher, Lynne will be the strategic lead for the Academy Assessment Strategy.

  An experienced leader of mathematics with 29 years working in education. After working as a Curriculum Leader of Mathematics, Lynne will join the Senior Leadership Team as the Assistant Principal in September 2024.

• Mrs A Cox
  Curriculum Leader of Art, Design and Technology
  Mrs A Cox

  Abi is an ambitious and enthusiastic Arts specialist, Staff Governor and Art and Design and Technology Curriculum Lead at Park Lane Academy. Abi is trained in an extensive range of Technology disciplines and strive to keep creative education relevant and engaging for the students and community we serve.

  Abis's continuous work with those entering the profession through her work as an early careers mentor ensures future educators are supported in achieving their student driven aspirations.

  Abi believes that by immersing students into a broad, creative, and literacy rich Curriculum, teachers help students develop cultural capital and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

  Abi is grateful to be a part of her students' journey of self-discovery. Abi aims to deliver an education our students deserve, one that motivates them to becoming the best version of themselves, equalizes their life chances, and supports them in defeating personal barriers in their endeavour to become successful and ambitious practitioners.

• Mrs S Mann
  Curriculum Leader of History
  Mrs S Mann

  Sharon has been a teacher of History at Park Lane since 2010, after completing her teaching degree at the University of Huddersfield. Sharon had always wanted to teach and went to night school to gain her GCSE’s and A levels in History and English. Sharon then completed her history degree part time in her 40’s whilst bringing up three children. Previously Sharon trained as a hairdresser on leaving school and worked in a Halifax hairdresser for over 10 years. Sharon worked as a teacher of History at Park Lane which led to the appointment as a Middle leader and allowed Sharon to complete an NPQML in middle leader ship. Family is very important to Sharon especially since the birth of her two grandchildren in 2022, and the whole family regularly meet up and go on holiday together.

• Mr L Smith
  Curriculum Leader of Sports and PE
  Mr L Smith

  Liam began working in an education setting in 2013 after graduating from Leeds Beckett University with 2:1 in BSc Sports Studies. In 2017, after achieving QTS in Physical Education through the Kirklees and Calderdale SCITT, he was employed by Park Lane Academy as a Teacher of PE. After four years as a Teacher of PE Liam was appointed as the Curriculum Leader of PE in 2021. He continues to enjoy and revel in the challenge and personal development that being a middle leader in a secondary school brings.

  As the Curriculum Leader of PE at Park Lane Academy Liam has a keen philosophy of ensuring all student understand and know the huge benefits on their physical, mental and social health of leading a healthy active lifestyle. He endeavours to do this through providing an exciting, bespoke, broad and balanced PE curriculum and ensuring all students leave Park Lane Academy with all the tools and knowledge to be physically active throughout their lives. Liam is passionate about creating a respectful, inclusive and positive culture for the students in their PE lessons. He strives to build confident, positive and ambitious students. A passion that is shared with his whole department.

  Liam’s passion and interest for PE has stemmed from his keen participation in sport/PE his whole life. As a youngster he enjoyed and excelled in athletics and football. He played football professionally until 2009 and semi-professionally until 2022. Liam has a keen interest in the majority of sports and watches American football, cricket, athletics and darts on a regular basis.

• Mrs L Mowbray
  Curriculum Leader of Modern Foreign Languages
  Mrs L Mowbray

  Lisa grew up in Huddersfield and was the first member of her family to study at university, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages. She decided at an early age that teaching was her vocation so attended Trinity and All Saints’ University Leeds to gain QTS before embarking on her first post at a secondary and sixth form in West Yorkshire.

  Lisa joined South Pennine Academies in January 2023 as Strategic Lead for MFL across Park Lane and Moor End Academies. She has extensive experience as a middle leader having taught French and Spanish up to A Level for the majority of her career. She firmly believes that learning another language creates unique opportunities for students to improve their cultural awareness, increase their adaptability, and make them a more confident and effective communicator. She has been instrumental in driving up standards in teaching and learning at both academies since her appointment.

  Away from school, Lisa adores travelling and considers herself very fortunate to have seen much of this beautiful planet and to have met some wonderful people. During her university studies, she lived in the Canary Islands and on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean which sparked her desire to experience other cultures and languages. Almost every holiday, she will be spotted departing from a UK airport to discover new places. However, when in the UK she loves to visit Cornwall, Devon, Ireland and Northumberland. She also loves to spend time with her family and friends, and go on long walks with her dog.

• Mrs S Ritchie
  Curriculum Leader of Computer, Media and Vocational Lead
  Mrs S Ritchie

  Sarah grew up on a council estate in Liverpool and was the first member of her family to attend university, graduating in 2005 in Business Studies from Liverpool University. Unsure of her next steps, Sarah worked as a civil servant for a year before looking for a more rewarding career. Sarah completed a PGCE in ICT at Liverpool Hope University in 2006 and took up her first teaching post in West Yorkshire. Sarah has had a variety of posts within schools since 2007 including Teacher of ICT, Teacher of Business and Work skills and Head of Computer Science, all in schools in disadvantaged areas.

  Sarah came to PLA in September 2019 as Teacher of ICT and has since taken on the role of Vocational Lead growing the BTEC subjects taught at PLA to include Enterprise, Travel and Tourism, Creative media and Health and Social Care. Sarah cares passionately about the importance of vocational qualifications and how the practical aspects of these subjects can engage students, improve grades and open doors to a variety of careers.

• Mr J Rudge
  Leader of PDE
  Mr J Rudge

  Coming from a single parent household, Mr Rudge started with a dream of becoming a professional cricketer, he travelled to Australia for 2 years to peruse this dream. However a back surgery later and the dream was over. With very little to show other than GCSE's and sub standard A levels, he gained experience in education back at his high school. Once he had gained enough credit to start the course he wanted to at Leeds Beckett, he enrolled in 2013, graduating in 2016 in Physical Education with Outdoor education.

  Realising he wanted to give back to students, he re entered education as a non-teaching head of year. Mr Rudge joined South Pennine Academies trust teaching training programme at Huddersfield Horizon, as a Geography trainee. 4 years later Mr Rudge is responsible for Personal development in school, enriching the lives of the students at PLA.

  When away from Park Lane, He also loves spending time with his family, walking in the dales and playing golf with family and friends.

• Miss S Hobson
  Curriculum Inclusion Leader
  Miss S Hobson

  Sarah is a passionate and enthusiastic PE specialist who joined Park Lane Academy in September 2017. After leaving school, Sarah studied A level Sociology and BTEC Sport level 3 before receiving a 4 year football scholarship in the USA. Completing a year and a half, Sarah returned and worked in several jobs before going back to University at Leeds Beckett in 2013 to study Physical Education, receiving a 2:1. Sarah then went on to complete her PGCE in Physical Education at Sheffield University receiving a Merit. Once QTS was acquired Sarah started teaching PE at Park Lane Academy and took on a middle leader role in the department.

  After being head of PE for 4 years, Sarah then moved on to leading behaviour and attendance in the academy, ensuring the day-to-day running of behaviour was upheld in the academy. After 2 years in the role and some time off growing her family, Sarah has now moved on to become Curriculum Inclusion Leader and is excited to be able to work in a different area of the school, setting up a brand new curriculum for several cohorts of students in school.

  Outside of work Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, going on long walks with her dog and keeping physically activity in the gym.

• Miss J Percival
  Assistant Behaviour Lead
  Miss J Percival

  Joanna has worked in education since training with South Pennine Academies SCITT programme in 2019, having moved onto another secondary school before returning to the Trust to work at Park Lane. After wanting to be a teacher since from being a child, Joanna studied for a Marketing degree at Nottingham Trent and worked in the industry for 3 years before deciding to re-train to become an English teacher. Joanna worked at as an English teacher in Huddersfield before coming to Park Lane. Joanna was appointed as Assistant Behaviour Lead in June 2023 and is responsible for ensuring that students are supported with their behaviour, enabling them to access mainstream education and have a successful education while at Park Lane.

• Mr M Akeel
  Curriculum Lead for Science
  Mr M Akeel

  Mohammed Akeel have been working as a Middle Leader for many years and has a proven a strong track record of improving outcomes. Akeel joined Park Lane Academy in September 2023 as the Director of Science working across the three secondary Academies to drive a collaborative approach to curriculum development that will further improve the learning and teaching experience for all our students. Akeel’s new role involved working across the secondary phase, sharing best practice and establishing consistency and quality in aspects of the curriculum intent and implementation for the benefit of each academy.

  In April 2024, Mohammed was appointed as an Assistant Principal and his responsibilities are Data and Outcomes across the school and also give significant contribution to the leadership and success of our school. Akeel will also still continue to lead and drive up the standards of achievement and attainment in Science.

• Miss T Ward
  SENCo
  Miss T Ward

  Tracy Ward joined Park Lane Academy in April 2024 as SENCo / Teacher of SEND. She has extensive experience as a middle leader and teacher. As well as being a SENCo since 2019 she has led various departments including Music, Performing Arts, PSHE and has been an Achievement Leader for Key Stage 4 students. Prior to joining Park Lane Academy Tracy worked as a SENCo at schools in Bradford and Lancashire. She is passionate about ensuring all students reach their potential, regardless of any barriers they may have.

  As SENCo/teacher of SEND Tracy is responsible for ensuring that all SEND students are appropriately supported, and all staff have the knowledge and skills to ensure their classrooms are fully inclusive.