Mr Mick Kay - Executive Headteacher and CEO Impact Education MAT Mr Matt Perry - Head of Secondary Phase Mr Richard Shaw - Head of Primary Phase Mr Rob Gray - Deputy Headteacher: Curriculum, Achievement & Assessment Ms Rachel Jones - Deputy Headteacher: Teaching & Learning Mr Glynn Eastwood - Assistant Headteacher: Person Development, Safeguarding & Attendance Ms Sammia Nazir - Assistant Headteacher: Behaviour Mr Giles Stephenson - Assistant Headteacher: KS4 Raising Achievement & Curriculum Provision Mr Gary Hellawell - Director of Finance Ms Christine Addy - Director of HR & Communications Ms Emma Geall - Associate Headteacher: Director of Humanities Ms Gita Patel - Associate Assistant Headteacher: Director of English Ms Erika Kennedy - Head of Humanities
History
The school's name derives from the original The Halifax High School, a school in a town centre Victorian building off Huddersfield Road. The school was relocated to The former Wellesley Barracks in 2005. The Duke of Wellington's regiment regimental depot was based at the barracks until 1958. Halifax High was formed in 1992 following the amalgamation of the Clare Hall and Haugh Shaw Schools. By 2003 the school was the tenth most improved in England according to government performance tables, and in 2007 was judged as 'outstanding' by Ofsted. It received a visit from the Queen in May 2004. The school's first Headteacher was Robert Ridley who was succeeded by Jeremy Waxman in 1998. Jeremy Waxman left after ten years in 2008 and, following Christian Markham's headship, and the acting headship of Deputy Head Stefan Sotnyk, Jackie Nellis, a former Assistant Headteacher at the school, was appointed Headteacher from April 2010. The school was converted to academy status on 1 November 2013 and was renamed The Halifax Academy. Previously a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, in September 2014 the school opened a primary school phase and became an all-through school for pupils aged 4 to 16. The March 2013 Ofsted inspection rated the school as Grade 2 for overall effectiveness. It judged that the school had improved in mathematics and English. Pupil behaviour was considered 'good' because of the effectiveness of the school’s house system, and attendance was above average.
Subjects
Mathematics, Science, English Language and English Literature is compulsory for all students to study until they leave the Academy. When students enter Year 9 they will be given the choice to choose 2-3 subjects from the following: Art, Computer Science, Design, Geography, Health & Social Care, History, ICT, Spanish, German, Photography, PE, Religious Studies and Sport. They will sit GCSE examinations for these subjects in the second half of Year 11.
House system
Pupils belong to one of three houses: Auriga, Orion and Pegasus - house names were chosen by pupils when the school moved from the previous location to Wellesley Park. There are competitions between houses each year, including a sports day and inter-house games. Houses and tutor groups raise money for charities such as Comic Relief and Children in Need. A pupil's house is identified by tie colour: sky blue for Auriga; dark maroon for Orion; and royal blue for Pegasus.
