Welcome to The Whitley AP Academy
The Whitley AP Academy is an Alternative Provision Academy serving Calderdale at both Primary and Secondary Level. We are part of Impact Education Multi Academy Trust having converted in August 2019.
We currently have provision for ninety pupils from Year 3 to 11. Our Key Stage 2 provision is for sixteen pupils and is based at Lee Mount Primary School; Key Stage 3 has capacity for thirty pupils and Key Stage 4 has capacity for forty-four pupils. Places are primarily commissioned at the AP Academy by Calderdale Council and they typically fall into two categories; the majority of places are pupils who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools; the remaining places are for pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion and are referred for an ‘Intervention’ placement with us.
We work with all schools across the local authority in order to support the wider effort to reduce exclusions and improve inclusive practice. We are passionate about the work we do and are dedicated to improving the life chances of the young people who attend our school. We take pride in our strong working relationships with our families, providing them with a wide range support when needed, often during difficult periods of transition for pupils and their parents / carers.
Welcome from the Headteacher
Hello and welcome to The Whitley AP Academy. We are an Alternative Provision Academy serving the Calderdale area and we are based in Illingworth, Halifax. We are commissioned by Calderdale Council to provide ninety places for young people across Key Stages 2, 3 and 4. The Academy is part of Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, a Trust dedicated to improving the life chances of children and young people; my staff and I are committed to improving the life chances of every young person who attends the Academy.
Our curriculum is broad and balanced, providing our pupils with opportunities to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills; being a small provision we are also able to ensure that our curriculum is flexible and adaptable in order to meet the needs of pupils; class sizes are smaller than in most settings, ranging from eight to eleven pupils per class, with class sizes being larger for older pupils. Throughout the school year we run a series of intervention weeks – one per half-term, typically these are linked to wellbeing or safeguarding.
An important aspect of our work is the established relationships we have with other agencies across the authority including Calderdale’s SEN Team, the Virtual School, Youth Justice Services and Children’s Social Care. We believe that a holistic approach to supporting young people is vital in meeting the many diverse needs of our pupils. We also work very closely with C+K Careers to ensure our KS4 pupils move on to further education, employment or training when they leave the Academy.
We hope our website will provide those who don’t know us with an insight into the work we do to support the diverse needs of the young people who attend our Academy, the website will also provide news and information for pupils, parents/carers, and our partners across Calderdale.
Mr Phil Hannah – Headteacher
Our Mission
To enrich, inspire and motivate pupils to achieve their full potential.
Our Values – The Four Rs
Respect
Responsibility
Resilience
Reflection
Our Vision
Our vision is for The Whitley AP Academy to be a school that works hard to develop confidence, a love of learning, resilience and kindness in our pupils. We have high expectations, which support the individual needs of all our pupils, whilst placing an emphasis on positive attitudes to learning, building effective relationships and developing a strong moral compass. We aim to provide a safe, supportive, consistent educational environment for our pupils, which alongside academic achievement, develops social skills, independence, self-motivation and respect for others. The Whitley AP Academy provides a personalised learning experience, which will help secure a pupil’s successful reintegration / transition into an appropriate educational provision. We will respond to pupils in ways which take account of their varied life experiences and needs. This in turn will enable all our pupils to flourish so that they are equipped with the competencies and confidence to engage fully and enjoy life.
Our Aims
- Consistently providing a welcoming and safe environment for all pupils.
- Providing quality first teaching together with creative and enriching experiences.
- Respecting each other as individuals and having empathy for other cultures, religions and points of view.
- Supporting families and schools with all aspects of transition.Â
- Fostering strong partnerships and collaboration with all stakeholders including the Trust, pupils, parents and Local Governing Board.
- Working together with a range of external agencies.
