Ark Schools and Pontefract Academies Trust are planning to merge, it was announced today.
Ark runs 39 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth, and has nearly 30,000 pupils. Pontefract Academies Trust, in West Yorkshire, has nine schools.
Announcing the news, Ark said that the merger would see “Pontefract becoming the founding base of a new northern hub for Ark”.
Pontefract Academies Trust has “developed a strong track record of school improvement” and, under the leadership of Julian Appleyard, there has been “significant improvements in both secondary and primary performance, as well as in its Ofsted ratings”.
The statement added: “The Pontefract Academies Trust Board has been exploring how to build on this success to benefit more children, families and staff in Pontefract and South Kirkby - and believes the best way to achieve its aims is to join with a like-minded trust that shares its values and has a proven record of success.”
If approved by the Department for Education, the plan is for the merger to take place on 1 September 2026.
Today’s statement said: “There will be no changes to school-based staff as a result of the merger, and Pontefract’s central team and executive will become part of Ark’s wider network structure, based in Pontefract. There will also be [Pontefract Academies Trust] representation on the Ark Schools Board to ensure continuity and integration at all levels.”
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