Airedale Academy
Our Staff
At Airedale Academy, we are proud of our dedicated and talented team, who are committed to helping every pupil reach their full potential. Guided by our vision of working together to achieve excellence for all and our values of Care, Aspire, Succeed, our staff inspire and support pupils every day.
The Academy is led by our Headteacher Mr Percival, supported by his dynamic team of senior leaders and staff.
We believe that an exceptional education is only possible with great people. That’s why we focus on recruiting passionate and skilled staff and investing in their continuous professional development.
Every member of our team plays a vital role in creating a supportive, ambitious, and caring environment where pupils can thrive academically, socially, and personally.
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Mr A Percival Headteacher
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Mr S Prinsep Deputy Headteacher
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Mrs C Wilson Deputy Headteacher
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Mr J Hawkhead Senior Assistant Headteacher
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Mr R Martin Assistant Headteacher
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Mrs S Gregson Assistant Headteacher
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Miss K Marshall Assistant Headteacher
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Mr P Young Associate Assistant Headteacher
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Mrs L Allington Business Manager
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Mr J Vause
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Mr D Peaker
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Mr A Percival
Headteacher
Mr Percival brings a wealth of leadership experience to his role, having held a wide range of positions throughout his 30 year career, including Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion, Deputy Headteacher for Behaviour, Deputy Headteacher for Teaching and Learning, Principal of Southway Alternative Provision, and now Headteacher of Airedale Academy.
Throughout his career, Andy has developed a strong reputation for school improvement, leadership, and delivering exceptional outcomes for young people. During his time at Rodillian Academy, the school achieved the highest outcomes in Leeds and ranked amongst the highest performing schools nationally, securing a Progress 8 score of 0.97. His expertise in behaviour, inclusion, and culture led to him supporting schools across the country through school-to-school improvement work, delivering behaviour conferences, and hosting leadership events focused on improving outcomes for pupils.
Andy has also contributed to educational development on a national level. He has spoken at Department for Education Inclusion Conferences and served on the Change Partnership SEND and Alternative Provision Programme. Under his leadership, behaviour was consistently judged as Outstanding under the previous Ofsted framework at every inspection, reflecting his unwavering commitment to creating positive school cultures where young people can thrive.
A deeply personal motivation underpins Mr Percival’s work in education. His own experience at secondary school was not a positive one, and this has driven his commitment to ensuring that every young person receives a fantastic educational experience. This passion for improving life chances and creating opportunities for all pupils remains at the heart of his leadership.
Outside of school, Mr Percival is a keen cyclist who enjoys mountain biking and tackling challenging climbs, reflecting the determination, resilience, and sense of adventure that he also brings to his professional life.
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Mr S Prinsep
Deputy Headteacher
Mr Prinsep brings a proven track record of leadership and school improvement. Having held roles from Head of English through to Headteacher, he has developed extensive expertise in raising standards, improving outcomes and supporting vulnerable pupils.
After more than 20 years within Castleford Trust, Mr Prinsep was part of the senior leadership team at Castleford Academy that secured an Outstanding Ofsted judgement in 2019 and achieved some of the strongest outcomes nationally for disadvantaged pupils. He later served as Headteacher of a school in North Leeds, where he led significant improvements in progress, attainment, attendance and behaviour.
Returning to Castleford Trust in 2025, Mr Prinsep joined Airedale to help drive improvements in behaviour and personal development. He is passionate about raising aspirations and ensuring that every pupil is equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead a successful and fulfilling life.
A father of two teenage daughters, Mr Prinsep understands the challenges and opportunities young people face today. Having spent part of his childhood in care before being adopted, he brings a deep commitment to supporting and championing pupils, particularly those facing barriers to success. He is also known for his excellent dad jokes, of which he is extremely proud.
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Mrs C Wilson
Deputy Headteacher
Driving excellence in teaching and learning is at the heart of Mrs Wilson’s leadership as Deputy Headteacher at Airedale Academy. With over 20 years of experience in education, she has built a career spanning roles as a passionate science teacher, Director of Science and Assistant Headteacher, consistently delivering exceptional outcomes, including developing an outstanding science department that achieved the highest results in the local authority and leading rapid improvement at Crofton, where progress scores increased by 0.75 in a single year.
Deeply committed to curriculum and pedagogy, she believes exceptional teaching is the foundation of all pupil success and is dedicated to investing in staff development to ensure continuous improvement. Having lived locally for over a decade, Mrs Wilson is driven by a genuine commitment to the community, determined to ensure every Airedale pupil benefits from the high-quality education they deserve.
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Mr J Hawkhead
Senior Assistant Headteacher
With 14 years in education, including 12 as a SENDCo, Mr Hawkhead is a highly experienced and passionate leader of inclusion at Airedale Academy. His career spans a range of senior roles; Director of SEND, Assistant Head, and Senior Assistant Head for SEND and Inclusion, equipping him with deep expertise in securing outstanding outcomes for all pupils. His impact is clear: at Carleton High School, he led a SEND team, recognised for the highest attendance in Wakefield, with SEND pupils achieving on average one grade higher than national SEND outcomes and half a grade above national averages for all pupils.
A National SENDCo Award holder with a Master’s in Education specialising in autism, Mr Hawkhead combines academic expertise with a relentless drive for equity. His commitment to Airedale is rooted in a belief that every child deserves an exceptional local school, and he is determined to ensure this community gets nothing less. Beyond the classroom, he brings creativity and energy through his work conducting choirs and school musicals, alongside his love of running and family life, reflecting the vibrant, well-rounded leadership he brings to the academy.
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Mr R Martin
Assistant Headteacher
Mr Martin brings a decade of experience in education and has established himself as a highly respected leader in the field of teaching and learning. Having progressed through a range of leadership roles, he has developed extensive expertise in curriculum development, staff development and improving classroom practice, with a relentless focus on ensuring that every pupil receives the highest quality education.
Mr Martin is passionate about empowering staff to deliver exceptional classroom experiences that inspire, challenge and support all pupils. He firmly believes that every pupil, regardless of their background or starting point, deserves access to excellent teaching, high expectations and the opportunities needed to succeed. His commitment to continuous improvement and educational excellence is driven by a desire to improve life chances for all young people.
Having attended Airedale Academy as a pupil himself, returning to the school as a senior leader is both a privilege and a source of immense pride. He sees his role as an opportunity to give back to the community that played such an important part in shaping his own life and is deeply committed to ensuring that current and future generations of pupils benefit from the same sense of opportunity, support and belonging.
A former pupil athlete, Mr Martin was part of the Airedale rugby league team that won the National Schools Rugby League Competition for three consecutive years. The experiences and opportunities this provided had a lasting impact on him, fuelling his passion for ensuring that today's pupils have access to the same enriching experiences, memorable moments and opportunities to succeed beyond the classroom.
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Mrs S Gregson
Assistant Headteacher
Mrs Gregson brings over 23 years of experience in education and a proven track record of leadership, curriculum development and pupil support. Having worked in a variety of leadership roles throughout her career, she has developed extensive expertise across many aspects of school life and is deeply committed to helping young people achieve their full potential.
A highly respected leader, Mrs Gregson has successfully led transition programmes for pupils moving from primary to secondary education, ensuring that pupils and their families feel supported at this important stage of their educational journey. She is also recognised for her exceptional organisation of educational trips and visits and for her leadership of Airedale’s wider Beyond the Curriculum offer. Passionate about fostering a sense of belonging, Mrs Gregson believes that participation in activities beyond the classroom is a powerful way to build confidence, develop character and strengthen pupils’ connection to school.
Mrs Gregson is committed to doing the very best for the families and communities served by Airedale. She is driven by the opportunity to create positive experiences and opportunities for every young person, helping them to feel valued, supported and inspired to succeed.
Originally from New Zealand, Mrs Gregson brings a broad perspective and a strong commitment to ensuring that every pupil feels part of the Airedale community.
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Miss K Marshall
Assistant Headteacher
Miss Marshall brings extensive leadership experience gained over more than a decade in education since completing her teacher training through the Wakefield Graduate Teacher Programme. She has held a range of influential roles, including Head of English, Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) and Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Lead, developing a strong reputation for driving school improvement, leading teams and securing excellent outcomes for pupils.
She has a proven track record of securing exceptional outcomes in English and is recognised for her collaborative approach to school improvement, working successfully across multi-academy trusts to share best practice and drive standards. Notably, in the year she joined Airedale from Kings High School, she left a department that had achieved the highest English outcomes in the local authority. Passionate about educational equity, Miss Marshall is committed to ensuring that every young person has access to the opportunities, support and challenge needed to fulfil their potential.
Miss Marshall is motivated by the opportunity to contribute to Airedale’s continued improvement journey. She is inspired by the challenge of driving the academy’s upward trajectory, raising academic standards and creating life chances for the young people of Airedale. She is committed to ensuring that every pupil can unlock their boundless potential and achieve success both within and beyond the classroom
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Mr P Young
Associate Assistant Headteacher
Mr Young brings over 20 years of experience at Castleford Trust. Throughout his career, he has developed a strong reputation for leadership, school improvement and securing positive outcomes for young people through high expectations, collaboration and a relentless commitment to continuous improvement.
A highly experienced pastoral and strategic leader, Mr Young has held a range of key roles, including Head of Year, Head of Sixth Form and Attendance Lead. These positions have given him extensive experience in supporting pupils and families, improving attendance, raising aspirations and removing barriers to success. He is particularly recognised for his expertise in using data intelligently to identify trends, challenge underperformance and implement targeted strategies that have a measurable impact on pupil outcomes.
In his current role, Mr Young champions a culture where every pupil understands the value of being in school every day. He believes that attendance is not simply a statistic but a gateway to achievement, wellbeing and future success, and is passionate about ensuring that every young person can thrive.
Mr Young is excited by the opportunity to contribute to Airedale’s continued improvement journey. He is deeply committed to the Trust’s mission of improving life chances for young people. He is motivated by the opportunity to work alongside pupils, families and staff to ensure that every pupil has the best possible chance of success.
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Mrs L Allington
Business Manager
Mrs Lauren Allington brings a strong foundation in finance and strategic management to her role. Her background as a Finance Manager has equipped her with a robust skill set, including budget management, financial reporting, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Throughout her career, Lauren has played a key role in supporting strategic decision-making by providing clear, accurate financial insights to senior leaders. This has required excellent analytical skills, a strong attention to detail, and the ability to interpret complex information effectively. Her role has also involved building and maintaining positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, demonstrating her strong communication and interpersonal skills.
These experiences have been instrumental in preparing Lauren for her current position. She brings a solution-focused mindset, sound judgement, and the confidence to contribute meaningfully to whole-school development. Her ability to balance precision with a broader strategic perspective makes her a valuable asset in driving continuous improvement.
Lauren’s commitment to Airedale is deeply personal. Having grown up in and around the local community, she has a genuine passion for its success and development. She is particularly motivated by the school’s place within Castleford Trust and is eager to support the embedding of its core values, contributing to Airedale becoming the very best it can be for its pupils and community.
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Mr J Vause
With a career forged in the Castleford Trust, Mr Vause brings both deep expertise and a strong sense of purpose to Airedale Academy. Progressing from Teacher of Science to Head of Science, he has a proven track record of impact, including leading Castleford Academy’s science department to become the highest performing in the local authority. As a Specialist Leader in Education, he has driven wider school improvement and delivered extensive training on cognitive science, ensuring teaching across teams is both research-informed and highly effective. A Silver Award winner and shortlisted for Teacher of the Year 2024, Mr Vause is recognised for his excellence, ambition, and commitment to continuous improvement. His dedication to Airedale is grounded in a genuine belief in the young people of the community he has served throughout his career.
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Mr D Peaker
Mr Peaker brings a strong track record of exceptional outcomes and ambitious leadership to Airedale Academy. Having served as Head of Maths and Assistant Head for Key Stage 4 Achievement, he has consistently driven outstanding progress, leading Castleford’s maths department to become the highest performing in Wakefield between 2019 and 2023, peaking at an impressive Progress 8 score of +1.1. His impact extends across our Trust schools, with Crofton and Castleford securing the top two positions for maths progress in Wakefield in 2023–24. As a proud local who began his education at Oyster Park Nursery, Mr Peaker is deeply committed to raising aspirations and transforming life chances, determined to ensure that Airedale pupils are recognised for their success not just locally, but nationally and beyond.
How to reach us
Crewe Road,
Castleford,
WF10 3JU
Castleford Trust