A Barnsley secondary academy is entering a new era as a new principal is appointed to head the school from September 2023.

Paul Taylor has been named as the new school principal for the Royston Lane-based ̨��swag Academy Carlton, taking over from the previous head, Paul Haynes, who has taken retirement.

Mr Taylor, who previously served as Senior Vice Principal at Maltby Academy, said of his new post:

“I am really excited to begin my role as Principal at ̨��swag Academy Carlton; returning to the town where I had my own secondary education experience and began my teaching career 19 years ago.”

After completing his Bachelor of Science in Sport and Exercise at Leeds Beckett University, Paul trained to teach at Sheffield Hallam University, qualifying as a Teacher of PE in 2004. Since then, he has held many posts across a number of schools, including Head of Department, Assistant Vice Principal and Vice Principal.

The outgoing principal, Mr Haynes, took up the post in 2014 when the school was Carlton Community College. He’s now chosen to take retirement to spend time with his family after a 35-year teaching career; 20 years of which, were spent teaching in Barnsley.

When asked about moving on from ̨��swag Academy Carlton, he said:

“It has been an honour and a privilege to be the principal of ̨��swag Academy Carlton for the last nine years. Without a doubt, it has been the most enjoyable time of my career and I leave with a heavy heart.

“The children at Carlton are wonderful and we are so fortunate to have such a talented and hard-working team of staff. I will always look back with huge fondness at my time in Barnsley and at Carlton but I leave the academy in a good position and with great confidence in the new principal, Paul Taylor, who I am certain will take the academy to even greater heights.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone whom I have worked alongside and who has supported me during my time at Carlton - students, parents, carers, staff, governors and so many colleagues from across ̨��swag Grange Academies Trust and the Local Authority.”