Mrs J Gospel - Member

Mrs Gospel is a retired Head Teacher.  During her years of working in the Education sector she was committed to working in inner-city schools with high levels of deprivation and has also worked for a local consortium as the excellence in cities co-ordinator. Mrs Gospel was appointed as the Head Teacher for Leigh School in 1985. She started off the school with one class of children in a derelict building and went on to build up the school to a successful two form entry primary school.

Following her retirement in 2006, after a period of relaxation, Mrs Gospel served as a governor representing the Local Authority in two very different local schools. During this time Mrs Gospel had experience of all aspects of governor responsibility. She acted as Chair and also chaired and served on all committees. She particularly enjoyed her continued contact with young people and their parents, regularly attending special events and supporting residential visits. Mrs Gospel is still serving as a Local Authority representative at a Birmingham school. Mrs Gospel has also supported and chaired the Patients Participation Group at her local health practice and thoroughly enjoyed learning how the National Health Service works and how patients can support and occasionally influence the service provided. Mrs Gospel is a wife, a mother of three daughters and grandmother to six grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, gardening, sewing and being a member of various clubs. Mrs Gospel is now looking forward to renewing her relationship with Leigh School and working as a Member of Leigh Trust.

Mr K Mullan - Member

Mr Mullan was previously a Governor at Leigh Primary School for a number of years, also being a member of the Finance and Premises Committee and a Director for Leigh Trust between 2014-2019. He was a former pupil of Leigh Primary School as well as his own children being educated at the school. Mr Mullan was born and raised in the local community, Washwood Heath and has very close links with many local businesses and establishments including mosques and Community centres in the area. He holds a Degree in Business Management and has a good understanding of school financial procedures. He has over 10 years employment experience in the Civil Service working in various different departments and roles including DWP, HMRC and the Home Office. His previous job roles include Benefit Officer in DWP, Production Analyst at HMRC and an Asylum Decision Maker in the Home Office. Mr Mullan has a vast amount of experience of managing individuals and teams on various large projects and programmes. He has recently joined West Midlands Police (Police Staff) in a new role dealing with Community Liaison and Community Engagement projects across the Midlands area. His interests and hobbies include Cricket and he is qualified cricket umpire at ECB level, umpiring at both junior and adult games.

Mr S Taylor - Member

Mr Taylor is the CEO of Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust which is based in Birmingham. Within his role as CEO, Steve has worked at a regional and national scale on school improvement including as an NLE, as part of a school improvement board for Kings Group (which operates in the South of England) and also sat on a DFE working party for MATs within the West Midlands. Steve has a firm belief in MAT to MAT collaboration and works closely with other MAT leaders on peer to peer reviews as part of the Birmingham Association of MATs (BAM). Prior to being a CEO, Steve was a Headteacher in Coventry.

Mr D Griffiths - Member

Mr Griffiths became a Parent Governor at Plantsbrook School in Sutton Coldfield when his eldest child started secondary education. Having Chaired, in turn, both Curriculum and Finance Sub-Committees he was elected Chair of the full Governing Body. He remained in that role when Plantsbrook converted to Academy Status. When Plantsbrook became a MAT in November 2014 he gave up that role and was appointed Chair of Trustees of Plantsbrook Learning Trust, a position he relinquished at the end of the summer term after 24 years, though he remains a Member of the Trust. At various other times he has Chaired two IEBs, been a member of the Birmingham Governor Network Executive Committee and still serves on the Local Authority’s LA Governor selection panel. Mt Griffiths previously Chaired the Local Governing Bodies of both Alston and Wyndcliffe schools within Leigh Trust, though now that both schools are no longer in Special Measures he has given up those positions. He is currently Vice-chair of Directors of Leigh Trust and also a Member of the rust. Mr Griffiths completed the “Chairs Leadership and Development Programme” run by Birmingham under licence from Edgehill College and was formerly a National Leader of Governance. Initially, a Science Teacher, Mr Griffiths changed career in 1983 becoming an Independent Financial Advisor, specialising in Pensions and Investments. Mr Griffiths was previously a Magistrate in Birmingham which he found rewarding and thoroughly enjoyed. He retired in 2009 and now enjoys music, golf, crosswords and holidays abroad. Mr Griffiths recently retired from his position as Chair of the Board and became a Member in November 2021.

Mrs Sabina Kauser - Member