Our Governing Body

Vision

The Governors at Ingram Road would like to share their vision for the school. We will use this vision to guide our thoughts when making plans for the future with staff, pupils and parents.

“Governors at Ingram Road are committed to ensuring that our school provides an environment that is safe, stable and welcoming as well as being enabling, exciting and challenging for everyone. We believe that Ingram Road can take you anywhere.”

Behaviour Principles

The Governing Board fully supports the school’s approach to promoting positive behaviour at Ingram Road Primary Academy. 

This is a statement of principles, not practice: it is the responsibility of the Headteacher to draw up the Behaviour Management Policy at Ingram Road Primary Academy, though they must take account of these principles when formulating this.

• Every pupil has the right to feel safe, valued and respected so that they can develop a love for learning and leave our school with happy memories.
• All pupils, staff and visitors should be free from any form of threat and or discrimination.
• Everyone at school should feel valued and respected, and we ensure that each person is treated fairly. This may mean that reasonable adjustments are made for some pupils either because of their age or because they have additional needs.
• All pupils learn to develop respect for themselves, others and members of the wider community. 
•  Pupils should feel proud of being well-behaved and a helpful member of our community. 
• We want to support and engage parents and members of the wider community in helping pupils to develop the habit of life-long learning.
• We expect staff to recognise, promote and celebrate good behaviour. 
• Dealing with behaviour is the responsibility of all staff at Ingram Road Primary School.  
• Rewards, sanctions and reasonable force (when necessary) should be used consistently by staff in line with the Behaviour Management Policy.
• Exclusions will only be used as a last resort and in accordance with DFE and local authority guidelines.
• If a pupil’s behaviour is causing serious concern and cannot be addressed in school or with help from the cluster, school should arrange for a multi-agency assessment.
• Staff have the right to search a pupil if they believe dangerous or offensive items have been brought into school.
• Incidents occurring beyond school should be dealt with by parents/carers unless the incident threatens to impinge on school life or the safety of the child. 

The governing board emphasises that violence or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated in any circumstances.

This written statement of behaviour principles is annually reviewed and approved by the Teaching and Learning and Pupil Support Committee.

HOWARD TO WRITE

Howard Metcalf - Chair of Governors

Business owner, family man, runner, musician, ardent Leeds Utd and Yorkshire CCC supported and Leeds resident.

Howard has spent the last 22 years making a difference to the built and social environments in the communities  within which he has lived and worked, including the international cities of Tripoli, Libya and Cairo, Egypt. Howard is part of a team that runs a Project Management company based in Leeds and supports the delivery of complex construction and development schemes. He is a passionate advocate for his home city of Leeds and it is the thought of improving the city he loves and making sure it remains the best city in the world that gets him out of bed in the morning, (alongside his children who love nothing more that disturbing a lie-in!) 

Howard has well established links with the communities of Holbeck and Beeston. Howard's Mum worked as a teacher locally for many years and his appreciation of the impact him Mum had on the community along with his commitment to making a difference in Leeds means he is proud to have been given the opportunity to be the Chair of Governors at Ingram Road and support the amazing work that goes on within the school. 

Mrs Deryn Porter – Vice Chair of Governors

I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Deryn Porter and I am the Vice Chair of Governors at Ingram Road Primary School.

I was brought up in a tiny village in Wales called Talgarreg and I am bi-lingual in Welsh and English, although English is my first language. My family moved to Talgarreg when I was 11 years old and I only spoke English at the time but everyone in the village spoke Welsh. This experience has given me a real insight into what it is like to be surrounded by people who are speaking a language you don’t understand and I have always used this insight in my job as a teacher. I feel privileged to have had an opportunity to learn Welsh as I believe that our mother tongue, whatever it is, is a key part of our culturally heritage and should be treasured.

I have worked in many high schools in Leeds, teaching English, since the mid-eighties: John Smeaton, Wortley High School, Farnley Park, Swallow Hill and Mount St Mary’s; so, if you think I have taught you, do say hello.

One of the things I love about living in Leeds is the diversity of our city where it is possible to meet people from all over the world. Over the generations, members of my own family have worked in India, the United States, South Africa and New Zealand and, at the moment, both my sons live and work in Australia. I am looking forward to hearing all about your families and where they come from.

Since I retired a few years ago, I have been on the governing body at Cobden Primary school and have enjoyed this so much I decided to join the governing body at Ingram Road.

Mrs Jean Birch - Co-Opted Governor

I have been a governor at Ingram Road school for many years. Previously I had been a governor and Chair of Governors at 2 other South Leeds primary schools but I particularly wanted to get involved at Ingram Road when my church, Holbeck Christian Fellowship, met at the school for several years.

In my professional life I was a teacher/advisor with responsibility for literacy and I ran a project to improve reading in inner city schools, so naturally I was happy to have oversight as a governor for literacy at Ingram Road and I have made many enjoyable visits to speak with the staff and observe lessons.

As part of my commitment to the school and the area I represent Ingram Road school on the “Voice of Holbeck” group. This is a voluntary group made up of representatives from various organisations in Holbeck. It’s purpose is to make Holbeck a better and safer place for people to live and work. To this end the group meets council officials, councillors for the area and police to discuss issues raised by residents. I think it’s important that the parents and staff of the school can bring any concerns or suggestions they have and I can raise them at the meetings. In this way we can work together to make Holbeck a good place for the pupils at Ingram Road.

Catherine Peacock - Co-Opted Governor

I work for Kidz Klub Leeds as the Community Pastoral Worker for Holbeck. As part of this role, I run after school clubs in Holbeck, visit families at home, lead assemblies at Ingram Road and other local schools and am involved in lots of other activities helping the children of our community be the best they can be. I live locally and am involved in many community activities in Holbeck and Beeston and attend Mosaic Church. Before moving to Leeds in 2016, I worked in China for 13 years as an English teacher and I speak Mandarin Chinese.  

Joanna Resnick - Co-Opted Governor

I am the Executive Producer for Slung Low, a theatre company based in Holbeck. We make large scale people’s theatre shows and films and run two Pay What You Decide arts and community venues in Holbeck. 

I come from a family of teachers and love learning new things. I am currently learning to speak Polish.   My favourite subjects at school were Maths and Science. I am delighted to be the lead governor for Science and chair for the Resources Committee which oversees the money, building and people at the school.

Gloria Tachie - Parent Governor

My name is Gloria and I am a mum of 5. I work as a customer service officer for the Council after many years as an office administrator. I love spending any free time with my family especially Sundays in church.

I took the opportunity to become a school governor as soon as I was informed about it and I am glad I did. It is an honour and a great privilege to be part of the governing board.

All my children attend Ingram Road Primary School and it’s reassuring to see them eager to go to school each morning.

My family has been greatly supported by the school since we moved in Leeds 6 years ago and by taking this role I’m hoping to give something back.

Years back my husband took his first Math and English ESOL classes at Ingram Road which gave him the confidence to do functional skills, then GCSE and finally a level 3 diploma as HGV technician.

I myself got my current job thanks to the much appreciated help of Michelle from the office. Every time I have had to go to the office with a query or seek for help the staff was always available and of great help.

In these years have witnessed the great improvement in the school especially curriculum wise.

I joined the governing board because the school really plays a central role in my family’s life. I hope to be of help to the parents especially those with the language barrier and to contribute to the further improvement of the school.

Laura King - Parent Governor

My name is Laura. I am a parent to 8 children, currently expecting my 9th in November. As well as being a parent I also work part time as a cleaner in my spare time, I enjoy doing arts and crafts and attend my children's football matches with Holbeck MoorJFC which is good for the children of the community and my children love attending.

I decided to become a parent school governor as I have faced challenges in life and the staff at Ingram road helped me throughout. They have been brilliant with my children and helped them in the best possible way and catered for each of their needs. Now I want to show my gratitude and help them. I want to be the voice of other parents if they are not able to express their own  concerns , just as I, myself a few years ago, was afraid of doing. Now I want to help the school and  help the parents, as well as the children, to keep growing.

Terms of Office

Declaration of Interests

Attendance Academic Year 2024/2025