Governors

Deighton Gates Primary School Governors

Kate Carroll - Local Authority Governor - Chair

I was appointed a community governor in 2018, and was honoured to take on the role of Chair in 2020. Deighton Gates is a wonderful school and I am proud to be a part of it.

I am a barrister working in family law with a specialism in child protection. This experience stands me in good stead approach any challenges from a child focussed perspective. I am passionate about safeguarding and ensuring a safe and healthy environment where children can thrive.

I am also a qualified dance teacher and teach ballet and acrobatics to children from 3 to 18, so am used to the enthusiasm, energy and challenges that children bring! Outside of work I can often be found dancing, usually around my kitchen with my two daughters!

Mr. L. Dancer - Staff Governor

After starting my teaching career in Derbyshire, I was delighted to take up a senior leadership post at Deighton Gates in September 2014. Since then, I have contributed to the leadership of the school and was very happy to be appointed as a Staff Governor in 2016 - working on the Teaching and Learning Committee. I thoroughly enjoy my role at Deighton Gates and I am committed to, and passionate about, providing our pupils with the highest quality of education. As a class teacher, I have a particular love of Literacy and Computing. I also lead the school choir who perform regularly, both at school, and within the local community.

Beth Coburn - Co-opted Governor

I am delighted to be appointed as a Co-opted Governor for Deighton Gates. I have two daughters, one of them currently attends Deighton Gates. School is such an important part in all our lives and I believe every child should be educated in an environment that is fun, diverse and safe. I am keen to support the school in achieving this. I have lived in a variety of cities in the UK over the past 20 years as part of my career in Retail Management, and moving to Wetherby in 2016 with my family was a great decision. Throughout my career I have had a passion for people development and management. I am now keen to see how I can use these skills within the role of Co-opted Governor. In my spare time I enjoy family days out, exploring new places and going away on holiday.

James Stalker - Parent Governor

I was proud to be appointed as a Parent Governor in October 2020, soon after my eldest boy started in Reception. I feel that it is so important for a child’s early experience of school to be a positive one, providing them with the best possible start towards enabling them to reach their full potential. I am passionate in the belief that a child’s learning should be fun, and conducted in an environment in which they feel a strong sense of safety and belonging.

I work for a large engineering company, leading their Environment, Health & Safety function. I have a strong operational background, with a focus on delivery and problem solving. Like many others, I have spent the last year predominantly ensuring that our workplaces and people are as safe as possible from a COVID perspective, whilst maintaining business continuity. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, which also includes boy/girl twins who will hopefully start at Deighton Gates in September 2022, as well as an occasional ride out on my motorbike. With such a young family, my previous love of scuba diving in foreign waters is temporarily on hold.

I am pleased to have this opportunity to support the school, it’s children and it’s staff in such a meaningful way.

Caoimhe Lethebee - Co-opted Governor

I am a Spanish and French teacher and Assistant Headteacher at Allerton High School, Alwoodley, where I have responsibility for teaching and learning and professional development. I am particularly passionate about championing evidence-informed classroom practice and high quality staff training. I am currently studying for an MA in Educational Leadership, and I also provide school-to-school support within the region through my designation as an SLE (Specialist Leader of Education). In essence, I live and breathe all things teaching and learning!

I am honoured to become a Co-opted Governor at Deighton Gates Primary. Having recently moved to Wetherby, I see this as a fantastic opportunity to support and learn about the local community, and I hope that I can bring some additional expertise and experience of the wider educational sector to the governing body.

Lisa Thomas - Co-Opted Governor

Having recently moved to the area, I am absolutely delighted to join as a Governor of Deighton Gates Primary School. As a mother of 2 in secondary school, I am passionate about the foundation being provided to children in primary school in preparing them to reach their full potential. I look forward to working with my fellow governors in continuing to build a diverse, inclusive well-rounded education platform at Deighton Gates. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling with my family and being the football mum on the sidelines for games.

David Thornton - Co-Opted Governor

I’m delighted to have been appointed as a Co-opted governor at Deighton Gates. I’ve lived near Boston Spa since 2016 and saw governorship as a great opportunity to give something back to the local community. Using skills and experience I’ve developed during my career in financial and professional services, I’m looking forward to working with the governors and staff to support the ongoing delivery of excellent teaching and learning at the school, giving our children the best chance to fulfil their potential. In my spare time, I enjoy foreign travel, eating out and watching football, cricket and Formula 1.

Alex Ogden - Parent Governor

I'm very proud to be appointed as a Parent Governor and I have two sons that currently attend Deighton Gates. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to support the continuous improvement of the school as they strive to deliver high quality teaching and learning and provide rich, fun and positive experiences for all pupils. I have worked in the Education sector now for over 15 years. I was a Primary School teacher in Bradford and South Leeds for 12 years where I led the development of Physical Education, Sport and Physical Activity, which are my true passions. I then became an independent education consultant specialising in active learning across the curriculum which took me around the country supporting senior leaders to adopt a whole school approach to physically active learning. I now lead the education team at the Yorkshire Sport Foundation, working closely with schools, local authorities and wider partners to get children more active before, during and beyond the school day. I am really looking forward to working with the other members of the Governing Body to make Deighton Gates the best it can be!