Our governors

Our Governors bring a range of experience and interests from many walks of life. Working as a team, they ensure  the school provides a good quality education, promoting effective ways of teaching and learning when setting the school aims and policies.

The Governors are accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community, plan the school’s future direction, select the headteacher, make decisions on the school’s budget and staffing, decide how the school can encourage pupil’s spiritual, moral and social development and make sure the school provides for all its pupils, including those with special needs.

Our Governors are at the heart of how GSAL operates, working effectively together with our Head and Senior Leadership Team.

David P A Gravells JP, MSc Chairman

David Gravells is a company director. Both he and his son are alumni of Leeds Grammar School. David holds an MSc in Management Sciences from the University of Durham.  He is currently Chairman of four companies, Chairman of the Bench Harrogate Magistrates Court and Chairman of the International Accreditation Board of the Association of MBAs. He serves on both the Finance and Remuneration sub committees of the Board. He is a sometime visiting Professor at the University of Durham Business School and Church Warden of All Saints’ Church, Ripley.

Naveen Ahmed

Mr Ahmed is a property developer and is Director of Parklane Properties. He currently serves on the Appointments committee.

Elizabeth E Bailey BChD, LDS, RCS, DOrthRCS

Liz recently retired from orthodontic practice in Leeds. Her children were educated at LGS & LGHS. She is the Governor with special responsibility for Rose Court, Junior School and Child Protection Issues. Liz is committed to work on FAFG and is especially keen to improve Bursary provision at GSAL. Mrs Bailey is currently Chairman of the Appointments committee, she also chairs the LGS & LGHS Foundation Board.

Alan Barker OBE, FCA

Alan is a chartered accountant. He and his two sons are all alumni of Leeds Grammar School. Mr Barker serves on the Finance and Audit committees, he is also a director of the school’s trading company, GSAL Enterprises Ltd.

Colin Greenhalgh CBE, DL, MA

After studying history at St John’s College, Cambridge, Colin Greenhalgh served for 38 years in the teaching profession. He began his career in the History Department at Bradford Grammar School and ultimately became Principal of Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge. Recently Colin has worked as an educational consultant for a number of high profile organisations, including the Government, the University of Cambridge and the Ogden Trust. He has inspected leadership and management for Ofsted. Colin is currently Vice-Chairman and Senior Independent Director of Cambridge University Hospitals. He is an Honorary Senior Member of Wolfson College, Cambridge, an Honorary Fellow of Anglia Ruskin University and a Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire. Colin is married with three adult children and five grandchildren. In addition to enjoying family life, he is passionate about cricket and is a member of MCC. Colin also enjoys collecting books, cinema and travel. Mr Greenhalgh serves on the Audit and Appointments committees.

Ian Jones

Ian Jones is a partner with the international private equity firm, Apax Partners. He was previously a corporate finance partner with Coopers & Lybrand and holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and an MA from Cambridge. Ian has three sons and one daughter, each of whom are either current or former pupils of Leeds Grammar School or Leeds Girls’ High School. Mr Jones serves on the Audit committee.

Deborah Kenny BEd Hons

Deborah Kenny is currently a School Improvement Advisor for Education Leeds,  a consultancy role which includes challenging and supporting Head teachers and Governors of Inner City schools  to raise standards, address issues in terms of leadership and to provide advice on strategic planning. Deborah is also involved in Head teacher recruitment and performance management in Leeds, and has more recently supported the Governors and Head teacher of an Independent School outside the LA. She has been involved in primary education for 28 years, seven as Head teacher in an outer area school and Executive Head teacher in an urban school. She has been a member of the Governing Bodies at four schools and has become the Governor with special responsibility for the Junior School at GSAL.  Deborah is married and has one son who attends the sixth form at GSAL.

Professor Christine M Leigh PhD

Christine Leigh is an Emeritus Professor of the University of Leeds. Before retirement she was, for 30 years, an economic geographer followed by a period as an academic entrepreneur establishing a University spin-out company.  She educated both her son and daughter at the GSAL parent schools. She was a governor at LGHS and involved in the early planning for the merger. She is strongly interested in the development of the bursary funds to allow as many gifted children as possible to benefit from a GSAL education.Professor Leigh is currently the Chair of the Audit committee and serves on the Finance committee.

Dr Hilary Luscombe MB, BS & MRCGP

Dr Hilary Luscombe joined the Governing Body in 2008. She is a GP and has been a partner with a local practice for 18 years. She also undertakes performance assessments for the General Medical Council and is on the Admissions Committee for the University of Leeds Medical School. Dr Luscombe currently serves on the Audit and  Health & Safety committees.

Kenneth Morton MRICS

Kenneth Morton is a Chartered Surveyor, actively involved in commercial property development in the Yorkshire area.   He has three grown-up children, all of whom were at LGHS/LGS.

Richard Obank

He is a solicitor and partner in the Restructuring team of DLA Piper UK LLP. Richard specialises in advising debt and equity investors involved in distressed businesses; management involved in underperforming businesses; accountants engaged in restructuring and recovery assignments; and financial institutions involved in the reorganisation and restructuring of businesses in the UK and abroad.

Peter N Sparling LLB Deputy Chairman 

Peter is Deputy Chairman of the school’s Governing Body. He was Chairman of Leeds Grammar School Governing Body for 18 years, a former Leader of Leeds City Council, and an Honorary Alderman of the City of Leeds. Peter is currently Deputy Chairman of Opera North. Mr Sparling is Chairman of the External Relations Committee and serves on the Finance and Appointments Committees.

Professor David Sugden PhD

David Sugden is Professor of Special Needs in Education at the University of Leeds and currently heads the Childhood and Inclusion Group in the School of Education. He has worked in special and mainstream schools as well as clinical settings in hospitals.  Outside of his academic work he keeps active by cycling, running, skiing and playing tennis and is an art and music lover. Professor Sugden currently serves on the Finance and  Remuneration committees.

John Woodward

John is a director of several companies which export agricultural commodities. He is married to Rachael and has 3 children, 2 of which attend GSAL. He studied History at Oxford University and his interests include golf and running.

Edward Ziff

Edward is Chairman and Chief Executive of Town Centre Securities PLC. President of the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board and of the Leeds Jewish Blind Society, he is also a member of the Advisory Board of Leeds University Business School and a Non Executive Director of Shoe Retailer Barratts Priceless. One of Edward’s sons is a current pupil at The Grammar School at Leeds and the other two both attended Leeds Grammar School. Mr Ziff currently serves on the Finance and Remuneration committees.