Governors Statements

The School Governing Body are a group of people who have agreed on a voluntary basis to support every aspect of the work of the school community. We ensure that everything is place correctly and professionally by constant monitoring and evaluation, in partnership with the Head and her team.

All schools in the UK have a Governing Body.

CHAIR OF GOVERNORS: MR. MIKE ALLBUT

Local Authority Governor

Appointed: 20th September 2022

Appointment ceases: 19th September 2026

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: None

Committees: Resource Management (Chair)

My name is Mike Allbut.

I am currently Chair of Governors.

I have spent my many years working in the local community as a teacher, community worker, and presenter on BBC Radio Leicester and the BBC Asian Network.

I am delighted to remain part of working towards a bright future for children in the Belgrave area in our simply fabulous school.

HEAD TEACHER AND GOVERNOR: MRS.JILL HARROLD

Appointed: 24th August 2016

Appointment ceases:

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: Mrs Harrold is a Governor at Catherine Junior School.

My name is Jill Harrold. I have been Head teacher and a governor of Catherine Infant School since September 2016. My aim is to help every child to develop and reach their full potential whilst they are a pupil at our school. I want all our children to be excited and challenged by their every day learning and for learning to be fun for pupils, teachers and parents alike. I am also pleased to be a governor at Catherine Junior School enabling the two schools to work together even more effectively by further cementing the links that already exist.

CO-OPTED GOVERNOR: DR JOANNe BADGE

Appointed: 4th February 2021

Appointment ceases: 3rd February 2025

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: Also a governor at Catherine Junior School and Heatherbrook Primary Academy

Committees: Performance and Standards

My name is Jo Badge. I am the Headteacher at Catherine Junior School. The reason I became a governor at Catherine Infants is to ensure that we continue to have a close working relationship between our two schools. I am passionate about using technology in the classroom and at home as I believe these are skills that will prepare our children to have a bright future ahead of them.

CO-OPTED GOVERNOR: MR KAMLESH PUROHIT

Associate Member

Appointed: 28th September 2016

Appointment Reconfirmed: 28th September 2020

Appointment ceases: 27th September 2024

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: None

Kamlesh Purohit is Deputy Managing Editor at BBC Radio Leicester, a role he took up around 3 years ago. He is a highly experienced senior broadcaster, with experience in national and regional Radio and Television outputs. He was a key member of the management team that developed BBC Asian Network from a local service to a national Radio station. His previous roles have included Planning News Editor in the BBC’s multi-media Newsgathering operation at New Broadcasting House; TV Newsreader on BBC East Midlands Today; Broadcast Journalist at Radio Five Live; and Cricket Commentator with BBC Sport. Kamlesh moved to Leicester from Kenya in the 1970s, as a young child with his family.

He went to school in the city, and studied BSc.(HONS) Electronic Engineering at De Montfort University, and after graduation began work locally as a Systems Engineer with GEC plc. before switching careers to enter the world of broadcasting.

PARENT GOVERNOR: MR TRUSHARKUMAR MISTRY

Appointed: 31st January 2019

Appointment ceases: 30th January 2023

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: None

Committees: Resource Management

My Name is Trusharkumar Mistry, my eldest daughter has just joined the school and she has nothing but positive comments about her experience. Further hearing about Catherine Infant School and their progress, I am delighted to join the success and help maintain the excellent standards Catherine Infants embraces. I believe I can achieve this as a parent governor to ensure quality education for all.

Throughout my academic and professional career, I have developed many key skills that I believe would benefit this role along with personal attributes such as being approachable. Performing the role as a parent governor would allow me to complete roles such as actively collaborating with parents to voice their opinions to raise standards and improve outcomes for our school.

CO-OPTED GOVERNOR: MRS CHRISTINE TURNER

Appointed: 23rd May 2022

Appointment ceases: 22nd May 2026

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: School improvement advisor for previous 12 years, currently works with Dovelands Primary and Caldecote Primary schools.

Committees: Performance and Standards

My name is Christine Turner.

I have worked with Catherine Infant school since 2008 as a Leicester City Local Authority and as an independent school improvement adviser until July 2022.

Until I moved from Yorkshire to Warwickshire in December 2020 I was an Ofsted inspector in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber area.

Having worked with the school as an adviser for 14 years I am delighted now to be able to continue to support the school as a co-opted Governor from May 2022.

STAFF GOVERNOR: MRS. ALPA KACHHELA

Appointment Reconfirmed: 24th November 2020

Appointment ceases: 23th November 2024

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: None

Committees: Performance and Standards, Resource management

Hi my name is Alpa Kachhela.

I am currently the teacher governor at Catherine Infant school.

As the Assistant Head for the Foundation Stage and the Early Years coordinator I thoroughly enjoy working as part of team and making a positive impact of the children's lives. In my role as a governor I want to strengthen our community links to ensure we are enabling the children to reach their full potential.

VICE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS: MRS NIRMAL BASSON

Associate Member

Appointed: 9th January 2017

Associate Member

Appointed: 9th January 2017

Appointment Reconfirmed: 9th January 2021

Appointment ceases: 8th January 2025

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: None

Committees: Performance and Standards, Resource Management

I have been the Head teacher of Catherine Infant School for the last 14 years and took retirement in September 2016. I was honoured to be asked to be a member of the Governing Body to continue to support them and the school.

I have had the privilege of working with many governors over the last few years who have dedicated their time and commitment to support the school in maintaining high standards and now look forward to continue working with them to achieve the school vision.

The achievements and progress made by all pupils has been my particularly interest, with a focus on the needs of the more able pupils. So I would welcome the opportunity to work with and monitor the progress of this group of pupils to see if they have reached their potential by the time they leave the school.

Most of all, I would like to work with and support all the staff in school, to reach their full potential, so that they are able to ensure all around development and outstanding education for every pupil.

CO-OPTED GOVERNOR: COUNCILLOR MRS.MANJULA SOOD

Associate member

Appointed: 28th September 2016

Appointment Reconfirmed: 28th September 2020

Appointment ceases: 27th September 2024

Declaration of business or pecuniary interests: Member of SACRE, Member of Leicester Council of Faiths

Committees: Performance and Standards

“I am very passionate about the education of our children and as a mother and a former Primary school teacher I understand the importance of children being taught in a safe and inspiring environment. I am very proud to be a Governor of Catherine Infant school which serves the diverse communities and children are being taught by skilled teachers, which will help them to achieve their future goals.”

Profile;

First Asian female Lord Mayor of Leicester and in the UK

Local ward Councillor

Assistant Mayor, Community and Equalities

High Bailiff

Chair of Leicester Council of Faith

Member of Bishop’s Faith Forum

Member of Police & Crime Commissioners panel

Member of Police Gold Community Group

Patron for clasp and fibromyalgia

CLERK (NON VOTING): MRS MELANIE BADELEK

Appointed: 1st May 2019

Catherine Infant School