Tell us first about your own background
I won a scholarship to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, and after leaving, I became an Apprentice Motor Mechanic at the local Ford Dealership I acquired the necessary qualifications reasonably easily as I’ve always been interested in motor cars. I went from there to work for the Post Office, repairing their vehicles, and I’d only worked there for 18 months when I saw a garage advertised to rent, and myself and my partner put £50 each in the bank and started our own business, 36 years ago. I was also a rugby union player for Wakefield Rugby Union Club, and just before I started my own business, I signed as a professional Rugby League player and played for Wakefield Trinity.

How did you become involved with Kingsland School?
I’m a member of the Wakefield Chantry Rotary Club and it was through a member’s wife, Mary Wylie, who taught at Park School, that I became involved. She introduced me to the school, the kids, and of course Nitsa, who is now the Headteacher of Kingsland School. That was before they amalgamated the three schools. As part of the Rotary Club, we did a lot for the school and I thought the teachers were brilliant. Kingsland School is on the old West Hall School site and when it opened in September 2002, it was extensively refurbished in order to meet the needs of the pupils. There was a temporary board of Governors and I was asked if I’d consider being a Governor. I agreed and said, “I can’t give you money but I can give you time, and I will do the best I can for as long as I can.” That is my remit.

When were you appointed Chair of Governors?
When I came to the first Governor’s meeting, Nitsa Wainwright, the Headteacher asked me if I would consider being Chair of Governors. I told her that I’d never even been a Governor before but she said, “No, but you know how to handle people.” I felt that I wanted to do something for these children, so I agreed and ten minutes after walking through the door, I became Chair of Governors. It’s been a massive learning curve for me.

Who else is on the Board of Governors?
I’ve got three parent Governors and a teacher from another school. I’ve also got a retired teacher from the school and an ex LEA employee. I’ve got a wide range of people and I think it just balances absolutely perfectly. I didn’t want a Board of Governors who were aloof from the children and who only turned up on Speech Day. I want to be involved and when I’m at the school, I wear my Kingsland T-shirt, because the children recognise me when I’m wearing this.

Kingsland Signing Choir

Tell us about your role as Chair
My role is basically co-ordinating the ruling body with the school and then allocating tasks to the Governing Body. My main function is looking after the buildings and organising the finance for that. We all know the children, the children know us and I encourage my Governing Body to be in school as much as they can. It is a case of if they’ve got the time, they will do it willingly, and that gives me a great deal of satisfaction. It works extremely well.

Do you work closely with the staff?
We’ve got a senior management team, who are brilliant and we have some fabulous staff. I’ve been put there as a figurehead, to promote Kingsland and to do the organisation and I utilise the skills that these people possess. Nitsa Wainwright, the Headteacher, is the leading force and I think that part of her drive is she really cares about the children. She had a vision of what she wanted for this school and she shared that vision and that is what has made Kingsland what it is today.

Tell us about the children at the school
We cover the whole range of special needs. We have autistic children and children with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. We’ve got children who can’t walk, we’ve got children who can’t talk, and by using voice and signs, the whole school can communicate. It’s about communicating, so we include that as an actual course. We have one male teaching assistant at school, called Roger and one of the children calls me Roger, not Ray, because I’m a man. I say to her, I’m not Roger, I’m Ray, but you’ll never change it because for her, I’m just different to a female.

I understand that you had a brilliant Ofsted report
The whole school was classed as ‘Outstanding’. It’s the first Ofsted report that we’ve had and were told on the Friday afternoon we were going to have an Ofsted inspection the following Wednesday and to make ourselves available. I believe that we are one of the few schools in the area to achieve an Ofsted “totally outstanding.”

What do you think is the formula is for your success?
It’s a whole team effort and I think the formula is that Nitsa had the vision and we’ve all shared in the aims and objectives. The other part of the formula is that everybody is enthusiastic and dedicated. Our mission statement is ‘Our Children are at the heart of everything we do.’ That is very true and I think that is very true of Nitsa.

Do you have any special stories about the children?
They’re all special, they’re all individuals. The most moving thing we have at the school are the Christmas concerts. The concerts involve every child at the school in some way or another but they never argue about the parts that they’re given. There’s no jealousy. One thing that touched me a couple of years ago, was there was one little boy who couldn’t walk. We give the children here physiotherapy, and the teachers encourage them. I’d just come out of Nitsa’s office and this kiddie walked across the hallway to me and I just sat on the floor and he came to me and I caught him and gave him a hug. The next time I saw him he walked nearly halfway up the corridor. All the children here touch your lives in some way. If you’re going to be a school governor, then you’ve got to be involved.

How do you fit your role of Governor in with your business?
Sometimes it’s difficult, but I’ve got a fabulous staff at Spencer and Broadhead and they support me. Wakefield Chantry Rotary have backed us as well, and are very supportive. My job is not only being Chairman of the Governors, it’s selling the school and lifting the profile. Rotary has helped us with that and helped us develop links with outside schools. One of the other things that touched me is the way that kids come in from other primary schools and work alongside our kids in our workshops. It all helps to promote links with the community.

What are your own long term plans?
Well, I’m 62 now and sometimes I wonder how long I can continue, but I always vowed I would do my best and one of my aims was to give this school the best start it could ever have, by involving Rotary, and letting people know that Kingsland School is here and what we do. Life is never straightforward, but it’s been pretty good to me. I’ve never been short of anything, I’ve never been short of friends, and now I’ve got dozens of them here. I’ve got a lovely wife, four beautiful healthy daughters and two cracking granddaughters and for that I’m eternally grateful. It’s all part of putting back into life a share of what you’ve got out of it.

Kingsland School, Aberford Road, Stanley, Wakefield WF3 4AB
Telephone: 01924 303 100
Fax: 01924 303103