Meet the School Board
Ms Ally Sophia
Chair of School Board
- Parent Elected
- Trustee West Midland Academy Trust (WMAT)
- Expiry date 15.11.2026
SPECIAL RESBONSIBILITES
- Link for Safeguarding & Pastoral Faculty (including anti-bullying) and Educational Trips and Visits
I am a qualified secondary school teacher and have worked as part of the Safeguarding team. I am able to use my passion for academia by staying up to date with Safeguarding Updates and educational research. I believe this knowledge will be useful on the Governing body as I will be able to ask probing questions. Being a parent-elected Governor is a great way for me to use my skills to aid the local community.
Mr John Abbott
Vice Chair of School Board
- Member Appointed
- Expiry date 10.12.2027
special responsibilities:
- Link for Sixth Form, CEIAG & Pupil Premium
As a life long resident of Birmingham and an Architect, I have always enjoyed contributing to local community life in a variety of ways.
I joined the Birmingham office of a local firm of Architects in 1989 after graduating from Cardiff UWIST and I am now a Director of the practice. Our work covers many sectors but particularly services relating to new build and refurbishment projects for both Primary and Secondary Schools nationally.
I first became a governor at St Mary’s C of E school while my two daughters were pupils there twelve years ago. When my youngest daughter left St Mary’s I became a sponsor Governor and have been Chair of Governors for the last five years. In this time I have contributed to changes which include the introduction of a completely new Senior Leadership Team and a 1FE building expansion.
KNGS has enabled my eldest daughter to maximise her potential and she left the school last year in 2015 to study Chemistry at Manchester University. My youngest daughter has just finished her GCSE’s and progressed into the sixth form.
I welcome the opportunity now, as a Parent Governor of KNGS, to contribute to the strategic direction of the school while my youngest is still a pupil here. I relish the challenge that assisting in maintaining and improving standards in a secondary school environment will bring and hope to contribute, if only in a small way, to ensuring that all of the students develop and flourish in a safe, caring and educationally rich environment.
Mr Scott Bennett
- Member appointed
- Expiry date 05.12.2026
SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Link for PE Faculty, GDPR and Health & Safety
I am a parent of a student at the school with her sibling to follow along in due course. Having enjoyed my experience as a parent governor in a primary school I was looking to step up and engage further with the educational system and support the leadership team at our daughters chosen secondary school. I am pleased to have this opportunity to bring my resources/facilities management and board level management experience to the governing board and hope to be able to contribute to the continued development of this already excellent school. My career in procurement and supply chain management has given me wide exposure to financial analysis, complex regulatory and governance environments such as defence and services provision to primary ministries such as Home Office and Education both in the UK and abroad and I am looking forward to upskilling on specific knowledge in the schools environment to better carry out the role of Trustee.
Outside of work I coach both boys (under 10) and girls (under 12) rugby, support my son in his club rugby and my daughter in her developing netball activities. I am a keen advocate of team sports and the development of important life skills that derive from playing them such as resilience and self-confidence.
Mr Ilkem Yildiz
- Member Appointed
- Expiry date 05.12.2026
SPECIAL RESBONSIBILITES
- Link for Science Faculty
I am a father of twin girls, one proud to be a student of KNGS. Professionally, I look after energy procurement at Cadbury as it’s known in the UK, Mondelez International. My role’s responsibility is finding business partners, holding large sourcing events and negotiating contracts in over 21 countries in Europe where Mondelez has a chocolate, biscuits, gum or candy manufacturing plant. My career started back in Turkey where I acquired a Masters degree in automative/industrial engineering. I have 18 years of corporate supply chain experience, worked in planning, manufacturing, project management and procurement. I am very passionate about supporting children who aspire to a similar corporate career.
Professor Philip Young
- Parent elected
- Expiry date 15.11.2026
SPECIAL RESBONSIBILITES
- Link for Maths Faculty
I am a Professorial Teaching Fellow in the School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick. I am the Director of Educational Analytics, with an educational focus on curriculum design, constructive alignment and award gap analysis. I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB) and am one of only 12 UK-based RSB Fellows who sit on the RSBs National Education and Science Policy Committee (ESP). One of the main roles of the ESP is to provide RSB-responses to bioscience-related Government white papers.
I have a direct and active interest in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. I sit on both the SLS and Warwick Athena Swan committee and I am a national RSB D&I Ambassador. My research is currently focused on attainment gaps introduced during lockdown in neurodiverse students.
Rev. J. Douglas Sembuuze
- Member appointed
- Expiry date 27/02/2028
SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Link for Humanities Faculty
I am an ordained Minister and a Reverand. I am a husband and a father to three crazy boys.Until recently, I was one of the Ministers at Rowheath Pavilion Church, a role I held since 2018. I am currently working as a Chaplain with His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Services, supporting families, victims and staff across a wider range of disciplines.I became Governor at KNGS & Sixth Form at the beginning of 2024. Before then, I had been involved with the school, and witnessed its exceptional standards. In my engagement, I did take part at assemblies and in different multi-faith forums ‘which are aimed at educating and enhancing cohesion & mutual respect among different faith groups.I have a Masters in Missional Leadership, which has enhanced my strategic leadership abilities across diverse communities. In all this engagement, I am committed to demonstrating a strong ability to work across divides (whether its ethnic, faith based, cultural or age group) in a meaningful way.
In relation to gifting and imagination, I have demonstrated creative imagination to every role I have picked up, pioneering different initiatives and inspiring communities and individuals to think and act differently albeit more outwardly missional. I do believe that I can make a real difference to the young people within the school and the staff team by bringing more creative and innovative ideas which could enhance fresh engagement.
In my work, I have a track record of excellence with community engagement, pastoral leadership, volunteer management and coaching. My excellence was demonstrated by an award I received from the Prince’s Trust in the North-West (of England) for the community projects initiated to help vulnerable teenagers.
Mrs Sarah Adams
- Staff Appointed
- Expiry date: 31/08/2029
Special responsibilities
Mr John Willis
- Staff Appointed
- Expiry date: 31/08/2029
Special responsibilities
Not applicable as staff Governor
Chris Wade
- Community Governor: School Board Appointed
- Expiry date: 31/08/2029
Special responsibilities
To be confirmed
I work in the public sector as a senior decision maker at an arms-length body of the Ministry of Justice. My job involves making legally binding decisions, with a specialism in criminal law. I bring a background in dispute resolution, regulation, and decision-making to this role and will ensure that the best outcomes are achieved for all students.
I hold undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in mathematics and philosophy, two diverse yet interesting subjects, and I have always believed that following your interests is the best route to both personal and academic success.
I also have a stepdaughter at the school who has flourished in her time here. She has just started her GCSEs, and we have already seen the opportunities the school can offer.
Miss Latoya Clarke
- Community Governor: School Board Appointed
- Expiry date: 31/08/2029
Special responsibilities
Ms Katy Wright
- Community Governor: School Board Appointed
- Expiry date: 31/08/2029
Special responsibilities
I have worked in education for over twenty years and am currently an Assistant Headteacher for inclusion across two linked secondary schools in Birmingham. Within this post, I am proud to have designed and created two successful, neurodivergent-friendly spaces dedicated for pupils with SEND, as well as improving outcomes for pupils by meeting their learning needs, and focusing on their wellbeing and integration into the life of the school.
I have previously undertaken school improvement work, which I found very rewarding. I enjoyed supporting SENDCos and leaders, in a number of schools across the West Midlands, to improve provision for many young people. In my role as a governor of KNGS, I feel I can contribute positively to school strategy and offer my time and experience to support the school community.
Mr William Feenan
- Community Governor: School Board Appointed
- Expiry date: 31/08/2029
Special responsibilities
I am Head of Science at a local school and have lived and taught in this community for more than 15 years. Alongside my teaching, I have supported schools across the West Midlands through STEM Learning and the Ambition Institute, as well as working with the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues and the School of Education at the University of Birmingham. I am delighted to contribute to KNGS as it begins its journey as part of WMAT.
As a parent of two children at KNGS, I greatly value the opportunities that come from schools working together, sharing expertise, and supporting one another. I believe the trust will strengthen the school and provide even more life changing experiences for our students. As a keen musician and member of the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra, I also recognise the importance of extracurricular opportunities in broadening students’ horizons. The clubs my own children have attended have been true highlights of their time at KNGS.
I am proud to be part of a school that has been so highly regarded throughout my career in Birmingham, and I look forward to supporting it in every way I can.