MESSAGE FROM GOVERNORS

  Welcome to the Governor section of the school website. Here, we aim to provide you    with information about who we are, what we do, what are responsibilities are and how we work together with the Headteacher and staff at St Peter's.

 At St Peter's primary school, Governors, staff, children, parents and the community work together in a happy, creative and high attaining environment; with our vision and values underpinning everything that we do.

The Governing body is involved with our school at evey level. This includes finance, safeguarding, standards and performace, health and safety, premises management and staff appointments.

We are immensely proud of St Peter's and the recent Ofsted Inspection, which continues to be Good and our recent SIAMS inspection which we received an Excellent rating. The inspector reported that visiting the school was a milestone moment in her career; with the report delivering feedback of excellence, children flourising and the school being recognised as a centre of excellence for SIAMS.

It is a privilege to be the Governing body at St Peter's School, which is a wonderful school which our Governing Body consists of a dedicated and dynamic team with strategic vision, who are passionate about promoting high standards of educational achievement.

We also have representation at the Trust Board in the EPA on the standards and performance committee.

This is a school which gives children a wonderful experience for learning, both in terms of what they need to learn to meet the demands of the curriculum and in learning about life.

We believe all the children in our care are developed and nurtuted. We want every child to do the best they can do and to fulfil their potential. Our children's behaviour around school is courteous, considerate and focused on their learning. All of this makes St Peter's a great place to be  - for children, for parents and carers, for visitors, for staff and for governors.

Welcome to our Governors’ section. 

Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Meet the Governors

St Peter's Local Governing Body (LGB) currently has 10 out of a possible 16 filled vacancies, consisting of six Foundation Governors (appointed by the Diocese), two Parent Governors, one Staff Governor, and a local head teacher appointed by the Eynsham Partnership Academy. Meetings are supported by the Clerk. The LGB reports to the Eynsham Partnership Academy and is supported by the Trust and its staff.

The LGB generally meets for 6 full meetings a year, with additional meetings convened as necessary to look at issues relating to Foundation & Admissions, Performance & Standards, Finance & Resources. Each governor has a number of responsibilities, including representation at one or more of the above meetings, as well as being link governor for a subject or area within the school.

Anne Armitage - Chair

Term of office: April 2023 - April 2027

Appointed by: Governors as Co-opted governor

Responsibilities: Maths, SEND, Performance and Standards Committee, Finance (Not Safeguarding & Pupil Premium)

I have two children at St Peter’s and I am keen to give something back and offer my help and support with the ongoing future development of the school.
I am a link governor for maths and SEND and hope that my previous  experience of 20 years +  as a NHS Therapy Manager, managing occupational therapists and physiotherapists, will be of benefit to St Peter’s.
I have transferred to practice-working as an associate medico legal occupational therapy and care expert witness and case manager. This involves assessing complex cases for court and managing  clients with catastrophic injuries and supporting recovery and rehabilitation under the litigation process.
From a personal perspective, I enjoy spending time with my  husband and young family. I am involved with the local Scouts and Brownies and enjoy engaging in activities with the children.  I also enjoy Pilates and maintaining a healthy work life balance to enjoy life to the full.

Jan Macdonald

Term of office: September 2021 - August 2025

Appointed by: Diocese

Responsibilities: Safeguarding,  Attendance, Pupil Premium.

All of my three children attended St Peter’s and therefore I have a long connection to the school. I was Treasurer for the SPSA for a while and then became a governor over twenty years ago and have taken the Chair several times.  I have seen many changes at St Peter’s, over the years.  However, the school remains rooted in its Christian foundation and this has always been an enormous strength.  Being a governor can sometimes be daunting but it is extremely rewarding and I feel privileged to serve the school in this capacity.

I worked part-time as a Church Administrator for many years, but have now retired and, in my spare time, I enjoy walking and belonging to a local choir and a drama group. My favourite ‘night out’ is a visit to the theatre and a lovely meal whilst spending time with family and friends.

Hannah Want

Term of office:  February 2023 to February 2027

Appointed by: Parents of St Peter's pupils

Responsibilities: Early Years, PE.

My name is Hannah Want and I am in my second term of office as a Parent Governor at St Peter's School. I am also the link Governor for Foundation Stage. I have two children at the school and feel that by being a Parent Governor I can help and support the school move forward in their vision. As a primary school teacher, myself, I feel that I can bring my skills and knowledge of education into my governor role, here at St Peter's. In my spare time, I enjoy singing and am a member of Oxford Rock Choir where I have been very fortunate to sing at a range of venues and events, including Abbey Road and Proms In The Park in London.

Rev. Duncan Fraser

Term of office: September 2022 to September 2026

Appointed by: Co-opted by Diocese

Responsibilities: Chair of Foundation and  RE.

I have been vicar of St.Peter’s Church since 2017, and love to be involved as a governor of our wonderful church school.  As vicar, I have the privilege of being involved in collective worship where we explore the Christian foundation of the school together, as well as what it means to be a member of the human race.  Other passions include walking, music, chickens and increasingly, as my age matures, gardening!  I have two children at Bartholomew School, one of whom attended St.Peter’s. Carmen, my wife, is also involved in assemblies and after-school clubs.

Iain Horner

Term of Office: April 2023 to April 2027

Appointed by: EPA

Responsibilities: Chair of Performance & Standards, Science.

I undertook my role as a governor at St. Peter’s in April 2019, having moved to the village from Oxford in 2016. I have been teaching for nearly 20 years, including eight as headteacher of Chesterton CE Primary School, near Bicester.  I am still a regular in the classroom and enjoy getting to know our pupils and playing a small role in supporting them with their work across an exciting curriculum.

I very much enjoy working with Mr Jeffries, the staff and the other members of the governing body.  I hope that my experience as head of a similarly-sized village school will be of benefit to St. Peter’s and I will offer any support that I can to help take our village school from strength to strength in the coming years.

From a personal point of view, I aim to keep a healthy work-life balance and try to make the most of my time away from school with my wife and young daughter.  In our spare time, we enjoy spending time outdoors. We enjoy walking in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside and looking after our garden. I am a keen sportsman, whether watching or playing a range of sports, including hockey, golf, tennis, cricket and football.

Ed Black

Term of Office: July 2021 - June 2025

Appointed by: Parents

Responsibilities: Finance and Resources Committee; Literacy, Health and Safety

Both my children attend St Peter’s School and I joined the governing body as a Parent Governor in 2021 with a view to helping the school excel for the benefit of all its pupils and staff.  Professionally, I have spent over 20 years working in commercial management roles, currently in the Financial Services sector, and I have a Masters degree in Business Administration so I know my way around a balance sheet and a development plan. However, I am equally interested in how the school develops the children’s softer skills, such as resilience and empathy, and how it combines those with more traditional academic skills to prepare pupils for their future lives.

I enjoy cycling, golf, photography, sampling local IPAs and spending time with family and friends.

Dr James Paulin

Term of Office: September 2021-August 2025

Appointed by: Diocese

Responsibilities: Foundation and Admissions Committee, Finance and Resources Committee, Performance and Standards Committee, IT.

With three children at St Peter’s, I am keenly aware of what a special ethos the school fosters. As a governor, my goal is to channel my passion for lifelong learning into supporting the school’s vision and values, and into helping ensure pupils are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century. I am passionate about STEM subjects, and hold degrees in Physics and Artificial Intelligence, and a doctorate in Computer Science, which I undertook as a mature student. I attended Eynsham Primary and Bartholomew schools, and have worked for over 15 years in the financial sector, as a researcher and software engineer. I enjoy playing the drums, making video games, and walking.

Dr Helen Barr

Term of Office: 22 March 2023 - 21 March 2027

Appointed by:  Diocese

Responsibilities: 

I became a Governor of St Peter’s in March 2023. I have lived in Cassington for nearly twenty years and have been volunteering at the school to help with reading and after school club. Most of my working life has been spent at the University of Oxford as a Professor of English Language and Literature where I was also Vice Principal at a college and Head of Welfare. I am a qualified counsellor and have worked at the University Student Counselling Services. While I still write professionally, I am pleased to have more time for classical music, swimming, cycling, cooking, and dog walking. I am interested in all the arts and have followed football and tennis since I was ten. I deeply admire the vision and values of St Peter’s School and I look forward to helping out in any ways that might be useful.

Matt Dixon

Term of office: June 2023-June 2027

Appointed by:

I have three children at St Peter’s, who all started in Apple Tree class. It has been a privilege to see how the school’s nurturing and values-led environment – the place, the staff, and the wider community – has developed them and their peers. 

I have worked for many years as a business and technology adviser in the finance, software and media sectors, including in education. Before that I studied English and Modern Languages, and from an early age I have also maintained a keen interest in maths and computing. I am passionate about these subjects and how education, especially in the early and primary years, lays the foundation for stimulation and fulfilment throughout life.

In my spare time I enjoy the garden, being otherwise outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.

Jon Jeffries – Headteacher 

Term of office: September 2018 to September 2022

Rob Miles - Assistant Headteacher

Term of Office: September 2021 to September 2025

Appointed by: Staff

Jonathan Smith – Clerk to the Governors

Local Governing Body Minutes May 2023/24