Our Governing Body
Governors at Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School
The Academy Committee of Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School form part of the Governance Team of the Warriner Multi Academy Trust
Governors are volunteers who play a really important part in ensuring our children receive the very best outcomes at our school. The governor role is strategic rather than operational, so they don’t get involved in the day to day running of the school, instead supporting and challenging the School and the Trust’s senior leadership team to drive school improvement.
We don’t discuss individual children in our meetings, but we do challenge the Head to make certain that we have the systems and support in place to ensure that the needs of all our children are being met. We don’t decide what and how to teach but we do visit the school and consider curriculum plans and attainment data to ensure that we know our school well and know that it is delivering on its plans to always drive school improvement. We don’t consider individual concerns from parents but will always explain who to talk to in school to help you and will always make sure at a strategic level that the school seeks the views of its most important stakeholders, its children, their parents and its staff.
If you want to contact the governing body please email Clerk to Governors Lauren Hayes at l.hayes@warrinermat.org
We are always interested to hear from potential new governors committed to raising outcomes for all our children. If you would like to find out more about becoming a governor please contact the Clerk to the Governors Lauren Hayes by email l.hayes@warrinermat.org
Our Clerk to the Governors is part of a team of Governance Professionals, employed by the Warriner Multi Academy Trust, to provide advice, guidance and administrative support to ensure effective governance. If you are an experienced clerk or are keen to learn a new area of expertise please contact Catherine Musgrove at c.musgrove@warriner.oxon.sch.uk to find out more about joining our Governance Support team.
The Academy Committee of Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School form part of the Governance Team of the Warriner Multi Academy Trust
Governors are volunteers who play a really important part in ensuring our children receive the very best outcomes at our school. The governor role is strategic rather than operational, so they don’t get involved in the day to day running of the school, instead supporting and challenging the School and the Trust’s senior leadership team to drive school improvement.
We don’t discuss individual children in our meetings, but we do challenge the Head to make certain that we have the systems and support in place to ensure that the needs of all our children are being met. We don’t decide what and how to teach but we do visit the school and consider curriculum plans and attainment data to ensure that we know our school well and know that it is delivering on its plans to always drive school improvement. We don’t consider individual concerns from parents but will always explain who to talk to in school to help you and will always make sure at a strategic level that the school seeks the views of its most important stakeholders, its children, their parents and its staff.
If you want to contact the governing body please email Clerk to Governors Lauren Hayes at l.hayes@warrinermat.org
We are always interested to hear from potential new governors committed to raising outcomes for all our children. If you would like to find out more about becoming a governor please contact the Clerk to the Governors Lauren Hayes by email l.hayes@warrinermat.org
Our Clerk to the Governors is part of a team of Governance Professionals, employed by the Warriner Multi Academy Trust, to provide advice, guidance and administrative support to ensure effective governance. If you are an experienced clerk or are keen to learn a new area of expertise please contact Catherine Musgrove at c.musgrove@warriner.oxon.sch.uk to find out more about joining our Governance Support team.
| sibford-governor_appointment_and__attendance_record_2021-22_.pdf |
| declarations-sibfordgowerendowed_sept_22.docx |
Our Governors:
Alex Greenhalgh (Chair of Governors, Health & Safety & Safeguarding governor) Trustee Appointed
I have lived in Tadmarton since 2010 and have three children, Heidi, Esme and Ava, two of whom still attend the school.
I have 17 years of experience in education as a secondary school teacher. I taught at The Ridgeway School in Swindon for 10 years and have been teaching at Wheatley Park School, Oxford for 7 years. During my time in teaching, I have taken on leadership and management positions firstly as Head of Department and Head of Year. From 2009 I have been a part of a successful senior leadership team, firstly as Director of Sixth Form and then from 2013 as Assistant Head (Head of Inclusion). In my current position I have responsibility as Designated Safeguarding lead, SENCO and lead on primary school transition. I have recently completed Masters level study at Oxford Brookes University, achieving a Post-Graduate Certificate in Special Education and a National SENCO award.
I am keen to use my school leadership experience and skills to play a role in the strategic direction of the school for the benefit of all the children's educational experience at Sibford Gower school.
Sue Cook (Trustee appointed governor)
Sue Cook was for many years a broadcaster and current affairs journalist on TV and radio, widely known for hosting BBC radio 4 programmes such as You and Yours and Making History and BBC TV shows such as Crimewatch, the annual Children in Need Appeal, Nationwide, Daytime Live, Having a Baby and Holiday. For Channel 4 she presented several series of Collectors Lot, The Chelsea Flower Show and The Hampton Court Flower Show. She now hosts events with authors at literary festivals around the UK and is herself a published novelist.
Sue is a mother of two and a proud grandmother. She lives in Sibford Ferris.
Revd. Neil Bowler (Trusteee appointed governor)
After studying for a degree in Law at University and qualifying as a solicitor, I worked for almost 10 years as a senior legal adviser in the South Yorkshire Magistrates' Courts, which included writing and delivering national and local training material for magistrates and judges. It was almost 18 years ago now, volunteering as a Youth leader in the Church of England, I discerned a sense of being called by God to become a priest. I went to train for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield. During my two years there I also studied for a degree in Theology at Leeds University and went on placements in Leicester and Romania. My curacy was in Doncaster before I moved to be the Rector of Whiston, in Rotherham. During my time at Whiston I was asked to be one of the Bishop’s educational advisors on national advisory panels and was also the Area Dean for Rotherham at a time of significant change. I then was asked if I would become the Vicar of Ranmoor in Sheffield, a very large church. During my time in Sheffield I was appointed as the Bishop’s advisor in spirituality and was asked if I would become an honorary Canon of Sheffield cathedral. In all of my roles I’ve seen the importance of supporting and being alongside local schools and have been a school governor of the schools in each of the parishes where I have been the incumbent. Over my ministry this has included being a school governor of two large secondary schools and three primary schools. In my last position in Rotherham, I also worked as an Advanced learning support worker in a primary school for four years. I became the Rector of the Wykeham Benefice, which includes the Sibfords and Burdrop, in January 2021.
Jane O'Sullivan (Headteacher)
Since qualifying as a teacher over 30 years ago, I have worked in a wide range of settings, from the inner city- I spent the first seven years of my teaching career working at a large junior and infant school in the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham – to small rural primary schools, including my current role as headteacher of our delightful school here in Sibford Gower.
During my career, as well as fulfilling a number of leadership roles, I have been a Lead Teacher for Early Years Foundation Stage and a Lead Teacher for Assessment.
Before obtaining my Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and, more recently, my National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), I studied Art & Design at Winchester School of Art and then took a degree in Politics & Philosophy at the University of Reading.
I feel very strongly that teaching is both an honourable and important profession and it is one that I feel proud to be part of. It is a privilege to be the headteacher of our school and to work with the talented and committed adults, school staff and governors, who work so hard to give our wonderful children the educational start that they deserve."
Rachel Blake (Assistant headteacher & staff governor)
After graduating from University in Southampton in 1997 with a Bachelor of Education in English, I started my teaching career in Banbury in a large Primary school teaching children aged 5 - 7 years. After 5 years I made the move to became Deputy Head teacher of a local small village school. During this time I taught children from foundation stage to year 4 over the 12 years in post. In 2013 I joined the team at Sibford Gower Primaty School and have since embraced the role of Assistant Head and Early Years manager. I am privileged to be part of such a positive, nurturing and forward thinking team that has children's learning and well-being at its core. It is a pleasure to see our little Acorns grow into mighty Oaks and know that we have set the foundations for our children to be successful.
Oli Broom (Sports Premium governor) Trustee appointed governor
After studying French and Spanish at Durham University, I undertook a Masters degree in Property Valuation and Law at Cass Business School, London. Six years as a Chartered Surveyor for Knight Frank followed before a change of course. I spent 14 months cycling from the UK to Australia, wrote a book about my experience (Cycling to the Ashes, published by Random House in 2013) and then two years living and working in Kigali, Rwanda, where I ran a small charity. In 2015 I founded The Slow Cyclist, a travel company specialising in slow journeys by bike and on foot in some of the world's most extraordinary regions. My wife and I have lived locally since 2017 and we moved into Sibford Gower in June 2021. Our two sons attend the school. I believe passionately that a village primary school should be integral to the community and to a thriving village life. I joined as a governor in 2022 to try to help the school continue to thrive into the future.
Simon Chard (DSEN governor & Pupil premium governor)
I was born in South Wales, but my parents brought me to Banburyshire at the age of 5. I first arrived in Sibford in 1992 when I accepted a role at Sibford School and I am still there 30 years later. I hope my time there has given me some experience of education in the 21st century and that some of that knowledge can be of benefit to the school. I live with my wife and two children in Sibford Ferris. My son is currently in year 2 and my daughter will start as a 3 year old in September. I have seen how important a good primary school education is in laying the basis for educational success in teenage years, and we are very lucky that our children get an exceptional education here.
Phil Tattersall-King, Parent Governor
I joined nearby Sibford School as the Deputy Head in September 2022. My previous school was Bedales in Hampshire, where I was Deputy Head, Operational and Co-Curricular overseeing the day-to-day smooth running of the school. In this role I worked closely with staff, students and parents and value the role that everyone plays in the profoundly moral business of children’s education. I was the chair of the National Independent Schools’ Drama Association for four years in a previous role as Director of Drama and Dance and worked with many other leading UK schools in this capacity. It is always a delight hearing about my children’s experience of Sibford Gower. I am pleased to be working with the school as a governor, to bring my knowledge and skills to support their, and every pupil’s, love of learning.
I was born in South Wales, but my parents brought me to Banburyshire at the age of 5. I first arrived in Sibford in 1992 when I accepted a role at Sibford School and I am still there 30 years later. I hope my time there has given me some experience of education in the 21st century and that some of that knowledge can be of benefit to the school. I live with my wife and two children in Sibford Ferris. My son is currently in year 2 and my daughter will start as a 3 year old in September. I have seen how important a good primary school education is in laying the basis for educational success in teenage years, and we are very lucky that our children get an exceptional education here.
Phil Tattersall-King, Parent Governor
I joined nearby Sibford School as the Deputy Head in September 2022. My previous school was Bedales in Hampshire, where I was Deputy Head, Operational and Co-Curricular overseeing the day-to-day smooth running of the school. In this role I worked closely with staff, students and parents and value the role that everyone plays in the profoundly moral business of children’s education. I was the chair of the National Independent Schools’ Drama Association for four years in a previous role as Director of Drama and Dance and worked with many other leading UK schools in this capacity. It is always a delight hearing about my children’s experience of Sibford Gower. I am pleased to be working with the school as a governor, to bring my knowledge and skills to support their, and every pupil’s, love of learning.