Our Governing Body – Great Tew Primary School

We are a small group of volunteers who work closely with the staff at Great Tew Primary School to support its vision, ensure every child thrives, and help shape its future.

Our work is guided by the school’s values of Curiosity, Creativity, Compassion and Courage, and our belief that “Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire” (W.B. Yeats).

Everything we do is rooted in the conviction that children must be at the heart of our school. We aim not only to help spark a lifelong love of learning, but to nurture high levels of academic achievement, personal growth, and strong character in every child.

What do Governors do?

Governors work together with the school’s leadership team to:

Set the school’s vision and strategic direction
Support and challenge school leaders
Help ensure all pupils are safe, happy and able to succeed
Oversee how the school’s budget is spent
Act as a link between the school and the wider community

In all of our work, we aim to reflect the school’s values — encouraging curiosity, supporting creative thinking, showing compassion, and having the courage to ask questions and make decisions in the best interests of every child.

Meet our Governors

Our governing body is made up of parents, staff and members of the local community, all bringing a range of skills and experience.

Mrs Naomi Roberts

Co-opted governor

Term of office

09/03/24 - 08/03/28

Roles

Chair of Governing Board; Safeguarding link governor

I have been part of the Governing Body at Great Tew School since 2015, first as a Parent Governor and now as a Co-opted Governor. I became Vice Chair in 2016 and have been proud to serve as Chair of Governors since 2022. I am also the school’s Safeguarding Governor. I really enjoy working with staff, parents and fellow governors to support the school and help ensure that every child has the best possible experience during their time here. I have recently relocated to Berkshire but remain fully committed to my role at Great Tew and feel privileged to continue contributing to the life of the school.

Mr Matt Bull

Co-opted governor

Term of office

08/12/22 - 07/12/26

Roles

Vice Chair of Governing Board; Chair of Finance & Resources

I became an Associate Member in September 2016 and then a full governor in 2020. I have been involved with schools for the last 25 years, in a variety of roles and am currently a Deputy Head at Bloxham School. I am passionate about the importance of a balanced education that enables children go onto to not just cope but flourish. A real education provides so much more than just English, Maths and Science, if young people are going to go into the world, fully cooked and ready to make a difference. I was born in the area and returned to work here when the first of our three children arrived. I have always loved sport and am avid follower of a number of local teams and am a life member at Banbury Hockey Club, where I have been involved since birth. When time allows, I will try to read as much as possible and get to Lords to watch as much cricket as I can. We have three children, all of whom are either at Great Tew or who have been through the school.

Mrs Lynn Jenkins

Ex officio - Headteacher

Term of office

01/01/26 onwards

Miss Kitty Northcote

Staff governor

Term of office

Roles

Mrs Una Tibbetts

Associate Member

Term of office

Roles

Mr Tim Field

Parent governor

Term of office

27/02/24 - 26/02/28

Roles

Finance & Resources committee; SEND link

Mr Toby Heathcoat Amory

Co-opted governor

Term of office

07/07/25 - 06/07/27

Roles

Finance & Resources committee

Toby became a Co-opted Governor in 2025. Toby has three children currently at the school, in Year 6, Year 4 and Reception. He sits on the Finance and Resources Committee. Professionally, Toby works in insurance and believes that there will be some useful transferable knowledge that can add value to the school. Having seen his children go through Great Tew, he understands the fantastic start they have been given. He joined the Governors to try support the school to continue to offer that good education to others.

Mr Richard Whittle

Local Authority governor

Term of office

27/06/26 - 26/06/30

Roles

Curriculum committee

I originally joined the School’s Governing Board as a Parent Governor in June 2022. I have two daughters who fondly recall their time at Great Tew Primary School, and I feel fortunate that my children have experienced this most unique of settings. I wanted to become a governor to help support this very special school and help where I can. Through this role, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the exceptional education and nurturing environment first hand and also from seeing the school from a diJerent perspective; seeing the immense amount of work, passion and love that goes into this most important educational endeavour. My professional background spans the Arts and Media coupled with dealing in property and art and antiques and has equipped me with a diverse skill set that I believe contributes meaningfully to the governing board. We as governors are committed to providing both support and oversight to the school's dedicated team, ensuring we navigate the regulatory landscape eJectively while maintaining accountability and open communication with parents. I feel that Great Tew Primary School plays a vital role in shaping the lives of children setting out on their learning journey and to achieving their full potential. I believe it's a place to be preserved and I am proud to serve as a governor in support of its continued success.

Mrs Philippa Drinkwater

Co-opted governor

Term of office

09/03/26 - 08/03/30

Roles

Curriculum committee

I was surprised and thrilled in equal measure when it was suggested I apply to become a Governor. My three children (all now in their 30s) began their school careers at Gt Tew and it holds an important place in the hearts of my family. I worked in the pre-school whilst my youngest son attended, and I spent a year as a TA with years 5&6 just after he moved on to his next school. I have always been involved with schools and education from nursery through to secondary level, and I am acutely aware of the importance of children having the opportunity to get as much as possible out of the early years of their education. With a grandson who has started primary school this year I have been reminded of the excitement of learning something new every day as well as the critical role primary school plays in a child’s social and emotional wellbeing. I am keen to support the school in any way I can in offering its pupils the best possible provision at this crucial time in their development. I love nature and the outdoors, reading, learning new things and sport.

Mr James Robinson

Co-opted governor

Term of office

16/02/26 - 15/02/30

Roles

Finance and Resources committee

James was appointed governor in 2026 and sits on the Finance and Resources Committee. James lives locally and offers consultancy services in the arts and leisure sectors. Formerly Deputy Secretary of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and Regional Director for the Royal Institute of British Architects in the South & South East. James is passionate about promoting participation in and exposure to the arts for young people and committed to use his experience and skills to assist in expanding the opportunities the school is able to offer children. James is also convinced of the importance of food education as part of school life wherever possible, particularly in a rural, food-producing area such as north Oxfordshire.

Mrs Cassie Whitney

Clerk to Governing Board

Become a Governor

We are currently looking for new governors to join our friendly team.

You don’t need any specific qualifications or experience — just an interest in supporting Great Tew Primary School and its values of Curiosity, Creativity, Compassion and Courage.

A great way to support the school and local community
Gain new skills and experience
Around a few meetings each term
Training and support provided

We welcome interest from parents and members of the wider community.

If you are interested or would like to find out more, please contact the Chair of Governors – chair.2104@great-tew.oxon.sch.uk

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need experience in education to become a governor?
No — governors come from a wide range of backgrounds. What matters most is a willingness to learn and contribute.

How much time does it take?
Governors usually attend 6 meetings per year (3 x Full Governing Body meetings plus 3 x committee meetings), along with some reading or preparation in advance of meetings.

Why become a governor?
It’s a great way to support the school, develop new skills and make a real difference to children’s education.

Please read our Governor Information Pack for more information on being a school governor

Get in touch

If you would like to contact the governing body, please do so via the school office – office.2104@great-tew.oxon.sch.uk or directly to the Chair – chair.2104@great-tew.oxon.sch.uk

We are always happy to hear from parents and members of our community.

Governance Documents

You can find our key governance documents below: