Governors

Governors' Welcome

The Local Governing Board (LGB) of St Mary's CofE School have an important role to play in supporting our Headteacher and the team with the strategic leadership of our school. Our aim is to actively support and promote high quality education for all the pupils and to value and support the rich diversity of our community at the heart of Banbury. We have high expectations for all of our pupils and staff and we work to support and challenge them to fulfill their potential within our vision of 'Learning, Transforming, Growing'.

There is a balance of Governors appointed as Foundation Governors by the Diocese of Oxford; Parent Governors, appointed by the parents of pupils in the school and Co-opted Governors, appointed for to their professional skills, community or business links to the school. The incumbent Vicar of St Mary’s is Ex-Officio Governor and a Staff Governor and the Headteacher complete the Local Governing Board (LGB)

Governors take an active interest in all aspects of school; visiting learning, meeting staff, attending school events and meeting with the Head and senior team to support and challenge the strategic direction of school. We work with the senior officers and Trustees of Oxfordshire Diocesan Trust (ODST) and with the Oxfordshire Diocesan Board of education (ODBE) as well as colleagues in other Trusts and the Local Authority to continue to grow and develop St Mary's position within the education community.

We work within the distinctly Christian Values of Compassion, Truth, Endurance and Koinonia to ensure that children who leave St Mary's take with them a sense of self-worth, confidence and high levels of achievement. We recruit the very best teachers and support staff and ensure that they are well equipped to provide for the needs of all the children across the curriculum and to offer high levels of cultural capital to ensure all our pupils experience a rich and diverse education during their time at St Mary's.

Below is the full list of our current governing body. Governors can be contacted through the school office.

Mrs Maureen Thompson – Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor

Maureen is an experienced Governor with many years experience across a variety of school. She is currently Headteacher of Langford Village School in Bicester and chairs the Finance Committee of the Local Authority Schools Forum. Having been a secondary PE teacher, local authority advisor and Headteacher at 3 Oxfordshire Schools, Maureen brings a wealth of experience and insight to the Governing Body at St Mary’s. She has been Chair of Governors since March 2019.

Mrs Victoria Woods - Headteacher

Victoria has been a teacher for 24 years, working in both Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in a wide variety of schools and posts. Having worked for Oxfordshire County Council as a School Improvement Advisory Teacher for five years, Victoria was appointed to her first headship in January 2012 ensuring that the school was judged 'good' by both Ofsted and SIAMS by the end of 2013. In January 2014, Victoria was asked to lead a second school which required improvement. As Executive Headteacher she led the school to a 'good' outcome in May 2015 and in September 2015 became the new substantive Headteacher here at St Mary's.
Victoria believes passionately in the power of education to change lives and build successful citizens. She knows that schools are places where not just children, but the whole family can be supported and helped. She hopes that by empowering all to succeed through setting an inspirational vision for the future, St Mary's will continue its long history at the heart of the Banbury community.

Ms Frances McMillan - Community Governor

Following a career in primary music education, in Oxfordshire, Midlothian and Buckinghamshire, I landed back in Oxfordshire again before retiring from school teaching in 2016. I now teach piano at home, which is a breeze by comparison!
I was co-opted onto the Governing Body at St Mary’s in the summer of 2018 and was soon charmed by the lively energy of the school, generated in part by its extraordinary mix of nationalities, languages and cultures, but also of course by its unusually dedicated and inspirational staff. I have a particular interest in Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Inclusion, and in viewing access to the curriculum from these perspectives. I believe that good communications and support among parents, children, staff and governors are key to the educational successes of each individual child.

Governing Body membership 2019-20

Details of Governors serving in the 12 months prior to Academic Year 2019-20