Our Governing Board is made up of; the Head Teacher, a Staff Governor, a Local Authority Governor, four Parent Governors and five Co-opted Governors.  We also have some additional Associate Members who assist with projects and curriculum. 

Governors:

About our Governors

Liz Hunt – Headteacher

I am privileged to be Headteacher of such a wonderful school and, whilst I love being a teacher, I also enjoy being a Mum: I have two lovely daughters who are both now at university. I have a variety of pets whom I enjoy spending time with. They give me a good excuse to be out of doors enjoying the fresh air and countryside. I have recently taken up running to raise money for charity and completed my first Marathon this year! I am planning to run the London Marathon in 2021 to raise money for Brain Research. Enjoying a new challenge, I have decided now is the time to pick up my O-Level French once again. I am, once more, taking lessons in the hope that I will visit France with confident language skills in the near future.

Helen Pearce Harvey – Chair of Governors

I became a co-opted governor at Woodcote Primary School in 2017 and was appointed Chair of Governors in February 2021. I have 3 children currently at the school and one who attended until moving to secondary school. I currently work as the Trusts and Grants Officer for the Twins Trust charity. Prior to having children, I worked for a global investment bank as a Client Advisor, firstly in London before moving to Sydney in 2009. I enjoy playing an active role in school life, working closely with the headteacher and full governing body. Together we ensure that all children who attend Woodcote Primary have a safe, caring and nurturing environment to achieve their full potential and grow in confidence ready to move on to the next phase of their lives. When I do get a minute to myself, I enjoy walking the dog, reading and sewing.

Martin Towers - Vice Chair

I have lived in Oxfordshire most of my life having been brought up in a village just on the edge of Oxford where I attended the local primary and secondary schools. My career post university has been working mainly in the public sector in a variety of research, business planning, policy and management roles including for a regional tourist board, training & business development organisations and now for the Department for Education. I live in Woodcote with my wife and have two children - both have been educated at Woodcote primary school, the eldest is now at Langtree with the youngest in year 3. I joined the governing body in September 2020 as a parent governor. I hope that my experience of working in the education sector and of being a parent will enable me to make a positive contribution to the running of Woodcote primary school and to its longer-term ambitions.

Andrew Hawley 

I bring a skill set from a business and finance perspective from my role working as a tax and business advisor for a number of chartered accountants both locally and in London. I grew up down the road in Caversham Park Village where I attended the local primary school and went on to Chiltern Edge and then Henley College. I went on to study Business Studies at the University of the West of England. I now live in Woodcote with my wife and children. My daughter Emily is in key stage one here at Woodcote Primary and my eldest son Ben goes to Langtree having previously attended the school. My other son James also attended Woodcote Primary but sadly lost his fight with a congenital heart condition in late 2018. I note that James is very much my inspiration in everything we do. In my spare time I enjoy playing golf and football when I can. You may also see my, on occasion, running around the village in an attempt to stay fit, and I am also an avid Spurs supporter. When not being active, I enjoy watching movies, drawing, finding and playing less well-known board games, as well as spending time with my family and friends. My favourite places in the world include Fiji, Australia, and Cornwall, and my favourite food is Thai, Chinese or a good steak accompanied by a glass of good red wine or a beer!

Sarah McGurk

I have two children at the school and have lived in Woodcote since 2014. Though born in Kent, I lived in Canada for 10 years where my eldest son was born. As a result, he is fiercely Canadian as well as British!  I work in London as an insurance underwriter and have served on several boards in the past in various capacities. In my professional life I have served on the class panel at Lloyd’s of London as Co-Chair, am a serving member of the PLUS London committee, a former Parish Councillor on Woodcote Parish Council for almost five years and currently volunteer on the Friends of Woodcote Primary School committee as an ad hoc member.  I want to help the school to achieve its maximum potential and to ensure the passion and enthusiasm of the various stakeholders in the school are used to optimal advantage of the children in its care.  When not working and commuting or being with my children, I can be found sailing, walking my energetic dog Piper, working in my garden sanctuary or (very occasionally) skiing!

Sarah Strudley

I have been a teacher for over 25 years, and now work as Vice Principal at a school for deaf young people in Newbury where I have been since September 2022.  I have extensive experience of working with a governing body as the staff governor and more recently as an associate governor of a large all-through special school.  I also have experience of being a senior leader in two schools and therefore bring many transferable skills to the work of a co-opted governor. Throughout my career I have worked with young people with a range of special educational needs and disabilities and am passionate about ensuring we have a school system that enables everyone to achieve their best.  I have lived in Woodcote for 11 years and have always been aware of how central to the community the Primary School is.

Caroline Bowers 

New to Governing Board, biography to be added.

Nicola Baker

New to Governing Board, biography to be added.

Helen John

I live in Woodcote with my husband and two boys who attend the school. We moved here in 2016 before the birth of our first son. We have recently welcomed our third and final member of the family, our border collie puppy who keeps us all busy.

I am an experienced family law solicitor and took the leap in 2024 to set up my own firm after over 20 years of being employed in practices in the south west and Thames Valley. 

I am a parent governor but served a four year term as a co-opted governor from 2018 to 2022.

I have a particular interest in SEND education. My son is autistic and I have a late ADHD diagnosis. I am a licensed autism trainer and am studying to be an ADHD coach. 

I’m a founding member of the Woodcote 6AM Run Club and am working on improving my 10K time, despite being surrounded by hills! 

Sarah Peacock

I have lived in Oxfordshire for many years, and raised both my boys through our village primary and then secondary schools.  I came late to teaching, following a degree and practical experience in farm management both in this country and abroad.  I have taught across all the primary age range.  In my free time, I enjoy travel, walking and training my young dog, and trying to be more self-sufficient with an allotment.  We have 5 hives of bees across the local countryside.

Lesley Crockett

Originally from Manchester, I moved to Woodcote just over 20 years ago with my husband and two children, now adults! On the day of moving in, our next door neighbour told us that we had to help with the Woodcote Rally, and we’ve been active members of the Woodcote Rally Committee ever since.

I spent 12 years as a primary school teacher, including approximately 3 years as a head teacher. During that time, I was a leading teacher for Maths for Oxfordshire County Council and worked with several local schools, including Woodcote, to support the development of the teaching of Maths. Before taking early retirement, I spent just over a year teaching Year 5 at Woodcote.

I also have experience in recruitment and retention and was a personnel manager for several years.

Revd David Benskin 

New to Governing Board, biography to be added.