Governors

We are proud to have a strong and committed governing body.

Parents, teachers and members of the community make up this supportive team.

The Governing Body supports school improvement by:

• taking a largely strategic role in the running of the school;

• acting as a critical friend to the school;

• ensuring accountability of the governing body to the parents and of the Headteacher to the governing body.

Alastair Oatey (Co-opted Governor, Chair) is Business Director at Wesley House, a theological college in Cambridge. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development, and a Fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management. Alastair has been a Governor since 2009.

Linda Littlefair (Local Authority Governor) is a Chartered Accountant. She has been a Governor since 2005. She also has experience on PTFAs and as a Teaching Assistant. Linda chairs the Finance Committee.

Joy Richardson (Co-opted Governor) has 20 years of experience of school governance in both maintained and independent schools, and has been a Governor here since 2011. Joy’s professional experience includes Primary teaching, teacher training and working as an Ofsted inspector.

Dr Mauricio Varea (Co-opted Governor) has more than 10 years of experience as a Software Engineer, both programming microprocessors in embedded devices and developing tools for genetic analysis. Mauricio has been a school Governor since 2010.

Siobhan Rouse (Headteacher) was appointed in April 2016, having previously been a headteacher in Cambridge City and at a large Infants school in London. She has over 30 years of teaching experience, across the Primary age range.

Ann Abineri has been Clerk to the Governing Body since 2012. In addition to training as a Cam Clerk, she has 13 years of experience as a Governor at other schools. Ann’s professional experience is of working in Early Years training and quality control.

Andrew Cock-Starkey (Co-opted Governor) works in Education Technology for Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge. He has been a Governor since 2016. Andrew has a particular interest in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and extra-curricular activities like music, sport and creative arts.

Richard Smith (Co-opted Governor since 2016) is an independent consultant with interests in HR, legal and business leadership and was recently Head of HR for a UK wide network of independent schools.  He is the Governor with lead responsibility for safeguarding and leads the People committee which deals with issues affecting staff and students.

Catherine Vagh (Co-opted Governor) has more than 15 years experience in teaching across the Primary age range. She has worked in the state and independent sectors in Cambridgeshire. Catherine has a particular interest in pedagogy and how technology can enhance learning. 

David Owen is a Professor of Biochemistry in the University of Cambridge 
whose child attended Harston and Newton school. He has a long-standing interest in the teaching of science and technology at primary school level and has visited the school to demonstrate various scientific experiments to KS2 
classes. He is also interested in outdoor crafts and built and maintains 
the willow dome in the school. He became a governor in 2018.

Are you interested in becoming a school Governor?
You can find out more about School Governance by contacting our Headteacher (01223 870345) or the Cambridgeshire Governor Services. You can also find information online at www.sgoss.org.uk