School Governors - Information and News

For future dates of Governors meeting plese see Calendar

June 2 2008 - Letter to parents from Chair of Governors

Governor's Biographies:

Parent Governors

Chair of the Governing Body Paul Brooks is committed to seeing the very best outcomes for all stakeholders of John Mason School.  He is married to Claire and has three children at the School.  Paul has been an elected parent governor since October 2004.

In his professional capacity Paul is Sales Director for Unipart Logistics and has for the last 10 years been based in Cowley, Oxford and travels extensively in the UK.  Paul holds a first degree in Mathematics and an MBA from Kingston Business School.  He is Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) and a trustee of Skills for Logistics (a sector skills council).

Paul’s interests centre around the family - however in his spare time he enjoys cricket and fishing and is a massive Liverpool FC fan!

Anna Casey-Rerhaye has a son at John Mason. She has a degree in philosophy and politics from Oxford University and works in marketing and communications, previously for an 16-19 year old  recruitment organisation and currently for the  Early Years at Oxfordshire County Council.  Whilst working in publishing, she was a board director of an Arts Council funded community publisher of poetry.

Anna states “I think that my experience working with young people, and helping them achieve allows me to be very focused and clear about what makes an effective organization.  I have an excellent motive to be committed to the school, as a parent.  I also have the time to spend on it at the moment.  I have served on a board before as well as worked in public bodies and am able to bring that understanding to the role.”

Jane Chilvers  is a PE teacher at St Helen and St Katherine in Abingdon and has some experience in the Gifted and Talented in Sport.  Helping to set up some sort of interaction for parents to be able to discuss together worries or problems they have within the school is an interest of Jane’s.  She has two sons. Tim is about to go to Exeter University having taken his A levels at the Abingdon Consortium and Sam is about to enter year eleven at John Mason.  During their years at primary school, she enjoyed helping with reading, school trips and extra curricular coaching in hockey and cricket.  As a parent Governor Jane is looking forward to being more involved with the school life of her children and to be part of the team which is committed to doing the best for the pupils and the school of John Mason.

Phil Harmsworth is a director of a local Civil Engineering and Groundwork company who work in many state and public schools and colleges within the Oxford area.  They cover all aspects of external works and he hopes his experience may come in useful with regards Health and Safety issues and DDA within the school grounds.  John Mason School has been a big part of his life, and has served his family well.  He is a former pupil of the school, along with his brother and sister.  Phil has three children, 2 are currently at the school and his eldest left last year for university.

Rod Pigott has lived in the Abingdon area since the early 1990s. After several years in academic research, during which time he completed his PhD, Rod moved into the biotechnology industry working in Oxford and London-initially in research and more recently in project management.  In 2001, he left biotechnology behind and started his own business designing and making fitted furniture.  He is married to Helen and has one son at Larkmead School, another at John Mason and a daughter at St Nicolas Primary School.

David Ricketts is employed by Oxford County Council Youth Support Services and manages the Oxford City Detached Youth Work Project.  David works with young people in a range of settings, including secondary schools in Oxford city.  The young people who he works with experience numerous difficulties and problems in their lives.  He aims to support and guide the young people to find solutions to their problems and enable them to achieve their goals.  He has been able to develop good working relationships with the schools and likes to feel that his support has had positive outcomes for all concerned.  As an experienced Youth Worker and as someone who has worked in the Education sector, and is passionate about the health, well-being and education of students, he feels that he can offer John Mason a commitment towards making a school where children feel safe and happy to learn.  David has one child at the school and one other who will attend in the near future.

* There is 1 vacancy for a Parent Governor

Governors nominated by Oxfordshire County Council

Vice Chair of the Governing Body Jonathan Hopkins runs a Public Relations business, based in Abingdon and London, specialising in education and skills policy.  His clients include charities and government bodies.  The nature of his work means he has the flexibility to provide practical support and help to the school during the day when needed.  He has previous experience as a governor in primary and infant schools.  Jonathan currently represents Oxfordshire governors on the county’s School Organisation Stakeholder Group and supports the Oxford Economic Business Partnership on working with schools in the county.  He lives in Abingdon with two daughters attending a local primary school.

Peter Jones was born in the  East End of London and began his working life  as a toolmaker.  He moved to Abingdon in the 1960's where he got married.  He has three children; two of whom attended John Mason School and now has four grand children.

Peter worked for Rover and later BMW and obtained an engineering business management degree from Warwick University. He took early retirement after 33 years service.  Peter now works for the University of Oxford as a Head Porter. He is an Abingdon Town Councillor, and a District Councillor.  In the recent county elections he was elected a County Councillor for Abingdon East.  Peter’s hobbies include walking, cooking and travelling and is, of course, enjoying being a school Governor.

Paul Teulon attended a state school, sixth form college and FE college in East London.  He then studied Economics & Management at Cambridge University, where he was subsequently appointed as the first Schools and Colleges Liaison Officer.  In 2003 he started work at Oxford University and is now the Head of the Student Recruitment, responsible for the provision of high quality IAG to students applying from the UK, the EU and beyond.  Until recently he served as the UK Treasurer on the executive of the HELOA (Higher Education Liaison Officers Association) and also sits on the UCAS/DCFS curriculum development group and has contributed towards the development of the tariff of the A* grade.  He and his wife live in Didcot, where Paul has recently completed a second degree in Mathematics in his spare time with the OU.

Community Governors

Jean Challis is a Community Governor.  Her daughter is a former pupil and she has travelled with her husbands work, to the Middle East, South East Asia and lastly South Africa.  Her interests are Ikebana and the NSPCC.  Jean is an active member of the JMA and represents the Governors on the schools Health and Safety committee.  She also invigilates during exam season.

Anne Matthews taught in Oxfordshire primary schools for 24 years.  She obtained a Doctorate in Education in 2007 studying the effect of the SAT testing culture in Year 6 classrooms on low-achieving boys.  She now works as a researcher within the Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, and has supported a variety of projects within educational contexts.  She is currently evaluating the effectiveness of the government’s new food standards as they relate to vending in secondary schools, both at Oxfordshire and national level.  Anne is married with two daughters, and lists her hobbies as DIY, gardening and walking.

* There are 2 vacancies for Community Governors

Elected Staff Governor

Alex Mannix has been at the school for 6 years.  She is currently working as Cover Manager which entails looking after a small team of cover supervisors and supply teachers.  Alex has been a Governor since 2005 and is the Link Governor for the History department.  Alex is a parent of two children currently at the school;  a son in Year 11 and a daughter in  Year 9.  She is interested in student/staff welfare.  Outside interests include going to the gym and running around after her 4 grown-up children!

Elected Teacher Governors

Robin Conway has taught at John Mason School since 2006.  He is currently Head of History, Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator and a tutor in the year 8 team. He read PPE at Oxford before doing an MA in history.  Prior to becoming a teacher he worked for Oxfordshire Mind managing a day centre in Witney and running Cognitive Behaviour Therapy groups around Oxfordshire.  He is interested in both curriculum and pastoral development in the school and is committed to ensuring that John Mason pupils get the best educational experience possible in all areas.

Rachel Williams has been a Music teacher since 1997, working at John Mason School as Head of Performing Arts since 2004.  She became a teacher governor in September 2008.  As well as being a teacher, Rachel is a musician, playing percussion in orchestras and other groups.