Governors

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Our Governing Body:

Foxton Primary School Board of governors has 10 seats; the Headteacher, one Local Authority governor, one staff governors, 4 co-opted governors and 3 parent governors.

Name and roles	Background and experience
Lisa Murphy Chair of Governors Co-opted Governor Safeguarding Governor Member of Pay review committee, Finance, Premises and Personnel committee, and data panel Link governor for EYFS, SEND, Safeguarding and policies First appointed 27^th Jan 2022 Current term ends 26^th Jan 2026	Until retiring, I was a Primary Adviser working in Cambridgeshire supporting several schools and new Headteachers starting their careers in the county. Prior to this I was Headteacher at Harston and Newton Primary School, South Cambs for 10 years and loved every minute of this. Before this, I was Deputy Headteacher and SENDCo at Fawcett Primary School, Cambridge and also lectured at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. I have worked all my life in education – London, Southend, Manchester and for the last 27 years in Cambridge. I joined the Foxton governing body in January 2022. It has been good to learn more about the school. I have enjoyed meeting the children, staff and parents. I am keen to use my experience and knowledge of school improvement to support our good community school to improve further.
Joseph Barker-Sherry Local Authority governor Vice-Chair Chair of Finance, Premises and Personnel committee, member of the Headteacher Appraisal panel and Pay Review Committee Link governor for Pupil Premium, First appointed 29^th Jan 2021Current term ends 28^th Jan 2025	I am a Deputy Headteacher at a large comprehensive secondary school in Cambridgeshire, and have worked as a senior leader at schools in our county and Hertfordshire since 2018. I have led on pastoral care, behaviour for learning, safeguarding, initial teacher training, use of the Pupil Premium grant, personal development, and community. I am especially interested in how schools can provide support for the most vulnerable students, so that they can achieve similar outcomes to their peers. I am an experienced Modern Foreign Languages teacher, specialising in German, but having also taught French and Spanish. Prior to becoming a governor at Foxton Primary School, I had also gained experience as a staff governor in a school where I taught. I joined the governing body at Foxton as the local authority governor in January 2021, and have enjoyed learning more about the school, and getting to meet and know the children and the staff. During my time as a governor here I have been involved in the appointment of Mrs Muir, as the school’s headteacher, our successful Ofsted inspection in 2022, and as Vice Chair of the governors, I have led the Finance, Personnel and Premises committee. I am keen to use my experience and knowledge of school improvement and education to support a good community school to become even better.
Chris Grey Co-opted governor Member of the Finance, Premises and Personnel committee, Headteacher Appraisal Panel, Pay Review Committee and Data panel. Link governor for Music, Art and Maths First appointed 17^th March 2022 Current term ends 16^th March 2026	I am the Headteacher at Great and Little Shelford since 2018 and have served on the Foxton Board of Governors since March 2022. I am also a father of three children, two of whom attend a primary school in Essex. Since 2009, I have taught in several other settings, fulfilling a range of Senior Leadership roles: including Headteacher, Acting Headteacher and Head of School. Since my childhood, I aspired to teach. I attended the University of Newcastle and read Linguistics. Following this, I studied at the University of Cambridge, completing a PGCE and a Master of Education. My strategic areas of specialism are safeguarding; research; standards; coaching and excellence in leadership. With respect to the school curriculum, my specialisms are English; maths; music; art; modern foreign languages and computing.
Ally Smith Co-opted Governor Link governor for PSHE and RE First Appointed as an Associate: 8th Dec 2024 Current term ends 7th Dec 2029	I am currently a civil servant working in the Department for Education, where I lead a team who work with local authorities and their partners to understand and improve how they deliver support to children and families through Early Help support and Children’s Social Care. I live in Foxton and enjoy getting involved in the community – I am currently secretary of the tennis club, and part of the team who run the Scarecrow festival and Christmas windows events to raise funds for the school, pre-school and church. I am also connected with the church where I help run the monthly informal worship services.
Aaran Hayward Parent Governor Link governor TBC First Appointed as a Parent Governor: 28th January 2025 Current term ends 27th January 2029	In January 2025, Aaran began his role as a Parent Governor at Foxton. This position brings unique responsibilities and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the school community. He is particularly enthusiastic about this role because he has a child at Foxton, giving him a firsthand understanding of the school's environment and needs. Working in professional services, Aaran brings valuable insights and expertise to support the school. He is eager to apply his knowledge to help Foxton thrive and provide excellent education to its students. Aaran looks forward to shaping a better future for the students and the broader school community. His commitment to Foxton reflects his passion for education and community involvement, marking the beginning of a fruitful tenure as a Parent Governor.
Rachael Lloyd Parent Governor Link governor English, History, Geography, MFL First Appointed as a Parent Governor: 28th January 2025 Current term ends 27th January 2029	My son is currently a pupil at Foxton Primary school. I joined the governing body as a parent governor to aid the provision of the parental perspective and to ensure parents feel the board understands and considers the needs and concerns of the parent community. Although this is my first governing role, I am excited to learn the ins and outs of what it means to be able to support the school and ensure that it is effective in supporting and developing the children of our local communities.
Janet Muir Headteacher	As Head teacher of Foxton Primary School, I am committed to making Foxton a successful and enjoyable place for all children to learn and thrive in all they do. I have been teaching for over 29 years across the primary age range both in London and also in a school in the centre of Cambridge, where I was the Deputy head for 19 years. I have one child who currently attends Long Road Sixth Form College and I live in the village of Waterbeach.
Previous governors within the last 12 months	Cary Francis (Parent Governor) Flora Chen Neeru Gogna-Darroch

Name and roles

Background and experience

Lisa Murphy

Chair of Governors

Co-opted Governor

Safeguarding Governor

Member of Pay review committee, Finance, Premises and Personnel committee, and data panel

Link governor for EYFS, SEND, Safeguarding and policies

First appointed 27^th Jan 2022
Current term ends 26^th Jan 2026

Until retiring, I was a Primary Adviser working in Cambridgeshire supporting several schools and new Headteachers starting their careers in the county. Prior to this I was Headteacher at Harston and Newton Primary School, South Cambs for 10 years and loved every minute of this. Before this, I was Deputy Headteacher and SENDCo at Fawcett Primary School, Cambridge and also lectured at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. I have worked all my life in education – London, Southend, Manchester and for the last 27 years in Cambridge.

I joined the Foxton governing body in January 2022. It has been good to learn more about the school. I have enjoyed meeting the children, staff and parents. I am keen to use my experience and knowledge of school improvement to support our good community school to improve further.

Joseph Barker-Sherry
Local Authority governor
Vice-Chair

Chair of Finance, Premises and Personnel committee, member of the Headteacher Appraisal panel and Pay Review Committee

Link governor for Pupil Premium,

First appointed 29^th Jan 2021Current term ends 28^th Jan 2025

I am a Deputy Headteacher at a large comprehensive secondary school in Cambridgeshire, and have worked as a senior leader at schools in our county and Hertfordshire since 2018. I have led on pastoral care, behaviour for learning, safeguarding, initial teacher training, use of the Pupil Premium grant, personal development, and community. I am especially interested in how schools can provide support for the most vulnerable students, so that they can achieve similar outcomes to their peers. I am an experienced Modern Foreign Languages teacher, specialising in German, but having also taught French and Spanish. Prior to becoming a governor at Foxton Primary School, I had also gained experience as a staff governor in a school where I taught.

I joined the governing body at Foxton as the local authority governor in January 2021, and have enjoyed learning more about the school, and getting to meet and know the children and the staff. During my time as a governor here I have been involved in the appointment of Mrs Muir, as the school’s headteacher, our successful Ofsted inspection in 2022, and as Vice Chair of the governors, I have led the Finance, Personnel and Premises committee. I am keen to use my experience and knowledge of school improvement and education to support a good community school to become even better.

Chris Grey
Co-opted governor

Member of the Finance, Premises and Personnel committee, Headteacher Appraisal Panel, Pay Review Committee and Data panel.

Link governor for Music, Art and Maths

First appointed 17^th March 2022
Current term ends 16^th March 2026

I am the Headteacher at Great and Little Shelford since 2018 and have served on the Foxton Board of Governors since March 2022. I am also a father of three children, two of whom attend a primary school in Essex.

Since 2009, I have taught in several other settings, fulfilling a range of Senior Leadership roles: including Headteacher, Acting Headteacher and Head of School.

Since my childhood, I aspired to teach. I attended the University of Newcastle and read Linguistics. Following this, I studied at the University of Cambridge, completing a PGCE and a Master of Education.

My strategic areas of specialism are safeguarding; research; standards; coaching and excellence in leadership. With respect to the school curriculum, my specialisms are English; maths; music; art; modern foreign languages and computing.

Ally Smith
Co-opted Governor

Link governor for PSHE and RE

First Appointed as an Associate: 8th Dec 2024

Current term ends 7th Dec 2029

I am currently a civil servant working in the Department for Education, where I lead a team who work with local authorities and their partners to understand and improve how they deliver support to children and families through Early Help support and Children’s Social Care.

I live in Foxton and enjoy getting involved in the community – I am currently secretary of the tennis club, and part of the team who run the Scarecrow festival and Christmas windows events to raise funds for the school, pre-school and church. I am also connected with the church where I help run the monthly informal worship services.

Aaran Hayward

Parent Governor

Link governor TBC

First Appointed as a Parent Governor: 28th January 2025

Current term ends 27th January 2029

In January 2025, Aaran began his role as a Parent Governor at Foxton. This position brings unique responsibilities and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the school community.

He is particularly enthusiastic about this role because he has a child at Foxton, giving him a firsthand understanding of the school's environment and needs.

Working in professional services, Aaran brings valuable insights and expertise to support the school. He is eager to apply his knowledge to help Foxton thrive and provide excellent education to its students.

Aaran looks forward to shaping a better future for the students and the broader school community. His commitment to Foxton reflects his passion for education and community involvement, marking the beginning of a fruitful tenure as a Parent Governor.

Rachael Lloyd

Parent Governor

Link governor English, History, Geography, MFL

First Appointed as a Parent Governor: 28th January 2025

Current term ends 27th January 2029

My son is currently a pupil at Foxton Primary school. I joined the governing body as a parent governor to aid the provision of the parental perspective and to ensure parents feel the board understands and considers the needs and concerns of the parent community.

Although this is my first governing role, I am excited to learn the ins and outs of what it means to be able to support the school and ensure that it is effective in supporting and developing the children of our local communities.

Janet Muir
Headteacher

As Head teacher of Foxton Primary School, I am committed to making Foxton a successful and enjoyable place for all children to learn and thrive in all they do. I have been teaching for over 29 years across the primary age range both in London and also in a school in the centre of Cambridge, where I was the Deputy head for 19 years.

I have one child who currently attends Long Road Sixth Form College and I live in the village of Waterbeach.

Previous governors within the last 12 months

Cary Francis (Parent Governor)

Flora Chen

Neeru Gogna-Darroch

We would be pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining the Board.