Governors 2021–2022
Rebekah Stott
Headteacher. 1 Sept 2021. Bex joined the St Mary and St John team in September 2021 as the headteacher. “Being part of St Mary and St John CE Primary School is exciting and very rewarding. The team is incredibly hard working and dedicated. As a school with love and aspiration at its heart, we are always looking for ways to inspire the every child and advance their learning. The Governing Body acts as the school’s ‘critical friend’ and their wide set of skills and experiences are essential to the school’s vision. With everyone sharing the same goal, we are a supportive and successful team.”
The Revd Philip Ritchie
Vicar of Cowley St John. 1 July 2015. Phil is the local vicar at St Mary and St John Church on Cowley Road. He and the church team come into school regularly to lead whole school Celebrations.
Sarah Franklin
Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor (Parish) . 1 Sept 2020 – 31 Aug 2024. Sarah works as an editor, book designer and project manager. She has lived in East Oxford for more than 20 years and her two children both attended the school. At different times she has served as a school governor for Comper as well as for Mary & John.
Anna Ballance
Co-Vice-Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor (Diocese). 25 Feb 2020 – 24 Feb 2024. Anna is a retired Oxfordshire headteacher enjoying being involved in primary education again. She is a volunteer for the Witness Service in Oxford and Reading and is a part-time tutor. Her two children are now living and working in London so there is an empty nest to fill.
Julia Bell
Foundation Governor (Diocese). 21 Apr 2020 – 20 Apr 2024. Julia has two children, both at Mary & John. She lives in East Oxford and works freelance as an editor in educational publishing.
Elizabeth Clarkson
Staff Governor. 3 Sept 2020 – 2 Sept 2024. Lizzie has taught at Mary & John for four years and currently teaches Aspen Class (Year 3). She completed her PGCE at Oxford Brookes after being a teaching assistant and really enjoying working with children.
Tim Foster
Parent Governor. 4 Apr 2019 – 3 Apr 2023. Tim has two children, one still at Mary & John and the other recently moved on to secondary school. Tim is a trustee of a number of local charities and works as a business consultant, as well as developing personal and career development programmes for football managers.
Charlotte Ryland
Parent Governor. 19 May 2022 – 18 May 2026. Charlotte is a parent governor with two children at Mary & John. She has worked in education for over fifteen years, and currently runs a small educational charity and an outreach centre based at Oxford University.
Sanaa Khan
Foundation Governor (Parish). 7 February 2022 – 6 February 2026. Sanaa has four children, two in Key Stage 1 at Mary & John and another due to join Comper in September 2022. Her background is in medical research and she is also a volunteer at Asylum Welcome.
Benjamin Klooss
Parent Governor. 28 Sept 2020 – 27 Sept 2024. Ben is a parent governor with one child currently at Mary & John, and the other at Comper. Ben is a consultant at an international development consultancy and cares deeply about the East Oxford community and our school.
Laurence Price
Foundation Governor (Diocese). 19 January 2022 – 18 January 2026. Laurence is an ordained priest in the Church of England and assists at various churches around Oxford, including St Mary & St John. During the week he works for the Solicitors Regulation Authority investigating complaints made against solicitors.
Richard Tarver
Local Authority Governor. 26 June 2019 – 25 June 2023. Richard was a Labour City Councillor for 21 years. He works as a part-time administrator at Oxford Children’s Hospital. He previously worked as a trade union representative in BT for nearly 30 years, then advised and represented teachers for 14 years, working for the teachers’ union NASUWT.
Jenny Worroll
Co-Vice-Chair of Governors, Foundation Governor (Parish). 1 Sept 2018 – 31 Aug 2022. Jenny has two children: one currently at Mary & John, and one now at secondary school. She works as a software developer in an NHS Genetics Laboratory and was PTA secretary before becoming a governor.
Associate Members
Ellie Armstrong
Deputy Headteacher (from 25 April 2022)
Jane Godby
Acting Deputy Headteacher; Lower School Lead (Years 1-3), Class Teacher
Sarah Blackwell
Upper School Lead (Years 4-6), Class Teacher
Victoria Tofts
SEND Coordinator/Inclusion Lead
Clerk to the Governors
Jenny Dyer
Governor Services, Oxfordshire County Council
Governor Roles