We CARE • Curiosity - Aspiration - Respect - Enthusiasm

Meet our Governors

To contact a governor please phone 01491 651862 or email them at office@cholsey.oxon.sch.uk

Members of the school governing body are as follows:

Cholsey Primary Academy Members

Judy Collins, Heather Haigh, Brian Butcher and Andy King are Members of the school.

Cholsey Primary Academy and the OPEN Umbrella Trust

We became an academy on 1st November 2013 under the OPEN Umbrella Trust.

Dominic Llewellyn-Jones - Chair of Governors and Parent Governor

Appointed 1st July 2024 – Current term to end in 30th June 2028

Attended 1/1 Full Governing Body Meetings in 2023/24

As the son of two educators, you might say that learning is in my blood, and so when the opportunity to join the board of governors came up, I knew I had to take it. Whilst my career has not followed the path of my parents, I do feel that my skills and experience will be a positive and help support the school moving forward.

I believe education should be accessible, supportive and fun and having seen how my daughter has taken to the school and is excited to go each day, well mostly, it’s clear that this atmosphere is one that is very much in evidence at Cholsey. Something which I hope to be able to maintain as chair.

Jo Rushent - Governance Professional

Hannah Potter - Staff Governor

Appointed – 29th September 2022. Current term to end in September 2026.

Attended 6/6 Full Governing Body Meetings in 2023/24

I have worked at Cholsey Primary School since September 2003. During my time at the school, I have been lucky enough to explore many roles, working in Key Stage 1, being the school’s SENCO, leading the Foundation Stage and now back to Key stage 1 where I am now the lead. I have also been a parent at the school as my own children attended Cholsey and are now both at secondary. Having seen the school and education go through many changes over the years, I thought it was about time I took on a new role as staff governor.

Charleii Stanley - Staff Governor & Health and Safety

Appointed – 14th May 2025. Current term to end in May 2029.

I have worked in education for over thirty years, including the last twenty as a SENDCo. During that time, I’ve worked with children right across the primary age range, from Reception to Year 6, and in a number of different schools. One of the most memorable parts of my career was spending ten years working in British International Schools overseas. I lived and worked in North and East Africa, Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, which gave me the opportunity to experience many different cultures and communities. I travelled extensively while I was abroad and feel very lucky to have seen so much of the world and met so many interesting people along the way.

In the end though, I decided to move back to England for some slightly less dramatic reasons. After many years living in warmer countries, I realised I really missed some very English things – autumn colours, Garibaldi biscuits and what I still believe is proper chocolate! Those small comforts of home were a big pull and eventually persuaded me that it was time to return.

I have now lived in the village of Cholsey for about seventeen years. I have two dogs, who make sure I get out for regular walks, and I spend a lot of time pottering around in my garden. After years of travelling and constantly packing and unpacking, I’ve come to really appreciate the simple things — being at home, watching the seasons change, and enjoying the village where I now live.

Katie Whiteley - Community Governor & Safeguarding

Appointed 28th September 2022 – Current term to end in September 2026

Attended 6/6 Full Governing Body Meetings in 2023/24

I joined the governing body at Cholsey Primary School as a community governor as I am passionate about education and wanted to be involved in Cholsey’s continuing journey. I believe all children have the right to attend the very best school, where they feel safe, happy and are able to develop a love of learning which equips them to move on to the next stage of their lives full of confidence and an ability to do whatever they choose.

I am a Deputy Head Teacher and SENCo and work with many schools in developing their inclusive practice. I have two young children who will hopefully attend Cholsey in the future.

Andy King - Community Governor

Appointed 8th October 2013 – Current term to end October 2025

Attended 6/6 Full Governing Body Meetings in 2023/24

Attended 4/6 Finance Meetings in 2023/24

I’m a governor at Cholsey because I believe there is nothing more important than education. I also believe education is about teaching children how to learn. So along with core skills like reading writing and maths children will learn how to question, how to listen and then how interpret the answers. This allows them to fully access the wide curriculum we offer and find something they can each individually excel at.

I take a particular interest in well-being and finance.

For the last 12 years I’ve been a business coach helping people find their own best answers, and prior to that held senior positions in fashion retail for 30 years.

Monica Atkinson - Vice Chair, Chair of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee Parent Governor

Appointed – 20th June 2025. Current term to end in June 2029.

Attended 1/1 Full Governing Body Meetings in 2024/25

I am a mother to two children, Tabitha and Willoughby. Tabi attends Cholsey Primary School in Year 2 and Willoughby will also be joining in a couple of years. I grew up in the area and have spent the last 12 years working in Special Educational Needs, most recently as a Regional Director for the South, for a large SEN provider. I decided to leave this post earlier in the year to spend more time with my kids but didn’t want to stop being involved in education altogether. When this post came up it felt like the perfect opportunity to stay involved and hopefully use the skills I have developed over the years to support the school however they need. I have also retrained to move into bookkeeping and when I learned the school had a need for a governor with some financial experience, it again felt like a great opportunity. I am very excited to be a more active part of a wonderful school and one that my children will be a part of for the foreseeable future.

Kieran Dee - Parent Governor

Appointed – 20th June 2025. Current term to end in June 2029.

Attended 0/1 Full Governing Body Meetings in 2024/25

I wanted to become a School Governor with Cholsey as I am passionate about the lasting impact of strong early years and primary education on outcomes for children, their families and communities.

I strongly believe in the positive contribution that effective governance makes in supporting schools, staff and children to achieve their potential.

I have previously chaired an EYFS management committee in Oxfordshire and saw first hand the difference the staff were able to make in that setting, something that I want to support and contribute to in Cholsey

Professionally, I work as an Airline Pilot, alongside a ground-based role in People Management. I have two children in the school and my wife has taught with Cholsey for the last 5 years.

Articles of Association

OPEN Articles
of Association

Current Annual Report and Financial Statement

Terms of Reference

Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

The Role of the Governing Body

All schools in England have a Governing Body which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. This is done by reviewing and agreeing policies, targets and priorities and monitoring and reviewing aims and objectives. The key role is to act as a ‘critical friend’; this means to support, challenge, and ask questions and ultimately to be accountable to the school community and the Government for the standards, resources and finances of the school.

Cholsey School’s governing body consists of twelve governors. They are volunteers and come from all walks of life. The parents of children at the school elect parent governors who are there to represent the parents’ views. Other governors are community governors who are elected by the governing body. The standard term of office for a governor is four years. The chair and vice-chair are elected annually by the governors at the first meeting of the academic year.

The chair of governors is Mr Dominic Llewellyn-Jones, who can be contacted via the school office.

The school is managed by the school management team led by the Headteacher with the support of the governors. We like to regard ourselves as a team which includes all the parents working together to promote a stimulating and rewarding experience for the children.

The minutes of Trustee’s Meetings are available from the School Office.

The Governing Body’s Structure

Click to view the organisational structure of the Cholsey School Governing body.

Our Risk Appetite statement

Our school’s approach to risk is to minimise its exposure to safeguarding, compliance and financial risk. However, we can accept and even encourage an increased degree of risk in innovation in pursuit of our mission: To prepare our children for the future, to inspire them to make a difference in the world, and to promote our CARE values.