Governance at Stephen Freeman Primary School

Stephen Freeman Primary School joined Ridgeway Education Trust (RET) on 1st November 2024, as an academy school in part of a wider Multi Academy Trust.

 Local Governing Body

The Local Governing Body is made up of Governors who work together with the Head and other teachers to ensure that our school provides the best possible education for all our children. In particular, governors are responsible for:

• The overall direction of the school – including the steps it needs to take to continue to develop and improve.
• The teaching and learning – making sure that the curriculum is broad and balanced and that all pupils are given the opportunities to achieve their potential.
• Monitoring the progress and achievement that children make.
• Overseeing safeguarding, health and safety and ensuring that the school is inclusive for all pupils and staff.

The role of governors is largely a thinking and questioning role, not a doing role. It is their role to set the school’s strategic framework and to ensure all statutory duties are met. They work to support and strengthen the leadership of the Headteacher, and hold them to account for the day-to-day running of the school. Governors must maintain a strategic view, and not get involved in the day-to-day management and operational responsibilities within school. The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the local governing body.

Ridgeway Education Trust

Ridgeway Education Trust is run by a Board of Directors which has ultimate responsibility for running each academy within its structure and for setting the vision for schools within the MAT. You can find out more about Governance in the Trust by clicking this link. Each school retains its own Local Governing Body which includes representatives from staff, parents and members of the local community appointed for their particular skills and experience. Directors and Governors are appointed for a term of four years.

The schools in the MAT share the core values of high quality teaching and learning, respectful relationships and an inclusive community. These underpin the Trust’s continuing development and support its commitment to excellence.

The Local Governing Body meets as a whole at least six times a year. You can find key documents below.

All governors have declared relevant business and pecuniary interests including:

• Governance roles in other educational institutions.
• Any material interests arising from relationships between governors or relationships between governors and school staff (including spouses, partners and close relatives).

Click here to view Governor attendance 2023-24

Stephen Freeman Primary School Supplemental Funding Agreement

Governors can be contacted through the School Office or the Clerk to Governors, Claire Picken cpicken@ridgewayeducation.com

Jess Butler – I am Headteacher of Stephen Freeman Primary School. After studying for my BA (Primary Education) Hons in Newcastle, I qualified as a teacher in 1998 and I have taught in a wide range of Primary Schools throughout my career. I started teaching in London and worked in the boroughs of Ealing and Redbridge. I then moved to become a Deputy Head and Acting Head in Thurrock. I completed my National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH) in 2012. I subsequently returned to Redbridge to work in a 4/5 form entry Primary School with over 800 children on roll. I relocated to Oxfordshire with my family in the summer of 2016 and I became Head of Stephen Freeman school in September of that year. I faithfully serve our school to the best of my ability with passion, dedication and commitment to each and every member of the community.

Matthew Bews – I have worked at Stephen Freeman school for just over 5 years and have been part of the Senior Leadership Team for the last 3 years. I am currently employed as an Assistant Headteacher leading on mental health and wellbeing. I have always had a passion to support children in their learning and development. I have been a teacher since 1999 and I have taught in a wide range of primary schools in a number of different areas. I have been a senior leader is three schools in three different schools in Reading, Newbury and Wokingham. I was Deputy Head for 7 years in a school in Reading where I learnt about different leadership styles and worked on both coaching and mentoring. I have a grown up daughter who lives in Reading and I loved watching her develop and thrive in school. She is now working in the care industry and I am proud of her everyday. I married my wife in 2021 and support her in bringing up her little boy. I have a number of interests outside school including coaching a local football term and spending time doing DIY projects at home. I have been a staff governor since 2020 and really enjoy seeing the school from another perspective.

Lyn Belton –  I am married with two children and three grandchildren and live in Didcot. I worked at Stephen Freeman School as a Teaching Assistant for over 30 years, retiring in the summer of 2021. Both my children attended the school as do my two eldest granddaughters. Stephen Freeman feels like my second family so continuing to be a part of the school in my role as a governor is very important to me. My inspiration will always be the chidren’s resilience and enjoyment of school life.

Mark Bodeker – I began working in Didcot in 2013 as a Church of England minister at All Saints’. This evolved into full time ministry in the new development of Great Western Park as Community Minister, moving into  a house on the estate in 2015. My role primarily relates to supporting the community as it develops its own character and confidence. I have also been busy establishing a new community church, meeting local needs and developing faith. In terms of community engagement, I am a Trustee of Boundary Park Sports Association, The Didcot Powerhouse Fund, a founding member of Didcot Community Youth Trust and have recently joined as school Governor of Pangbourne College. I studied finance and law at Canterbury University, New Zealand before gaining a Chartered Accountants qualification and emigrating to the United Kingdom in 1985. In London I worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers before moving into industry, taking up several senior finance roles, mainly in special engineering businesses and latterly high tech biotech turnaround situations, jointly building and running a successful international business.

Ann Cassidy – I have worked in local government most of my working life. I am now retired and have been supporting reading at Stephen Freeman since 2012. As a governor I hope to contribute more to the school.

Steven Marr – I became a Parent Governor in June 2019. My roles include safeguarding governor and chair of the teaching and learning committee. I am committed to helping the school move forward positively by creating a nurturing environment that supports the children’s development and ensures that they have the wonderful school experience they deserve. In my professional life I specialise in the safeguarding of children within the school and home environment. 

Minutes of Governor meetings

Minutes of the governors meetings can be obtained by contacting the school office or by contacting Claire Picken, Clerk to Governors cpicken@ridgewayeducation.com