What is a School Governor?
As members of the governing body of Long Crendon School, we work very much in the background, supporting the busy day to day life of our thriving, very successful and very happy school.

Children are at the very centre of our school community – and rightly so: they are the reason for the very existence of the community, and they are the focus and priority in all that we do. The parents, staff and the head teacher then form successive layers of support for the children.

The governors form the outermost layer of support, furthest removed from the child in the middle of the day to day life of the school, but nonetheless we too have an important role to play in the education and welfare of the children. In fact our main aim is to maintain and improve the standards of education in the school.

If you wish to contact the school governors please email the chair using lguerin@longcrendon.bucks.sch.uk or via the school office using office@longcrendon.bucks.sch.uk

If you wish to know when Governing Body meetings are taking place or would like access to any of the previous minutes please contact the School Office.

Our Governance Structure

The Full Governing Board (FGB) meets once per term, as do the two committees: resources and curriculum. The resources committee is chaired by Geoff Mountford and the curriculum committee is chaired by Becky Honour.

The governing board consists of 13 positions: the headteacher, 8 co-opted governors, 1 local authority governor, 2 parent governors and 1 staff governor. Currently, 7 positions are filled and 6 are vacant.

Governors are assigned to one or both committees based on their areas of responsibility. Where associate members of the governing board are appointed, they do not have voting rights.

Vacancies

1 Staff governor

1 Parent governor

4 Co-opted governors

Our Current Long Crendon School Governors

Liz Guerin

Chair of Governors

Local Authority Governor

First Appointed 23/06/15

Current Term Started 24/06/22

Term Ends 23/06/26

I have lived in Long Crendon since 2006 with my husband and daughter who was a pupil at the school.  You will probably have seen me walking our dog around the village.  

I joined the Governing Board because I wanted to volunteer locally.  The role jumped out to me because I am personally very grateful for the opportunities, happy memories and strong start in life a great primary school gave me.  Now that my daughter has had the benefit of attending Long Crendon school I am even more keen to help the school be the best it can be. I also thought the skills and experience I have developed in my 25+ years in HR would enable me to make a useful contribution. 

I became Co-Chair at the Summer half term in 2022 and then Chair during the Autumn term.  I am also the governor responsible for Safeguarding, one of the governors responsible for the Head Teacher’s Performance Management and a member of the Resources Committee.

Gareth Owens

Headteacher

Appointed 01/09/22

Current Term Started 01/05/24

Term Ends N/A - ex officio

I have been working in education since 2008 in a range of roles including classroom volunteer, LSA, unqualified teacher, qualified teacher, Key Stage 2 Leader and Deputy Headteacher. Over this time, I have worked in primary schools around Rochdale, Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent and, since 2015, Buckinghamshire. Through this, I have worked with children from a spectrum of different backgrounds, giving a well-rounded experience of primary education. I came to Long Crendon School in September 2022 as the Deputy Headteacher and was appointed as Acting Headteacher in January 2024. In May 2024, I was appointed as the substantive headteacher and have continued to implement our rapid improvement journey.

Academically, I have a Masters in Education, focusing primarily on educational leadership and management and alternate approaches to challenging behaviour. In 2021, I started the EdD (Doctor of Education) programme at Oxford Brookes University, with my research focus being the wellbeing of headteachers in rural primary schools. I am particularly interested in rural schools like Long Crendon as I believe that they are important parts of the local community.

Karen Pinel

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed 07/05/21

Current Term Started 15/06/21

Term Ends 14/06/25

I feel very privileged to join the Long Crendon school governing body as a parent Governor. I took up the role in 2021 when my daughter started at Long Crendon school.  I saw this as an opportunity to be able to work with the school and Governors to support and continue to develop the schools high standards of learning, behaviour and achievement.

I have worked in the NHS for 20 years, specialising in paediatrics. I believe many of the specialist leadership skills, working knowledge of Special Educational Needs and Disability and governance I have developed in my career, are transferable to my role on the governing body.

I am committed and motivated both at work and within the governing role, to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their maximum potential.

In 2022 I took over the role of governor for SEND. I am dedicated to working with the School SENDCo and wider team to ensure that children with additional needs receive a child centred and individualised approach to guarantee every child can thrive.

As a family we are very much a part of Long Crendon village life and have lived in the area since 2011. I play hockey and coach Junior Hockey for Thame in my spare time.

Becky Honour

Parent Governor, Vice Chair and Chair of Curriculum Committee

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed 19/11/21

Current Term Started 19/11/21

Term Ends 18/11/25

I feel that I have never truly left education - school, college, university, working as a teacher and now as a parent of school aged children! I have recently completed an MA Education (Leadership and Management) to further enhance my knowledge and understanding.  I have been a teacher since 2004 in the sixth form sector, starting in Oxford, then in Banbury and finally in Henley on Thames. My specialist subjects are Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Science and Teacher Training and I am also employed as an Examiner.  We moved to Stone from Oxford in 2015 and our son was fortunate to be allocated a place at Long Crendon school, as was our daughter in 2018.

I am passionate about developing and enhancing the teaching and learning experience for both the student and the teacher and ensuring equality of opportunity for all. I will be chairing the Curriculum and Standards Committee from September. I hope to bring the skills I have developed as a teaching professional to the role to support parents, other governors and the teaching team at Long Crendon school.

Sport (especially running, Hockey & Rugby) is a key feature in my everyday life and I can normally be found running around Buckinghamshire training for a long run or pitch / track side supporting my children. I am particularly looking forward to supporting this area of the curriculum, alongside Equality and Diversity. 

Aisling Kenny

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed: 01/09/23

Current Term Started: 01/09/23

Term Ends: 31/08/27

I have been connected to the school since my son joined in 2021.  With a background in HR, I joined the Governing Board in 2023 because I am particularly interested in supporting with the need to have a Governor focusing on wellbeing.

Having spent a year as a volunteer reader at the school, I have seen the wonderful work the teaching team do, but also some of the challenges they face.  I believe that with my professional background, and also my leadership and commercial skills I can make a useful contribution to the development of the school.

Geoff Mountford

Chair of the Resources Committee

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed: 27/06/2023

Current Term Started: 27/06/2023

Term Ends: 26/06/2027

I have lived in Thame for over 20 years with my wife and two children. I have always felt that the education system was good to me enabling me to obtain a BSc in Biochemistry and Masters Degree in Business Studies.

These qualifications have been the foundation of my career spent equally divided between business management (oil & gas) and now latterly in health, safety and sustainability (transportation).

I felt that it was now time to 'give something back' and am really pleased to be given this opportunity to help LCS ensure that every pupil is also given a full opportunity to learn and develop their skills.

On a personal level I am passionate about nature and the environment. My favourite pastimes including walking, especially in the Chilterns and also scuba diving and running / exercise.

Helen Smith

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed 08/06/2020

Current Term Started 01/11/23

Term Ends 31/11/27

Having been on the Governing Body for 25 years now, I have helped to structure and oversee an ever-changing scene as well as maintain some stability, where each child’s learning and well-being have remained key. I still live in the village with my husband and our two sons attended the school before setting out on their own amazing pathways. 

I sit on the Teaching & Learning and Resources Committees as well as the Eco School Working Group and chair the School Travel Plan Working Group.

To these, and the whole Governing Body, I can bring my current experience as an Early Years Advisor, previous teaching experience as a science teacher and my fascination with how children learn - both in school and through their wider experiences. As part of the School Development Plan, I am the Early Years Governor. Through getting involved directly, as well as at a strategic level, governors can enable children, families and staff to work together to build strong foundations for learning and exploration.

Nigel Allen

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed 16/09/24

Current Term Started 16/09/24

Term Ends 15/09/28

Governor bio coming soon.

Eddie Rixon

Associate Governor

From: 01/09/2024

I am looking forward to helping the school with its sustainability strategy and implementation. Having attended Long Crendon school as a pupil having grown up in the village and having two girls now attend the school I felt drawn to put something back into the community.

I’m currently balancing working for the Forestry Commission and managing the family farm in Long Crendon, to help facilitate a better nature connection; so I hope to draw upon my professional experience for the benefit of the school, and all the children who are educated here.  

Governors who have been on the board in the last 12 months

Sarah-Jane Jennings

Co-opted governor

First Appointed 26/02/24

Current Term Started 26/02/24

Stepped down 26/06/24

Donna Woodward

Staff Governor

First Appointed 17/12/21

Current Term Started 17/12/21

Stepped down 26/06/24

Alex Brown

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed 27/06/17

Current Term Started 27/06/21

Stepped down 26/06/24

Ian Leigh

Co-opted Governor

First Appointed 09/11/22

Current Term Started 04/07/22

Stepped down 26/06/24