Long Wittenham Church of England Primary School joined the Ridgeway Education Trust (RET) on 1 November 2023, as an academy school in part of the wider Multi Academy Trust (MAT). 

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 the Church, 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 five times a year. You can find key documents below.

Local Governing Body

The Local Governing Body is made up of Governors who work together with the Head and other teachers to ensure that Long Wittenham 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.
• The school’s finances – making sure that the budget is monitored and the money well spent.
• Appointing staff, 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 governing board.

Governors

Chair: Catherine Harrison
Vice Chair: Mark Warren

There are five full Governing Body meetings each year.

The governing body is made up of representatives appointed by parents, the community, the church, staff and RET. A list of current governors can be found below. 

Governors can be contacted through the school office or via their email governor.3233@long-wittenham.oxon.sch.uk.

Current Governors, and their attendance

Name	Appointed	Type of Governor	Term	Appointed by	Business or financial interests	Governor role in another educational institution	Material interests	FGB Attendance (2021/22-2022/2023)	Committee Attendance
Jane Manser	27/09/23	Foundation	4 years	Diocese	None	None	None
David Lowe	05/01/23	Parent	4 years	Parents	None	None	Parent	0/0,1/1	0/0
Amy Clark	27/09/23	Staff governor	4 years	School	None	None	Staff	2/2,3/3	1/1
Gillian Fraser	01/01/22	Staff	Permanent	Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher	Staff	None	Staff	4/4,3/3	4/4
Lyndi Feather	10/11/21	Parent	4 years	Parents	None	None	Parent	5/5,3/3	3/3
Christina Warren	09/11/21	Co-opted	4 years	Governing Body Members	None	None	Family	5/5, 3/3	3/3
Mark Warren	13/07/21	Co-opted	4 years	Governing Body Members	None	None	Parents	6/7,3/3	2/3
Catherine Harrison	08/03/21	Parent	4 years	Parents	None	None	Parent	7/7,3/3	2/3
Judith Baldwin	15/05/19	Foundation	4 years reappointed for 4years (13/4/21) then swapped roles	Diocese	None	None	None	7/7,2/3	3/3

Governors with associate positions will not have voting rights in governing body meetings or count towards a quorum. 

Previous governors (last 12 months)

Name	Appointed	Type of Governor	End of Term	Appointed by	Business or financial interests	Governor's role in another educational institution	Material interests	FGB Attendance	Committee Attendance
Clare Winterbourne	06/06/22	Staff	27/09/23	School	None	None	Staff	2/2,3/3	1/1
Fay Read	01/11/22	Parent	17/07/23	Parents	None	None	None	2/2	0/0
Paul Wignall	18/03/20	Ex-officio Foundation	31/05/20	Diocese	None	None	None	3/7,0/3	0/3
Alistair Higginbottom	06/10/20	Parent	16/01/23	School	None	None	Parent	5/6	2/3
Malcolm Banfield	07/03/23	Co-opted	12/12/23	LA	None	None	None

Minutes of Governors meetings

Minutes of the governors meetings can be obtained by contacting the school office or RET Governance Team on Governance@ridgewayeducation.com