Our Governors
Hester Stevns
Chair of Governors
Co-Opted Governor
Term of Office: Start and End Date 1st October 2021 - 30th September 2025 (previous terms of office started 1st October 2013 and 1st October 2017)
Biography: I have 3 children, two of whom are currently at The Dassett, and had been a parent governor for 8 years before becoming a co-opted governor in October 2021.
I have been the Chair of Governors since September 2017.
My background is in education, having been a Primary School teacher and an education consultant; leading maths and English training for KS1 and KS2 teachers.
I enjoy being part of the strategic leadership of the school, monitoring the school finances, and working with such a skilled team of Governors.
Jo Hotchkiss
Vice Chair of Governors
Foundation Governor
Term of Office: Start and End Date 7th January 2020 - 6th January 2024
Biography: I have a passion for education and have held a range of roles including Class teacher, Deputy and Acting Head Teacher, before completing an M.Ed in Primary School Improvement and becoming an ICT Curriculum Development Adviser for Essex LEA.
Following a family focussed career break and a move to Warwickshire, I returned to the classroom teaching both KS1 and KS2 before returning to a management role as SENDCO and Acting Deputy Headteacher. I stopped teaching in 2012 to focus on a major building project at home and immediately became a school governor at a local school.
I currently work as an education trainer and consultant, but I like to keep my teaching skills up to date and have recently completed a fixed term contract as a part time Secondary Maths teacher. I am a member of my local church and as such became a foundation governor at The Dassett in 2019.
I have one daughter who is now at University studying music as I did, so I love going into school when possible, especially if I get to hear children singing, as Primary school is where my own love of music began. I enjoy being a governor as I like working as part of a team to consider strategies, priorities and the impact of the education provided for pupils in order to give them the best experience we can.
Paul Wakeley
Parent Governor
Term of Office: Start and End Date 1st October 2020 - 7th October 2024
Biography: I have been a parent governor at The Dassett since my eldest son joined Reception in 2020, and I have two more pre-school children.
I am a manager in the energy industry, and so I am pleased to bring an outside perspective to school governance and leadership. I have been involved in school governance for some 15 years. I was previously a governor at a village primary school in Shropshire, and I am currently also a governor at a community school in Warwick.
Furthermore, I am an active volunteer in Scouting - taking on leadership roles both locally and across the county.
Being involved in school governance enables me to bring my skills around strategic leadership and planning, as well as an acute analytical focus, to help to develop and strengthen our school, and to make our children's primary education the best it can be.
Louise Beale
Local Authority Governor
Term of Office: Start and End Date 18th March 2021 - 17th March 2025
Biography:
Supporting governance in my day job as part of the executive team for a multi academy trust, I wanted to experience the role from the governors point of view and where better than at the school that had got my own children off to such a good start. As well as governance within the MAT I am responsible for all operational matters such as H&S, Data Protection, ICT strategy and Premises management for 19 schools across the Trust. I have just embarked on an Executive MBA to support my role.
I have been a governor since March 2021, as well as being a Girlguiding leader and trustee and a volunteer official for the Hovercraft Club of Great Britain, I think I’m a serial volunteer! I live in the village with my (now grown up) family and 2 dogs, and we have been very happy here since 2002. School governance is a wonderful way to give back to the community that supported my family when we were younger.
Reverend Nicki Chatterton
Ex-Officio Governor
Term of Office - 28 February 2017
Biography: As Vicar for the Dassett Magna Group of churches, I am involved in the life of the school in a variety of ways. I offer chaplaincy support to staff, children and families and in my capacity of vicar I am a Governor.
Andrew Jeffrey
Parent Governor
Term of Office: Start and End Date 1st November 2021 - 31st October 2025
Biography:
Sarah Cowling
Parent Governor
Term of Office: Start and End Date 1st November 2021 - 31st October 2025
Biography: I have lived in Fenny Compton all my life. I am married with 5 children. All my children have attended The Dassett with my youngest currently being in Year 2. I have always had an interest in our children within the community having started Abacus some 30 years ago. Coming to the school daily for 17 years I am looking forward to being involved in moving the school forward.
I regularly volunteer at the school and I am employed as a Midday Supervisor. In my spare time I am actively involved in fund raising for the school though The Friends.
