The Governors of the school would be delighted to hear from parents, carers and local residents who may be interested in becoming a governor.
David Eteen - Chair of Governors
My name is David Eteen, and I am chair of Governors at HGJS. I have a number of years’ experience of being a governor (and a Chair of Governors) and took on this role on 1 September 2024.
I have lived in Holmer Green for over 30 years and my three now grown up children all enjoyed their time at the junior school.
My key aim is to support the school in its ambition to be the best it can be and to provide children with the best possible education during these formative years. I regularly visit the school and enjoy seeing the children energised and focussed on their learning.
My career has been in finance where I have been the scheme actuary to a number of large defined benefit pension schemes for large employers. I am pleased to be able to use my finance skills as part of my governor role and I chair the Finance and Personnel Committee.
In my spare time I enjoy walking, travelling and watching cricket (England and Middlesex), having had the pleasure a few years ago now of watching my son play cricket in Sri Lanka, Dubai, South Africa and Australia which was organised by his cricket club in Chesham.
Sadie Thorne - Co-Opted Governor & Finance Lead
My name is Sadie Thorne and I am one of the Parent Governors at the school.
I originally trained as Chartered Tax Adviser, working in the private sector, to help businesses move their expatriates around the world in a cost-effective way. After being on a career break for a month I applied for a job as the Holmer Green Junior School bursar and spent 6 years in this role. Working in a school was a real eye opener to the pressures that Schools are under and when leaving my role as bursar I had the opportunity to become a Parent Governor. The role of a Parent Governor is the same as all other Governors on the board, however we have the unique viewpoint of the parent perspective at school and bring this to our discussions.
Being part of the governing board provides insight into the strategic direction of the school and allows me to use the knowledge I built up during my time working in public sector finance. I am also the Development governor for the board so I am responsible for ensuring Governors have the correct training and development in order to fulfil their roles.
I have three children who have all attended the School and have seen many changes during this time. Throughout my experience of being a parent at this school, the commitment of the staff to providing great learning experiences has remained consistent.
I am now working full time in a Tax Technology Transformation role which allows me to travel to a variety of European destinations where I get to sample a lot of good food! I also have two dogs and enjoy walking them through the local woods and countryside.
Helen Weber - Staff Governor
Hi, I am Mrs Weber. I am currently teaching in Year 3 and although this is my first year teaching, I have been a part of this amazing school community for 11 years. I am passionate about pastoral care and mental health and am dedicated to supporting the wellbeing and development of all our children.
In my spare time, I enjoy immersing myself in the magical world of Harry Potter and the thrilling twists of crime novels. I also love watching films, guess which ones? Harry Potter and crime thrillers. Walking my dog is one of my favourite ways to relax and enjoy the outdoors while indoors, I love cooking delicious meals for my family and occasional the odd cake or two for the staff room.
Aylish Showan - Co-opted Governor
Many of you may already know me as having been your child’s class teacher. I qualified as a teacher in 2014 after completing my PGCE at Oxford Brookes and I have been working at the school for just over 7 years after completing my NQT year in a school in Oxfordshire. Whilst at HGJS, I have worked in Years 3, 4 and 5 as well as leading various subject areas as well as being the curriculum co-ordinator lead and a mentor to other teachers. My specialism, however, has been teaching using technology.
I have been part of the schools governing body since 2018. As a governor, my responsibilities have mainly been focused on teaching and learning and the school development plan. I have enjoyed being able to have a wider view of the school as part of the governing body and it has helped me to develop professionally as a leader. A
As a governor and a teacher, I am committed to ensuring every child at Holmer Green Junior School is safe, happy and engaged with their learning.
Previously, in my spare time, I enjoy trying food from around the world and making my husband cook it, reading and video games. However, as I am about to embark on the journey of parenthood, that is probably all about to change!
Charlotte Parriss - Parent Governor
Where I work - I am a marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in the field of public relations and marketing. Currently I’m employed at the largest corporate hospitality company, driving successful and innovative marketing campaigns which I love.
What drove me to be a governor - I spent three years working in a local primary school, gaining valuable experience and insights into the education system. This experience motivated me to become a governor at the school - shaping the future of the institution and ensuring its continued growth and success.
Being a parent of two boys, one in year 3 and another in year 5, I am a firm believer that all children should have equal opportunities to reach their full potential.
My interesting fact - After university I travelled around the world, exploring various cultures. I loved working in California in a theme park and would love to go back to Australia and take the boys to climb the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge like I did many moons ago!
Jenny Mason - Parent Governor
I am a parent governor and for some time have wanted to offer my support to the local village schools. As a parent, the school is a consistent part of my family's daily life and I naturally have an interest in the delivery of teaching to my child and how the school is managed.
I work in consumer electronics, dealing with planning, logistics, and product management across Europe. I believe these skills could really help the HGJS team bring their long-term vision to life.
Danny Mitchell - Co-opted Governor
Hi, I’m Danny. I work for a large international transport company who specialise in providing the film industry with facilities trailers and technical trucks. I have worked with this company for over 15 years and have responsibility for around 280 drivers and trucks as they travel all over Europe. A large area of my work involves HR, Health and Safety and GDPR. It is these fields of expertise that I feel I can bring to the Governing Body of HGJS.
I have a child in year 6 and having spent years wondering how I could make a difference, so I decided to step forward as a parent Governor.
In my spare time I enjoy watching my son swim, and I am a keen motor enthusiast!
Ms Gemma Tuffney - Co - Opted Governor
My name is Gemma, and I am a co-opted governor. I am also a parent of 3 wonderful young people. My eldest has transitioned through the school, my middle is currently in the school as is my youngest who started in September. I have 4 years' experience being a governor at another local school where I focused on SEND, PSHE and well-being. Ever since my eldest started school, I have always been the parent that would be there volunteering on school trips, going in to listen to children read, volunteering with the PTA. Now my youngest is a bit older and my working hours have increased, I am less free during the day but wanted to still be involved with making a difference at the schools. This is why I became a governor. With training and hands-on experience, my governor's knowledge is always expanding. I come from a childcare background with higher education in childcare and education. More recently, my career has taken me on a path into an administrative role in nursing care, including rota management, learning and development and an assessor for moving and handling risk assessments and competencies.
Governor details and interests
What do school governors do?
The National Governors Association website is a useful information website for school governors and anyone with an interest in school governance, and designed to save you time and keep you up to date; the site is here.