Governors
Welcome to our Governors’ page. This section provides an overview of the Acer Trust Board of Trustees, the Matthew Arnold School Governing Body’s work, and the individual school governors.
The Acer Trust Board of Trustees is the non-executive body accountable for all aspects of the conduct and performance of the schools in the Trust. The responsibilities of the Board are defined in the Acer Trust Principles of Governance and Delegation document.
The Board of Trustees of Acer Trust delegates the day-to-day management of Matthew Arnold School and its delegated budget to the Headteacher and the school’s Leadership Team.
The school Governing Body has the oversight of the management of the school and its budget. Acer Trust Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the governors are exercising their governance functions in line with the relevant duties.
What Do School Governors Do?
Our Governors play a vital part in the life of the school. They work closely with the senior leadership team, offering both support and challenge to help ensure the wellbeing, progress and success of all students and members of staff. They are the ‘critical friends’ of the school.
The Governing Body will:
The Governing Body consists of the Headteacher, parent governors, community governors, and staff governors. In addition, some parent and community governors take on the role of link governors. These governors focus on specific areas, such as finance or safeguarding, acting as a link between the school and the Governing Body.
The Governing Body meets formally six times a year, with link governors also meeting separately with the relevant members of the leadership team to build a deeper knowledge and understanding of their specific area. Governors also engage with the school by attending events such as concerts, plays, and open evenings, where they can celebrate the achievements of our students as well as hear directly from families.
Our Governors Our governors bring a blend of different backgrounds and skills to their roles, with a shared commitment to supporting and challenging the school for the benefit of all.
| Jenny Crewe Chair of Governing Body Community Governor
| I have been a community governor since 2021 and I am currently the Chair of the Governing Body. For work I am the Education Manager in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford University, where I deal with similar issues to the school (e.g. SEND, student welfare, exams) but on a smaller scale and with older students. Prior to my current job, I qualified as a solicitor and worked in professional legal education, and university admissions and access. I am passionate about education and its role in developing and nurturing young people for their benefit and for the whole community. |
| Naghza Alam Vice Chair of Governing Body Community Governor Link Governor: Finance
| I joined the MAS Governing Body in December 2023 and became Vice-Chair in September 2024. I am an ACCA Fellow with a UK Practising Certificate. With 20+ years as a Finance Executive across multiple sectors, I specialise in capital-intensive operations, securing finance, and strengthening governance. As Group CFO of an international shipping group, I restructured global finance operations and secured major banking and commercial agreements. I have supported high-growth medtech and SaaS businesses with strategic planning and financial modelling, and now serve as Finance Director of an Oxford-based medtech company, leading financial strategy and risk management. |
| Anthony Broadley Headteacher Ex-officio Governor | Governor by virtue of holding office since September 2021. I have been headteacher at Matthew Arnold School since September 2021, having previously been Deputy Head at Matthew Arnold from 2013. My career started in Newbury as a maths teacher and has taken me through a range of schools in Oxfordshire as a pastoral and curriculum leader before stepping into senior leadership. I am committed to comprehensive, community based education, supporting our young people to become confident young adults ready to make a difference to their world. |
| Anne-Marie Baverstock Parent Governor Link Governor: Pupil Premium and SEND | I have been a governor at Matthew Arnold School since June 2022. At the time I joined, both of my children were pupils at the school. I have worked in the education sector for over twenty years as a primary school teacher, Educational Psychologist and tutor in the Higher Education sector. I have a particular interest and expertise in the field of Special Educational Needs, inclusion and the mental health and well-being of students, so I am very pleased to support the Governing body as link governor for the areas Pupil Premium and SEND. |
| Becky Allen Community Governor Link Governor: Safeguarding
| I am a community governor for Matthew Arnold School with a special focus on safeguarding. In my professional life I have been a Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Head, Pastoral for a number of years, both in Oxford and previously in Brighton. I am interested in brilliant pastoral care and authentic strategies for ensuring pupils are happy and safe at school. I aim to support the work of Matthew Arnold School in these key areas and beyond, and to contribute where I can to the excellent work they do for children and young people each day. |
| Calum Byrom Parent Governor Link Governor: Health & Safety, Data Protection, and School Website
| I joined the Governing Body in June 2024 as a Parent Governor - as a way to contribute to the local school to which both my children have attended. I'm keen to support it in its vital job to guide our children in their development and encourage the staff to succeed in this aim. I work with the school Business Manager on Health and Safety, and Data Protection issues. As a scientist, I am impressed by the school's technical focus and am keen this is maintained. I am currently a Lead Software Engineer at the world's largest independent renewable energy company, RES. |
| Richenda Gambles Parent Governor Link Governor: Curriculum and Communications | As a parent of two children currently at the school - and with another set to join in the future - I joined the governing body as I was keen to support the school in ensuring its aims of 'success for everyone'. As a former journalist and now academic working at the University of Oxford, currently serving as Director of Admissions at the Blavatnik School of Government, I bring communication and interpersonal expertise, alongside experience in higher education. I am a link governor for curriculum and also communications. |
| Prince Adebowale A Ademiluyi Community Governor Link Governor: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | I have been a community governor for Matthew Arnold School since October 2024, taking on the role of link governor for equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition to my career in logistics and supply chain management, I am actively involved in community leadership as Chairman of the Nigerian Community Oxfordshire (NICOOX) and am a health & safety representative. |
| Graham Bruce Community Governor Link Governor: Staff Development & Welfare
| As a father of two school-age children, I’ve seen first-hand the crucial role that a school has to play in a child’s development, and I am keen to contribute meaningfully to the local community and give back to the society that has played a significant role in shaping my personal and professional journey. From a 20-year career in the staffing industry, including the building of my own company, I have developed a wide-ranging set of skills covering management, leadership, financial management, presenting, planning and organisation and project management, and I am pleased to be able to use these skills and experiences in the role of Community Governor, in the hope of helping Matthew Arnold to achieve all it can, not only for my own children, but for all current and future pupils. |
| Joe Thomas Staff Governor | Staff Governor since September 2025 |
| Hamaad Yousaf Staff Governor | Staff Governor since September 2025 |
Governors of Matthew Arnold School 2025
Governing Body Terms of Reference
How to contact the Governors
Governors can be contacted by emailing the Clerk to the Governing Body: clerkgb@maschool.org.uk
