The governors include parents of children at our school, as well as local retired and interested parties, each sharing the common goal of making our school the best it can be for the children.
To contact the Governors, please email Fran.Hopkins@woodbridgeprimary.suffolk.sch.uk
Chair of Governors
Co-opted Governor
Appointed:
24th February 2025
Term of Office:
24th February 2025 – 23rd February 2029
Responsibilities:
Finance
Register of Interests:
None
Fran grew up in Norfolk, but her working and family life over the past 50 years has been here in the Woodbridge area. Stemming from her own experience, Fran firmly believes that education changes lives. Having left school at 16 for employment, she went on to study A-levels part-time and then a Sociology degree as a mature student. Fran worked in two Ipswich schools, firstly as a Classroom Assistant and then as a Bursar, before joining Woodbridge Primary School as the Business Manager in 2005. She later provided business services to small businesses, including a consultancy established with her husband.
As volunteering is an important part of Fran’s life, she has been involved in a range of community organisations. She has maintained her connection to Woodbridge Primary School as a volunteer, including on school residential trips. Fran has a lifelong passion for gardening and enjoys caring for her grandchildren, Pilates, Tai Chi, and being with friends
Parent Governor
Appointed:
18th November 2024
Term of Office:
18th November 2024 – 18th November 2028
Responsibilities:
EYFS
Register of Interests:
None
Katie moved to Woodbridge 10 years ago to raise her daughter. She works in the arts and events industries as an Executive Producer and is highly skilled at project management, creative business strategy, budget management and team leadership. Katie is also training as a psychotherapist with a view to working with young adults once qualified. Since moving to Suffolk, Katie has volunteered for food banks and Suffolk Rape Crisis and is pleased to continue to volunteer her time as a governor at Woodbridge Primary.
Katie’s interests outside work include walking and nature, gardening, reading and cooking.
Co-opted Governor
Appointed:
24th May 2024
Term of Office:
1st September 2024 – 31st August 2028
Responsibilities:
Safeguarding, SEND and Pupil Premium Governor
Register of Interests:
None
Gill is a retired headteacher of a Suffolk primary school having worked in education for 40 years. Gill lives in the local area and is keen to continue to support schools by being a governor at Woodbridge and another primary school. Gill now enjoys holidays with her husband in her caravan in the UK as well as exploring new places abroad. In her spare time, Gill looks after her granddaughter and loves taking her to all the wonderful places we have in Suffolk.
LA Governor
Appointed:
8th November 2023
Term of Office:
8th November 2023 – 7th November 2027
Responsibilities:
Health & Safety Governor
Register of Interests:
None
Peppy grew up in Essex and Suffolk but spent most of her working life in London. After a period of secretarial work, Peppy was part of a group setting up and running a community day nursery, and then became a member of a co-operative setting up and working in a community bookshop. On her return to Suffolk in 1995 Peppy took her first degree followed by a Masters and PhD in landscape history while working part-time as manager of the Woodbridge Oxfam Bookshop.
Peppy loves nature and her allotment and is an active member of Transition Woodbridge. Peppy loves classical music, particularly opera, and sings with the Woodbridge Choral Society.
Parent Governor
Appointed:
18th November 2024
Term of Office:
18th November 2024 – 18th November 2028
Responsibilities:
None as yet
Register of Interests:
None
Emelia is experienced at building high-performing and passionate teams from the ground up within the arts and charity sector. She has been part of several major capital projects, providing key guidance on operational and commercial areas and has experience working in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.
Emelia is passionate about bringing communities together and has volunteered for several charities raising funds via a range of activities, she is also about to join a mentoring scheme to inspire, encourage and empower women under 30 to achieve their goals in the events industry.
Emelia lives in Bredfield and loves sketching and getting outdoors on adventures with her family at weekends. Prior to this she also lived in Hampshire, London, and Devon, where she studied English Literature at Exeter University.
Co-opted Governor
Appointed:
1st August 2024
Term of Office:
1st September 2024 – 31st August 2028
Responsibilities:
None as yet
Register of Interests:
None
Rick spent most of his school years in Woodbridge prior to his Engineering Degree from Warwick University and over thirty years in the RAF, primarily as a pilot. His flying career took him to all seven continents of the world and was followed by ten years at Whitehall; here he worked for senior military and political leaders, involved in military procurement followed by the UK’s NATO and EU Policy. He gained a Masters Degree in Defence Studies at Canberra University, Australia and served in the diplomatic world as the UK’s Defence Attaché to Ireland.
Beyond his military career, Rick was chairman of a small Bristol-based media company, that he co-founded, for 12 years. More recently, he has managed battlefield tours for World War 2 veterans and their families. He is also a keen yacht sailor.
Co-opted Governor
Appointed:
Term of Office:
Responsibilities:
Register of Interests:
Co-opted Governor
Appointed:
Term of Office:
Responsibilities:
Register of Interests:
Victoria is a Careers Leader and teacher at a high school in Ipswich, with over 20 years’ experience working with young people in a secondary school setting. She currently leads the school’s careers provision for students from Years 7 to 13, building strong links with employers and working closely with a wide range of external partners to create meaningful opportunities for students to engage with the wider community and explore their future plans. She also has experience of coaching and mentoring colleagues.
Previously, Victoria ran her own training and assessment centre, delivering vocational qualifications, supporting schools with their careers provision, and training work-based learning assessors and IQAs. Prior to this, she established and managed an Apprenticeship training centre as a joint venture between two Ipswich-based high schools.
Victoria holds a degree in Health & Human Sciences from Durham University and a Postgraduate Diploma from UEA.
Victoria lives in Ipswich with her two children, who attend Farlingaye High School. She enjoys reading historical fiction, baking, and spending summer weekends watching her children play cricket.
Headteacher
Appointed:
1st September 2024
Register of Interests:
None
Miss Crossley was born and grew up in Suffolk. After her A Levels she decided to travel and left bound for Australia in 1993. Whilst away, she abseiled in the Blue Mountains, went white water rafting, explored the Great Barrier Reef and even did a bungee jump!
On her return, she trained as a teacher at Westminster College, Oxford and graduated in 1997 with a BEd (Hons) in English and Children’s Literature, where her favourite tutor was Philip Pullman of ‘His Dark Materials fame. She continued to explore new places and managed trips to Kenya, Turkey and Tunisia.
She began her teaching career at Wickham Market Primary School. During her 5 years there she taught throughout Key Stage 2. She joined Woodbridge Primary in 2002 and has taught for most of that time in Year 6. She became Headteacher of WPS in September 2024.
Lynsey has two children, a girl and a boy who keep her on her toes when not in school. As a family, they love being outdoors, exploring, making things and snuggling up with a good book.
Staff Governor
Appointed:
1st October 2024
Term of Office:
1st October 2024 – 30th September 2028
Responsibilities:
Staff Governor
Register of Interests:
None
Miss Nicholls has worked in early years education for a long time now and in a variety of roles. She obtained a BA (HONS) in Early Childhood Studies and Art & Design and a PGCE with Early Years specialism in 2002.
Miss Nicholls started her teaching career at Southwold Primary School in mixed Key Stage classes then went on to Grange Primary, Felixstowe teaching in the nursery class. She gained a Farmington fellowship in 2012 and developed RE teaching materials for EYFS & KS1.
Miss Nicholls is an Assistant Headteacher, Nursery Teacher and Early Years Lead at Woodbridge Primary. Tracey was part of a study tour to Denmark and this positively influenced her early years practice; in particular the impact of teaching in the great outdoors. Tracey says that it is a real privilege to support both children and parents at the beginning of their educational journey at Woodbridge Primary School.
Miss Nicholls is a mother to two children, both of whom have attended Woodbridge Primary. She enjoys spending time with her family; walking and visiting the theatre.