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.
The Governors
Colin
Hopkins
Chairperson
Appointed:
May 2023
Term of Office:
4 years
Committees:
Behavour, Teaching and Learning and Resourcing
Other Responsibilities:
None
Register of Interests:
| Name of Potential Interest in Business | Nature of Interest | Address of Business | Nature of Business |
| L. Crossley | Family Friend | Woodbridge Primary School Teacher | – |
| F. Hopkins | Family Member | Woodbridge Primary School Volunteer | – |
| E. Hopkins | Family Member | Woodbridge Primary School Volunteer | – |
About Colin
After university and the RAF, Colin and his family moved to Suffolk over 30 years ago, coming here to start his working life at BT Labs in several technical and commercial roles. Colin still works on a semi-retired basis in mergers & acquisitions.
Colin has quite a bit of volunteering experience at Each, Suffolk Mind (as a volunteer and as a Trustee) and as a governor at a local primary school as the deputy chair. For the past 15 years, Colin has also accompanied the Woodbridge School Year 6 residential trip to Derbyshire as a volunteer.
Colin is a regular swimmer at Deben Pools but also enjoys his time re-wilding the family’s small woodland and flying in a small private plane he shares with several others. Living next to his grandchildren also keeps Colin active but is lots of fun!
Alex
Williams
Governor
(Parent)
Appointed:
2022
Term of Office:
4 Years
Committees:
Resourcing, Health & Safety
Other Responsibilities:
FOWPS, Safeguarding, EYFS
Register of Interests:
None
About Alex
Alex moved to Woodbridge during August 2020 in time for her daughter to start in F2 at Woodbridge Primary.
Prior to moving to Suffolk, Alex and her family lived in London where Alex spent 18 years working as a finance lawyer at a leading international law firm in the City.
Alex chose to become a governor as she has a keen interest to support the school, the staff and the children; to play an active role in helping Woodbridge Primary to be the best it can be.
Stephen
Winspear
Governor
(Parent)
Appointed:
September 2022
Term of Office:
4 years
Committees:
Resourcing (Chair), Health & Safety
Other Responsibilities:
FOWPS
Register of Interests:
None
About Stephen
Stephen originally grew up in Whitby, North Yorkshire and after completing a degree in Software Engineering from Durham University moved down to Suffolk in 2007 to work for BT. He has worked across multiple areas of BT and is currently focused on developing new products and services around emerging technologies like 5G and Internet of Things.
He has two young sons who attend Woodbridge Primary School, and his wife works as a Planning Strategy manager for Suffolk County Council.
With what little spare time life currently affords Stephen is an avid DIYer, an eager – but novice – gardener and a recent Peleton spinning convert.
Tristan Childs
Governor
(Co-Opted)
Appointed:
April 2020
Term of Office:
4 years
Committees:
Chair of Behaviour, Teaching & Learning
Other Responsibilities:
English, Assesment
Register of Interests:
None
About Tristan
Tristan grew up in Suffolk and moved back to the area a few years ago with his wife and children. He has three young sons and the eldest two are students at Woodbridge Primary School.
Having previously worked as a paramedic and in medical research, Tristan has spent the last decade working in Public Health research. His interests vary from infectious disease surveillance to the fundamentals of practical wellbeing, such as eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and getting restorative sleep.
Helen Banham
Governor
(Parent)
Appointed:
2021
Term of Office:
4 years
Committees:
Behaviour, Teaching & Learning
Other Responsibilities:
Mathematics, SEND
Register of Interests:
None
About Helen
Helen grew up in Leigh on Sea and after University, spent 15 years working as a Marine Underwriter in London. After having her daughter, the family decided on a slower pace of life and made the move to Suffolk in 2019. Her 2 children are now both at Woodbridge Primary with her husband teaching at a secondary school.
Helen fell in love with the school and its amazing outdoor area from day 1 and hopes to support the school going forward to achieve its goals. Helen has a passion for sailing and tennis and in her spare time, can be found pottering in the garden and exploring the Suffolk countryside and coast.
Lynsey Crossley
Staff Governor
(interim Head Teacher)
Appointed:
N/A
Term of Office:
4 years
Committees:
Resourcing, Health & Safety
Behaviour, Teaching & Learning
Other Responsibilities:
None
Register of Interests:
None
About Lynsey
Lynsey 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.
Lynsey has two children, a girl and 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.
Lynsey is also interim Co-Headteacher at Woodbridge Primary School.
Jo
Ling
Staff Governor
(Music & MFL Specialist)
Appointed:
September 2022
Term of Office:
4 years
Committees:
Behaviour, Teaching & Learning
Other Responsibilities:
None
Register of Interests:
None
About Jo
Jo Ling attended Ipswich High School and undertook a BA Hons degree in Modern Foreign Languages at Bristol University.
Jo then spent ten years living in Paris and working for Banque Paribas (now BNP Paribas) in the Capital Markets back offices and she was part of the team responsible for altering the computer system to manage the new currency, the Euro. Returning to England in 1998, Jo trained as a teacher in Sheffield, working there for two and half years. After her marriage, she moved to Whitstable in Kent and continued teaching part-time while she had her two children. Jo and her family moved back to Suffolk in 2009 and Jo joined Woodbridge Primary School in 2011.
Jo enjoys music in all its forms, travelling, cooking, swimming and keeping up with the friends she has made in all the different places she has lived.
Jo is music and Modern Foreign Languages coordinator and currently teaches in Y3-Y6.
Joshua Simpkin-Betts
Clerk to The Governors
Appointed:
June 2018
Committees:
None
Other Responsibilities:
None
Register of Interests:
None
Joshua is Clerk to the Governors and can be contacted via:
joshua.simpkin-betts@woodbridgeprimary.suffolk.sch.uk
Governor Attendance Record
Download the Governor Attendance Record