Jo Reid, Headteacher                                                                 

I joined Botley School as Headteacher in September 2020 having previously been a Headteacher in Buckinghamshire since 2014. I started my teaching career in the London Borough of Croydon and have have gained extensive experience of working in teaching and leadership roles across schools in Sussex, Reading and Oxfordshire. In all my roles I have worked closely with the pupils, teachers, governors, parents and local community leaders to create supportive links and create wider educational opportunities that have a positive impact on the children.

Roles: Headteacher

Thomas Ottaway, Parent Governor

Tom has lived in Oxford since 2012. He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and has fifteen years experience in accounting and finance.  Tom believe these skills and his experience can be transferred to the governing board to help maintain and monitor school finances and resources. Tom and his family enjoys camping and exploring, particularly Cornwall.

Elspeth Doran, Staff Governor

I became the Staff Governor in February 2022. I have worked at Botley School for a number of years and have experience in EYFS, KS1 and KS2.

I am looking forward to helping get the best for the children of Botley School and the community we serve.

Roles: SENCO

Eleanor Apps, Parent Governor                                                         

I joined the governing body in July 2021 as a parent governor having watched my daughter blossom over the last five years at the school, and with my youngest nearing Reception age. I come from a family of teachers and have worked in secondary and primary schoolbook publishing all my career having inherited their passion for education. Having my own children embark on their schooling has given me the opportunity to see things from the parent’s view point and has shown me the important role parents and carers play in the day-to-day life of a school.

I’m proud to have the opportunity to be part of this wonderful school as a governor and to support its work in inspiring a love of learning in each and every student.

Louisa Wynn-Mackenzie, Parent Governor

I joined the governors in 2022 as a parent governor, motivated by an enthusiasm for education and a strong desire to help the school as a central part of Botley community. My daughter joined the school in September 2021 and is thriving, so I wanted to do as much as I could to ensure the school continued to improve and provide the best education possible for all.  

I am a secondary school teacher specialising in English and teaching from year 7 to A level. Twenty years’ experience in schools has made me convinced of education’s ability and duty to give everyone the best start in life that they can have. Becoming a governor at my daughter’s school seemed a logical extension to my love of education, learning and my desire to support others, whilst my career has perhaps made me more aware of the many challenges schools face in supporting their students and families, and the need for concerted efforts to overcome those challenges. 

Roles: Safeguarding Governor

Sue Miller  Community Governor

I became a community governor at Botley School in 2022, having finished my term as a governor at another local primary school.

My career was spent in academic and educational publishing and I founded and, for 17 years, ran a company that did marketing work for publishing companies around the world. After leaving the business, I taught on the Publishing MA and ran consultancy projects for the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies at Oxford Brookes University. I retired a few years ago and spent time volunteering in a primary school helping children learn to read.

I am very proud to be part of the governing body at Botley School which places such a strong emphasis on equality and diversity, and which is so focused on helping all pupils reaching their best possible academic attainment.

Roles: Vice Chair of governors, Safeguarding governor

Dionysios Kyropoulos, Parent Governor

I joined the governing body in February 2024, motivated by my admiration for the school’s vibrant community, its dedication to fostering an environment of equality and diversity, and its strong commitment to SEND provision. I have a deep-rooted passion for education, with a decade of experience teaching in HE and a strong focus on supporting neurodivergent individuals. Currently, I work mainly as an ADHD coach, alongside my academic position as Professor of Historical Performance and Academic Studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Before transitioning into coaching, I built a career in the arts as an opera singer, stage director and researcher, with graduate studies at Cambridge and Oxford and a research fellowship at Harvard. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and serve on the Executive Committee of the Professional Association of Specific Learning Difference Specialists in HE (PASSHE). I look forward to leveraging my knowledge and experience to support Botley School in ensuring every student thrives in a supportive, stimulating and inclusive educational environment.