Please find below details of how our Governing body is structured, including the names, categories, responsibilities and terms of appointment for each Governor.

Governance

Bassingham Primary School is supported by a well qualified, hard working group of governors. Governors have responsibility for setting the strategic aims, ethos and direction of the academy; monitoring and evaluating its performance; and determining the resources required to achieve the best possible outcomes for its pupils and the community. Please find below our governing body details and key documentation.

Our governors can be contacted via the Clerk, Beth Andersen email: [email protected]

Andy Adlington - Chair of Governors

Contact: FAO Andy Adlington
Bassingham Primary School
Lincoln Road
Bassingham
Lincoln
LN5 9HQ

After graduating from the University of Lincoln in 2007, I relocated to live in Michigan, USA on a football scholarship where I studied for a number of years. In 2011, I moved back to Lincolnshire to train to become a primary school teacher. I worked as a primary school teacher for 5 years before moving to join a large secondary Academy, which is where I currently work as an Assistant Head Teacher and Executive SENCO.

As part of my current role, I get the opportunity to work alongside students who have additional learning differences, and I am in the fortunate position of coordinating support for them. I enjoy the complex nature of the role and enjoy the work I get to do alongside the family and other external agencies. The role has given me the chance to develop my leadership skills and experience as I lead a team to ensure the right support is in the right place.

Serving for 3 years as a school governor at Bassingham, I now welcome the opportunity to be the Chair of Governors and relish the challenge to help ensure the pupils get the very best education and values. I look forward to working across both phases of education and I hope that I can support the pupils of Bassingham continue to learn and succeed.

In my spare time I am a keen long-distance runner. Along with my wife and daughter, we all love to be outdoors whether that be in the hills of the Lake District or simply around our village. My daughter is enjoying her time at Bassingham Primary school and I I look forward to the work I can hopefully bring to the school and its pupils. 

Sophie Longney – Vice Chair of Governors

I am deeply passionate about all aspects of teaching and learning, and I am delighted to play a key role in supporting Bassingham Primary School as it continues to grow and flourish within the Aspire Schools Trust.

I currently work as a Senior Lecturer in Initial Primary Education at Lincoln Bishop University, where I contribute to the development of future educators as part of the academic team. Prior to this, I served as Vice Principal of a large primary school in Nottinghamshire. In this role, I was responsible for leading Teaching and Learning, English, and Key Stage 2, while continuing to specialise in the teaching of English in Year 6. I also held the position of English and Year 6 Lead across a multi-academy trust.

In 2019, I completed my MA in Education, focusing on improving the teaching of reading within Key Stage 2. I have also been awarded Chartered Teacher Status and have previously worked as a writing moderator for Nottinghamshire County Council. More recently, I completed the NPQLTD (National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development), which further strengthens my ability to support and develop teachers’ practice.

I have been a member of the governing body at Bassingham Primary School for the past five years, a role I have thoroughly enjoyed. As a parent of a child currently attending the school, I also have a personal connection to the community and take great pride in seeing my daughter thrive and enjoy her experience at Bassingham. I remain committed to using my experience and expertise in primary education to support the school community and contribute to the continued success of the school and its leadership team.

Georgie Wiltshire – Staff Governor

I have been a Governor for just over a year now and have enjoyed the experience so far.  I am in my fourth as a Teacher year at Bassingham Primary School and have taught both Year 3 and Year 4 during this period.

Outside of school, I enjoy going to the gym and also eating cake! I have a passion for Formula 1 and because of this I have been lucky enough to attend races at Silverstone. I adore cats and kittens and around school I am often referred to as the cat lady!

Hannah Chapman - Local Governor

I have lived in Bassingham all my life and attended Bassingham Primary School myself. I followed my mother and grandparents who were all educated at Bassingham Primary, yet then this was on the former site in the Old School building which stands opposite Bassingham Church. Having been a part of Bassingham Primary School as a child and watching my mother and grandmother both play a part in the school as lunchtime supervisors and on the PTA (better known today as FOBs), I have always been keen to support the school and the excellent work it does, both with the children of Bassingham and the surrounding villages.

I have two children who both started their journey in education at Bassingham Pre-School where I was on the committee. Now my eldest is a former pupil at Bassingham Primary School and attends SWRA and my youngest is a current pupil. Both my niece and nephew attend the school too.

After completing my A-Levels, I went off to the Teacher Training College of Ripon and York St John where I gained my teaching qualification and a degree in Theology in 2003. For the last 20 years I have taught Key Stage 1/infant children in Years 1 and 2. As a part of my school’s Senior Leadership Team and as well as dedicating myself to the classroom, I have also had several years as an Assistant Head in the Primary School, then as Acting Head of School and for the last 18 years I have devoted myself to the role of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo), where I enjoy supporting children with additional needs and their families. This role also includes working closely with Looked After children and pupils for whom English is an Additional Language. I also lead the subjects of History and Geography and I am Reading Leader assisting the planning, delivering and assessment of the Early Reading and Phonics curriculum within our setting.

Having wanted to be a primary school teacher from being a young girl, I enjoy all aspects of teaching and learning. I am pleased to have been given the opportunity to work with the staff, children and the community at Bassingham Primary School as part of the Aspire Schools Trust. I look forward to being able to support the school and leadership team effectively as the school moves forward.

Esther Maginn - Local Governor

I’m delighted to join the governing board at Bassingham Primary School and bring with me a diverse background spanning over two decades in education, business leadership, and pastoral care.

My current role is Head of Nurture at an Alternative Provision in Lincolnshire, where I work with students aged 10–17 who have experienced exclusion or disengagement from mainstream education. I lead a team focused on trauma-informed, inclusive education that supports emotional wellbeing alongside academic progress. As a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), I’m deeply committed to ensuring that all children learn in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment.

Earlier in my career, I taught across both Further and Higher Education, helping to establish one of the first HND/Degree courses at the College of West Anglia. I’ve also worked in Early Years as an EYFS level 3 practitioner, giving me a strong understanding of the full educational journey from nursery through to post-16.

Outside of education, I’ve owned and managed three successful businesses, which has given me valuable experience in financial oversight, staff management, and strategic planning. I strongly believe in transparency, honesty and accountability and feel i can transfer these principles and strengths to the team.

I hold a Degree and a Master’s in Fashion and Textiles, A PGCE in Education alongside recent CPD levels 4-7 in areas including Play Therapy, SEND, and CBT. My passion is within the well-being and mental health sector and I am currently undertaking a ‘Nature and mind’ hands on course to reinforce my forest school background.

As a local resident and governor within Bassingham, I’m passionate about supporting our local community Primary School to thrive. I believe every child—regardless of background or ability—deserves to feel safe, seen, and inspired in their learning. I look forward to contributing to the continued growth and success of the school and to supporting its leadership, staff, pupils, and families within our beautiful village.

Amy Matthews – Local Governor

I am very happy to be joining the governors of Bassingham Primary School. I was born in Bassingham and have lived here ever since; I attended the school as a child along with my siblings. I have a young family with four children, two of which currently attend also the school. 

Outside of school, I served a term as a Parish Councillor, which my husband has now taken up himself. I am the Manager of the Hammond Hall in Bassingham, aiming to help provide the school with links across the community. I am also the Vice Chair of Bassingham Pre School and Tree Tops where I currently have one child attending.

My interests before having a family were animal based. I attended Robert Pattinson secondary school; from there I spent three years at Riseholme College in Lincoln. Before moving on to study BSc Animal Science at Bishop Burton University, Hull. I am still, however, heavily in love with animals. We have a small menagerie which currently consists of two cats, two dogs, one rabbit, one hamster, one bearded dragon, one royal python snake, four tarantulas, one jumping spider, three horses and a flock of chickens! 

More recently, my interests in spare time have been baking, specifically gluten-free baking. My husband and one of my children have Coeliac Disease, so this is something I have been looking to improve for them and recently set up a business focused on gluten-free baking.

Will Duckitt – Parent Governor

I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve as a Parent Governor at Bassingham Primary School and to support the continued development of the school and its community.

I currently work as Global Vice President of Sales at Twinkl, a global education technology company that provides resources to schools and educators around the world. In my role, I lead international teams across sales, customer success and marketing, with a focus on supporting schools, improving access to high-quality educational resources and delivering sustainable growth for the business.

Before joining Twinkl, I held senior roles across a number of industries including technology, eCommerce and financial services. Much of my career has focused on helping businesses grow and improve their operations. This has included launching new ventures, building and leading teams, and helping organisations scale in a structured and sustainable way.

Through my professional experience, I have developed expertise in leadership, strategic planning and organisational development. I hope to use this experience to support the school as a Parent Governor and help ensure it continues to provide the best possible education and environment for its pupils.

As a parent of a child at Bassingham Primary School, I have a strong personal connection to the school and its community. I am keen to contribute positively and support the continued success of the school for both current pupils and future generations.

In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new places and adventures with my wife and children, taking part in the occasional pub quiz, and a day out at the rugby.

Join our Governance community

Expression of Interest: Role as a Governor at Bassingham Primary School or Trustee of Aspire Schools Trust

Bassingham Primary School Local Committee:  5 Key Responsibilities of Governors

1. Safeguarding – Ensuring the school has robust safeguarding systems and procedures in place, which are compliant with statutory guidance 

2. SEND and Inclusion - Ensuring the school has appropriate policies in place, which create an environment which meets the special educational needs of every child and is fully inclusive of all 

3. Community (representing the voice of pupils, staff, parents/carers, and the wider community)

4. Monitoring the progress and impact of the School Improvement Plan. 

5. Serving as panel members (including permanent exclusion and suspension reviews, some admission decisions, formal HR processes and Stage 3 complaint hearings).

Trustees are responsible for holding the leadership of Aspire Schools Trust to account. They ensure clarity of vision and strategic direction, hold each school within the Trust to account for its educational performance. The role of Trustee is voluntary. Trustees attend all full Trust Board, some committee meetings and make visits to schools.

To express an interest in either role, please click on the link below, complete the information requested and our Governance Team will be in touch. 

Expression of Interest form