Your Governors

The Eden Federation Local Governing Body:
St Peter’s Church of England Primary Academy, Easton, Hockering Church of England Primary Academy, Great Witchingham Church of England Primary Academy & Cawston Primary Academy

The Eden Federation is a member of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT) and has one Local Governing Body that serves the three schools. All the Governors are volunteers who are committed to ensuring that all the schools provide the best education possible for the pupils in line with the agreed aims.

We contribute to the strategic leadership of the schools by working closely with the Executive Head teacher and the Senior Management Team. We support and challenge the staff in a number of ways, however it is not our role to be involved with the day to day management of the schools.

Our main responsibilities is ensuring clarity of the vision, ethos and strategic direction of the Federation

Contacting the Governors
The Chair of Governors, Mrs Mandy Cameron-Heffer, can be contacted through Cawston Primary Academy Office: Chair of Governors, Cawston Primary Academy, Aylsham Road, Cawston, Norwich NR10 4AY, 01603 871249 or office@cawstonprimary.dneat.org

Interested in becoming a Governor?

The Diocese of Norwich Multi Academy Trusts (DNEAT and St Benet’s MAT) have exciting volunteer opportunities for new governors from the local community.

Being a local governor for an academy in our Multi Academy Trusts is a valuable and fulfilling role.

As a governor you will be able to:

use your own experience of education and life beyond school to inform conversations
develop and utilise your skills in a board-level environment
make a valuable contribution to education and your community
support and challenge the school so that it improves for pupils and staff
bring your unique experiences, perspectives and insights to decision-making in the interests of the school community

We welcome applications from individuals of all faiths and none, of all ages and levels of experience and from all backgrounds. Knowledge of education and the education system or board experience are not necessary – your skills, attitude and commitment are more valuable. Our Governors are asked to agree to uphold the Christian ethos of the Multi Academy Trust.

More details can be found online here Volunteer Governor Opportunities – The Diocese of Norwich Multi Academy Trusts – DNEAT

We attach a link to our Governance Recruitment Pack. You will find the application form within the Recruitment Pack.

Please return all completed application forms to Hannah Monk, Head of Governance at hannah.monk@donesc.org

Governor Recruitment Pack

Find out more about the Governors of the Trinity Federation Academies

View or Download:

Governor interests | List of governors Eden Federation | Governor attendance EdenFederation |
Scheme of Delegation

Georgina Mace (Executive Headteacher)

Rev. Andrew Whitehead

I moved to Cawston in 2015 to take up the role of Team Vicar in the Aylsham & District Team. As Vicar of Cawston (plus another 8 parishes), I have a special responsibility for the spiritual life of the school and visit each week to lead collective worship and to help with the delivery of the RE curriculum. I am co-chair of the Trinity Federation’s local governing body. I also chair the Resources Committee and the Ethos & Community Committee. My wider responsibilities see me involved in several local charities as a trustee and I am a member of the Diocesan Board of Education and Diocesan Synod.

Before ministry in the church, I worked in Higher Education as a manager in the Estates Department of Lancaster University; a role which has provided much useful experience for my work in the church and in school, as we try to work creatively to make our ageing buildings serve today’s community.

Vicky Hurst (Vice Chair)

I am a trust governor and have been a governor of the Federation since September 2014. I hold a particular interest and role in Special Needs and Health and Safety within the Governing body. Living in Weston Longville and working just a few miles away I have close links to the community. As a mother to three girls, with the eldest two attending Great Witchingham Church of England Primary Academy, the Federation plays an important part in our lives and I see the outcome of learning and strong Christian morals the teaching and management provides first hand in my children. I feel strongly that Education is so important for children
to give them a balanced and strong start to life and am so happy to be involved with the schools in the role of Governor.

I have a science background by education and currently work in the field of compliance. Therefore I bring to the governing body experience in reporting and monitoring, legislation interpretation, analysis skills and the ability to question.

Liz Plater

I am delighted to have been appointed a Governor of The Eden Federation and look forward to working with the schools and their wider communities. I have lived in the local area for nearly 25 years and have been excited by the changes and developments within the schools making the Federation the great success it is today.

I have just retired from teaching. I started teaching in Bristol and moved to Norwich 30 years ago. Since then I have taught in many Norfolk High Schools along with raising my own family. For the past 17 years I have been Deputy Head and then Head Teacher of a local High School before spending last year back in the classroom teaching my subject, Geography. Working with young people has always been my greatest pleasure and privilege doing everything I can to ensure all are able to enjoy and value a broad education. I still work with teenagers involved in The Duke of Edinburgh Award and, in my spare time, enjoy walking, fitness and distance running along with being an active member of the local Anglican Church.

Mandy Cameron-Heffer (Chair)

I have been a Governor for the past 20 years, starting as a Parent Governor when my children were at Cawston Primary. I then became a Staff Governor when working as the School Secretary and then a Trust Governor and Federation Governor. I retired in August 2023 and am looking forward to having more time to develop my role as a Governor and to really getting to know all the schools in the Federation. I have a particular interest in Mathematics and History. I am an active member of St Agnes Church in Cawston and enjoy being a member of the Ethos Committee.

Alan Fairchild

Alan has been a DNEAT Appointed Governor at Cawston Primary Academy now part of the Eden Federation since 2016. With his wife Lyn he has lived in Cawston for 50 years his daughter Anne having attending Cawston Primary and later Reepham High School.

As a former Town Clerk and Finance Officer for over 35 years before retirement I had responsibility for managing community buildings, sports facilities and playing fields in a highly populated area served by six schools on the fringe of Norwich so was keen to ensure Cawston and now the other Eden Federation academy schools are maintained and equipped to as high a standard as possible. Having lived in the same home close to Cawston school Lyn and me have got to know many parents and children. Down the years I have been impressed by the quality of teaching delivered throughout the school and the personal and social skills students have developed by the time they leave to start secondary education.

Fiona Flavell

I have worked for the Federation for over 8 years. I am passionate about providing our children with the best possible education so that each individual reaches their true potential. I have worked across all year groups and worked in three of the four school in our federation. I am currently Head of School at St Peter’s Primary Academy. I thoroughly enjoying my role as Staff Governor as I feel it provides me with further opportunities to work alongside staff, families and our community to ensure our pupils receive an enriching and inspiring curriculum.