Abingdon Foundation Governing Body
Professor Michael Stevens, Chair of Governors, OA (1968)
Mike qualified in medicine at the University of London, undertook much of his early postgraduate training in Oxford and specialised in paediatrics. He subsequently undertook research and clinical practice both overseas and in the UK before appointment as Professor of Paediatric Oncology at the University of Bristol. In addition to senior NHS and university responsibilities, he held academic and professional leadership positions nationally and internationally. Now retired, he remains an Emeritus Professor. He became a governor in 2014 and was appointed Chair in January 2018. He and his wife Sue now live near Oxford and have three grown-up children and five grandchildren. He can be contacted at the school via [email protected].
Mark Beer, Vice-Chair
Mark is an Oxford educated lawyer with three boys at Abingdon. He has advised Education Ministries and worked across Governments to enhance the provision of high quality education for all. He has sat on the Governing Boards of three of the Middle East’s leading schools, and currently Chairs a global human rights charity. Mark is committed to every child being able to fulfil their potential, irrespective of means and is a member of the Advisory Council to one of Oxford’s most progressive colleges. Mark is also a visiting fellow at Oxford University and a visiting Professor at the Shanghai University for Political Science and Law.
Briony Bowers
Briony is a graduate of Cambridge University; she began her teaching career at a mixed school in London before taking up a post as an English teacher at St Birinus School. She has worked at both St Birinus School and Didcot Girls’ School for over twenty years, and is now Deputy Headteacher at St Birinus School, Oxfordshire’s only state all boys’ school. She has expertise in curriculum development, and special educational needs. In her spare time Briony is a voracious reader, she also enjoys sailing on the south coast with her husband and dog.
Glynne Butt
After reading Botany at Somerville College, Oxford, Glynne started her teaching career at Downe House. Marriage to an Oxford don brought her to Abingdon where, for many years, she successfully combined part time biology teaching with advanced musical studies. She taught at Our Lady’s (and also, briefly, to cover a staff absence, at Abingdon School) and in 1995 became Our Lady’s first lay Head. In retirement she has continued ISI inspections, has chaired the Governors’ Education committee at Cokethorpe School and been Deputy Chair of the Board at Leighton Park. She continues to be involved with the musical life of the Oxford area and is a governor of Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon.
Mike Farwell
Mike is a chartered accountant, with a career working for international and regional accounting firms. He was a partner at accountants and business advisers James Cowper Kreston from 1995 to 2022 and is a director of various companies, including a luxury hotel. Mike has substantial expertise in accounting and advisory work, with a specialism in charities and education, advising on risk, governance and financial matters. As well as Abingdon School, he has significant experience of being a trustee or adviser to a number of other charities. An economics graduate of St John’s College Cambridge, Mike has two sons who were both educated at Abingdon. Mike’s off-duty interests include golf, sport, current affairs, walking and travel.
Henrietta Goodall
Henrietta read History at St Andrews and went on teach almost every age range, from Year 1 to A Level, specialising mainly in History and English. She has taught in both the maintained and independent sectors, as well as overseas in Argentina and Italy, teaching IGCSEs and the IB. Henrietta is a Mercer, currently a Governor of an academy in Walsall and is also a trustee in a small charity supporting young people struggling with schooling in Cheltenham. Although retired, she still loves teaching online – mainly GCSE – to young people who are unable to go to school.
Nicholas Kruger
Nick is an Emeritus Fellow of both Pembroke College and St Cross College, Oxford. After reading Botany as an undergraduate at Pembroke, Nick completed a PhD in Plant Biochemistry at Queens’ College, Cambridge. This was followed by post-doctoral studies in California and Canada, and subsequent industrial research in the agricultural biotechnology sector. He moved back to Oxford, initially as a Lecturer in Plant Science and Fellow of St Cross College, before returning to Pembroke where he was Tutorial Fellow in Biological Sciences until retirement in 2022. As well as teaching biology and biochemistry at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, Nick headed a plant molecular biology research group and was a scientific advisor to various national and international research agencies and charitable groups. In addition to a wide range of university management roles, Nick has over 30 years’ experience sitting on the Governing Bodies of Oxford colleges, in which he also served as Vice-Master and Chair of Executive Committee. In retirement, Nick is an Emeritus Professor and retains an active interest in computational application of mathematical control theory to metabolism in biological systems, but freely admits that he needs to get out more.
Charles Lowe, OA (1976)
Charles became a governor in December 2023 and he is a member of the Finance Committee and chair of Abingdon School Enterprises. Educated at Abingdon and Exeter University, he had a career in finance and general management at Ford, Elf, Avis, National Power and Prudential/M&G. Retiring in 2018, Charles became Chair of Governors of Rupert House School, Henley and is President and a Trustee of Reading Cricket and Hockey Club. A keen sportsman, he plays hockey, tennis and golf, enjoys fly fishing and the outdoor life. He has a son and two daughters who attended Abingdon and St Helen and St Katharine respectively.
Benjamin Robertson
Benjamin currently works in public relations after many years in business and finance journalism. Benjamin spent most of his career in Beijing and Hong Kong where he worked for the South China Morning Post newspaper and Bloomberg News, among other firms. Benjamin is a member of the Mercers’ Company, a livery company in the City of London. He is married to Sylvia and has two children, both at independent schools. He now lives in Oxford.
Felicity Rutland
Following an engineering degree Felicity spent the first half of her career in venture capital, but then saw the light and moved into education, joining Abingdon as Registrar for a very happy ten years. She subsequently specialised in admissions, marketing, fundraising and alumni relations at two other schools, and has been a governor at several single sex and co-educational schools, as well as a Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire. Cambridge hockey blue, but living in Henley, rowing is the sport she supports most. Heavily involved in the local community, a director of Leander and a viola player (with enthusiasm rather than skill). Sadly widowed, family life revolves around her three OA sons and two daughters and their families, with seven grandchildren (so far). An experienced non-executive director and school governor, she is a member of the Education Committee with a particular interest in Abingdon Prep.
Henry Scarlett, OA (2007)
Henry became a governor in 2023 and is the designated health and safety governor, serving on the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee. He is President of the OA Club. As a member of the Social Impact and Education Sector at Russell Reynolds Associates, the global executive search and leadership advisory firm, Henry advises on chief executive, board, and other senior appointments for major global development organisations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. He read music at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar and university instrumental award-holder on the viola. Before he arrived at Abingdon on a music scholarship, he was a chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford. His interests include history, rugby, music, and cooking with fire (when safe, of course).
Kevin Senior
Kevin became a governor in 2021 and is a member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee. He read law at the University of Exeter and then trained as a chartered accountant, retiring as a partner in an international accountancy firm in 2015, having specialised in financial services. He is a past governor at Cheltenham Ladies College and serves as a trustee on Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon and Quest for Learning. He is also a director of Rowdown Stables Limited, and his interests, as well as horse racing, include heritage, ballet and art.
Steven Sensecall
Having studied planning as an undergraduate and graduate, Steven joined Kemp & Kemp LLP in 1982, becoming an Equity Partner in 1987. Steven is now Head of Planning (South) and an Equity Partner at Carter Jonas LLP. He leads a team working for a wide variety of public and private sector clients providing planning consultancy services on a national basis. Married with four children in their 20s, Steven has firsthand experience of Abingdon and Abingdon Prep through his two sons. An avid reader, gardener and sportsman, Steven played semi-professional football and is now a keen cyclist, skier, tennis player and walker.
Kate Wheeler
Kate qualified as a doctor from King’s College London. After working in different specialities including general practice and a year in an African mission hospital she decided to specialise in paediatrics. She has been a consultant in paediatric oncology in Oxford since 1995 and has also held many roles in regional and national management (NHS England) and doctors’ education including being the Programme Director for the Oxford School of Paediatrics. Kate is also a medical trustee to two children’s charities – Neuroblastoma UK and Sebastian’s Action Trust. Kate lives in Newbury and is married to Tom Rossiter a solicitor. They have a daughter and two sons both of whom are OAs. Kate’s interests include sport, especially tennis and recently Park Run, in addition to supporting her sons’ Great Britain rowing careers. Kate also enjoys music, playing the violin in local orchestras.
Harriet Woollard
Harriet started her career as a graduate trainee with Unilever. She has worked in marketing, communications and corporate strategy related roles in the UK and abroad, on global brands including Dove, Wall’s and Lifebuoy. Passionate advocate of sustainable living and the circular economy, with recent focus on developing partnerships between businesses and charities to help drive positive social impact in tandem with sustainable growth for businesses. Abingdon resident, OA parent, sports enthusiast and volunteer at charity SOFEA/FareShare in Didcot.
