Saxon Cronin-Garrod - Chair of Governors

Saxon has been a Governor at St Mary’s for almost 8 years, and Chair of Governors since 2021.

Saxon is a mechanical engineer by profession, and this work contributes to much of his analytical and strategic thinking, both very transferable skills to school governance.

Saxon also undertakes other professional roles where he has developed strong and rounded leadership skills, currently having 30 years’ experience as a volunteer helm and commander at Southend RNLI lifeboat Station, he also held command positions in the RNLI’s national and international Flood Rescue Teams for over two decades and has experience of managing large, multi-agency response teams in high-risk rescue environments.

Saxon has a strong connection with St Mary’s school which began when his daughter started her school journey there over 9 years ago, and continued after she moved on to secondary school. Saxon is passionate about the children’s learning, and happiness and is just as happy reading books with the children as he is spending time progressing the strategic direction of the school.

Daniel Bryant - Vice Chair (LA Governor)

Carolyn Evans - PCC Governor

My name is Carolyn Evans and I have been a Governor at St. Mary's for a number of years.  I live in Southend, having moved to the area in 1989, and both of my two grown up children were born and raised locally, and attended St. Mary's School- they have therefore always been really keen for me to remain involved!  I am an active member of St. Mary's Church, having also been the Electoral Roll Officer in the past, as well as a Churchwarden. As a result I have close links with both the School and Church- my son was married there in 2022 and my grandson was also baptised there last year. As a result I hope that I have sufficient knowledge to make me a useful asset to the St. Mary's Governing Body!

I have recently retired following a 40+ year career with the Probation Service and in 2019 I was fortunate enough to be awarded an MBE for my services to both Probation and Community Safety. I am now planning to devote my time between my family, in particular my two young grandchildren, and my voluntary roles within the School and a local Christian charity, for whom I am also a Trustee.  Safeguarding and risk management have been key to my working life, and I am seeking to ensure that all our children have access to a safe, nurturing and positive environment in which they are able to flourish and achieve their full potential.

My focus is very much to continue to work to build and maintain the links between Church and School, to support our Christian ethos and values and to promote the journey in faith of our School Family, as a guardian of our spiritual wellbeing.

Katie Hall - Staff Governor

Katie has been a governor at St Mary’s Prittlewell CofE Primary School since 2022 and has been a member of staff at the school for nearly 8 years. Prior to this, she gave her time to support the school as a regular parent volunteer. As an education lead with previous roles in finance, she is skilled in communicating, problem solving, risk assessment, data analysing and reporting.

She is proud to be part of the wonderfully diverse St Mary’s community and reflects the school’s Christian values in her day-to-day roles, ensuring that these, alongside the spiritual flourishing of the whole school community, is at the heart of any decisions made by the governing board.

She is a dedicated to improving the outcomes for all, including our most disadvantaged pupils. In her spare time, she continues to support the wider school community as a member of the school’s PPG working party, ensuring that the school has a clear direction to improve academic outcomes, spiritual growth and that pupils have access to extra-curricular activities.

With several years of experience working as part of the inclusion team, she is a passionate advocate for inclusion and belonging. She has excellent understanding of matters concerning EAL and SEN, and she ensures the views and ambitions of pupils and families with both EAL and SEN are reflected as part of her governor role. Katie makes herself available to support pupils and parents with the flourishing of everyone at the forefront of her decision making.  As an active member of the school’s parental engagement group, she recognises the importance of the home-school relationship with families and understands the pivotal role that parents play in their child’s educational journey.

Katie believes that we should have high expectations for all our pupils, and recognises that as a unique creation of God, each pupil’s spiritual and academic journey will be personal to them. Alongside the support of governors and staff, she is committed to enabling pupils to know their worth, find their strengths, discover their interests and build upon their knowledge.

Paul Mackay - Foundation Ex-Officio Governor

Alison Lindsay - PCC Governor

Alison Lindsay has been a governor at St Mary Church of England Primary School since 2022. With over two decades of experience in education and leadership, she brings a wealth of strategic planning and problem-solving skills to the governing board. Alison is passionate about ensuring that every child receives the highest standard of education, and she is particularly interested in curriculum development, excellent teaching and learning staff well-being.  As a member of the local church community, she deeply values the role that faith-based education plays in the development of children, fostering both academic achievement and spiritual growth. Alison is dedicated to promoting the Christian ethos of the school, ensuring that the school's values of love, respect, and service to others are embedded in all aspects of school life.

A long-time resident of the local community, Alison actively supports school events and regularly engages with parents and teachers to ensure transparent communication. Her background in teaching enables her to contribute effectively to the board, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently to enhance student learning and development. She also champions inclusivity and has been a vocal advocate for special educational needs provision within the school as well as ensuring that all students who are disadvantaged have the best educational chances that they possibly can.

She is especially committed to supporting the emotional and spiritual growth of pupils, understanding that every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to flourish both academically and in their personal faith journey. In her role as a governor, Alison works closely with school leadership to maintain a strong relationship between the church and the school, contributing to the development of religious education programs where possible. As the parent of a child at the school, Alison is actively involved in the community and ensures that her voice as a parent and governor reflects the concerns and aspirations of other parents.     

Keith Turner - PCC Governor

Keith is a retired police officer, having served for thirty years in the Metropolitan Police. During this period, he has undertaken many roles and has been trained in various roles. Such as Home Office training in emergency planning, disaster recovery, health and safety, safeguarding, young offender rehabilitation and public event planning.

Keith’s voluntary past roles have included:

• British Red cross volunteer, first aid, nursing and ambulance driver
• Teaching self-defence for women
• Special constable 

Keith’s current voluntary roles are:

• Churchwarden to St Mary’s, Prittlewell;
• School Governor for St Marys, Prittlewell, C of Primary School

Jennifer Boxall - Diocese Governor

Hello, I'm Jenny Boxall and I'm a retired office manager now enjoying retirement.

I enjoy dining out with friends, jigsaws, gardening and spending time with my 3 big children and 5 grandchildren.

I love coming into school and have learnt quite a few new tasks over the 14 years that I've been associated with the school, of which almost 8 years as a governor.

Graham Fuller - Parent Governor

I have been a Parent Governor since February 2025. As a proud parent of a child thriving at this school, my connection runs deep, having once walked the hallways as a pupil myself and later returned as an LSA and completed my teacher training here as well. I have a deep-rooted connection to the St. Mary's community and its values – I essentially bleed blue. It was at the age of 7, whilst at East Street, that I decided that I wanted to be a teacher – in part due to my Year 2 (and later Year 4) teacher, Mrs Albon. I, of course, considered other possibilities but it always circled back to teaching.

I have been in the Education Sector my entire working life in some form or another. Every role within a school is vital and has an impact so it is important everyone is supported, looked after and encouraged. With over a decade of experience as an SEN Teacher at a local Special School, I am passionate about advocating for every child's right to thrive in school, particularly those who require additional support. I hope that my knowledge and experience will benefit the school in providing support, advice and challenge in relation to SEN, which is one of my key areas to monitor as governor.

Whilst the school may have undergone several changes over the years, its essence and heart have always remained the same. I know what a special, safe, and nurturing place St. Mary’s is – I experienced it first-hand; I was then a part of creating it, and now I confidently entrust it with educating and nurturing the next generation.

By serving as a governor, I aim to provide thoughtful challenge and contribute positively to decision-making processes, ensuring that all voices and viewpoints are heard and considered. I look forward to helping shape and push St. Mary’s on into its next chapter. Together, we can create a dynamic educational experience that promotes excellence and most importantly champions every child's potential.

Amy Shearwani - Parent Governor

Amy has been a Parent Governor since February 2025.  She has two daughters currently in Year 4 and Reception.  

She has spent many years working in insurance, but in recent years has been focusing on more community orientated work. Amy is an experienced Breastfeeding Support Worker and is currently studying to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), with aspirations to help increase the provision of free (at point of access) breastfeeding support locally. 

Amy also volunteers for the Southend Care Bank, Prittlewell 1st Girl Guides and is the current Chairperson for SMASH PTA.

As a Parent Governor, Amy is committed to representing the views of parents and ensuring that all children receive the best possible education and support. She brings her passion for community work and advocacy to the role, contributing to strategic decision-making, school improvement initiatives, and safeguarding policies. With her background in support work and volunteering, she aims to help create an inclusive, nurturing school environment where every child can thrive.