Senior Leadership Team

Rob Pavey - Headteacher

Cheney is a wonderful place to work, with excellent colleagues, independent-minded students and a very diverse community around it, and it is a very great pleasure to be the headteacher. In my previous roles, I worked in a very wide range of schools, State and independent, boarding and day; most recently, I was Vice Principal of Kensington Aldridge Academy in West London, and before that, I was Head of Sixth Form at Magdalen College School. I therefore have very recent experience of helping young people from the widest possible range of backgrounds to achieve their full potential. Before becoming a teacher, I had a career as an infantry officer in the British Army, and running a mine clearance programme in Afghanistan.

Louise Marsh - Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning)

I'm delighted to be welcoming you to Cheney School as Deputy Head leading Teaching and Learning.  Like many of our staff, I was drawn to Cheney by its diversity and have now spent nine years here, enjoying it too much to leave!  After studying English Literature at university, I worked in legal and educational publishing in London before deciding on a career change and achieving my long-held ambition to become an English teacher.  I then taught in London and elsewhere in Oxford and have held other roles including being responsible for teacher training and for whole school literacy. I live locally and am absolutely dedicated to ensuring our students and staff have a positive and productive experience as parts of our community.

Louise Elias - Deputy Head (Behaviour and Pastoral)

Chris Fox - Deputy Head (Attendance and Culture)

I am delighted to have joined Cheney as the Deputy Headteacher in charge of Attendance and Culture. Cheney is the sixth school I have worked at and the third comprehensive (the other three were independent schools). Cheney is a wonderful community and I am very proud to be a part of it. Attendance and Culture are hugely important elements of school life. I am passionate about Attendance because direct contact time - each day - with teachers and friends is the single biggest factor that will positively impact a child's life chances.

On the 'Culture' side of my role, I am privileged to oversee all the wonderful non-academic elements that make Cheney such a special place, including our wide array of school trips and extracurricular activities. On a personal note, I have lived locally in Oxford since moving here in 2011. Outside of school, I am a huge fan of cricket and a long-suffering supporter of Tottenham Hotspur! Feel free to sympathise with me on that last point!

Astrid Fox - Assistant Head (Inclusion)

I joined Cheney School in September 2023. I have more than twenty years experience as a pastoral/inclusion lead in Oxfordshire and Swindon schools and a teacher of French.

I am passionate about inclusivity and diversity. Making a difference to young people’s lives, and guiding them to be the best version of themselves is at the heart of everything I do. Barriers to learning are to be overridden, so that every young person can experience personal growth, achievement and success.

As the Inclusion Lead, I will oversee Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Pupil Premium, alternative provision and the Cheney enhanced on-site provision, ensuring that every Cheney student leaves our school prepared and ready for adult life.

Zoe Hamilton - Assistant Head (Data)

I joined Cheney School as the Assistant Headteacher for Data and Assessment at the start of 2023, coming from an all boys state school in Didcot where I was the Head of Maths. I love the variety that comes from working in schools, no day is ever the same and working with young adults is a real privilege, where you get to see them learn, achieve and grow as people.

Lucy Payne - Assistant Head (Designated Safeguarding Lead)

I joined Cheney in 2014 as Head of Music and have taken on a variety of roles since then, including Head of Student Progress and Attendance Lead. Cheney is a very special place to work, and it’s the diversity and energy of our community that makes me excited to come in every day and work with such wonderful students (and staff).

I now join the Senior Leadership Team as Assistant Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). I have overall responsibility for safeguarding and student welfare across the school, ensuring that all of our young people are safe, that we prevent and protect them from harm and their well-being is put at the forefront of everything that we do. I am also the Designated Teacher for Children We Care For, supporting students in care, and I oversee other areas of student welfare, including mental health and young carers.

Alongside all of this, I still teach Music and encourage everyone to come along to our amazing school shows!

Robert Bown - Associate Member of the Senior Leadership Team

I began my teaching career in Bedfordshire and then moved to Oxford and taught for two years at Matthew Arnold before moving to Cheney in 2009. Cheney is my local school and my children went through years 7 to 13. I love teaching at Cheney. There are certain values that are reflected in the way we are structured. We are inclusive - there for everybody in the local community. We respect diversity - we are as diverse as the local population. We are egalitarian - all students receive equality of support and challenge regardless of their wealth. All students are encouraged to strive to be the best they can - regardless of their ability and attitude to learning. Cheney school is a true comprehensive - it’s a little snapshot of England. I am a languages teacher and I oversee the induction of our newly qualified and trainee teachers. I am also senior link for PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) and citizenship and the very dynamic PTA (Cheney Friends). I am passionate about Cheney as a school which not only helps students get excellent qualifications, but also prepares them to reach their potential as good citizens, good employees and good parents.

Emma Hart - Associate member of SLT / Head of Teaching and Learning Development / Head of Transition 

I have been teaching at Cheney School since 2000 and absolutely love my job. I have undertaken various roles at the school including Head of PE and currently I am Head of Teaching and Learning Development. As an associate member of SLT I am also Head of Transition and Educational Visits Coordinator. I am passionate about every student fulfilling their potential and ambitions. I work closely with students, teachers and the community to ensure the progression from primary school in year 6 to Cheney School in year 7 is smooth and reassuring for all involved.

Jodie McMinn - School Business Manager

 Prior to joining Cheney in 2022, I spent 20 years working in non-profit organisations focused on supporting vulnerable adults. I have held a wide variety of frontline, business development and senior management roles in Australia and the UK. My work in the charitable sector has given me a solid background in HR, finance and operations which I have now been able to transfer into a school setting. I love being part of the Cheney team and I believe deeply in the Cheney ethos and approach to supporting our students to be their best.