Governor Profiles

The Governing Board of St. Martin’s consists of the following:

Foundation Governors, who have particular responsibility for upholding the Christian ethos of the school and are appointed by the Diocese of Exeter and Churches Together in Devon.
Staff governors, one elected by staff vote and the other the Headteacher.
Parent Governors, elected by parental/carer vote.
One Local Authority Governor, appointed by the Governing Body but approved for holding office by members of the Local Authority.

Amy Hardinge - Headteacher

I am honoured to be the Headteacher at St Martin’s – a school where children are truly encouraged to be the best they can be both in terms of their learning and academic outcomes and in their wider personal qualities. I am firmly committed to ensuring that our children leave school with a wide set of skills and knowledge to enable them to succeed in the next stage of their education and beyond. I feel privileged to work with such a talented and committed team of staff, each of whom have the best interests of the children at the heart of what they do day in, day out. Relationships at all levels are really important to me and I do all I can to uphold our school values through each and every interaction I have with children, parents, staff and our wider school community.

Brian Gravenor - Foundation Governor and Chair of Governors

St. Martin’s is the third school that I have been a governor at, but this is the first as a Foundation Governor. At my last school, a small village Church of England Primary School in Hampshire, I served as a governor (including chair of governors twice) for just over 21 years, ending my term there in December 2022 when I moved to Seaton with my wife. We have two grown up daughters. The younger one works as an Audiologist in Exeter and the older one is a secondary school music teacher in London.

My whole schooling as a child was at Church of England Schools and, while I didn’t think so at the time, it changed my outlook on life. I am keen to get involved as much as I can at St Martin’s. I enjoy school trips, including residentials.

After leaving school I went to Southampton University to study Chemistry and Mathematics and left six years later with a Bachelor’s Degree and a Doctorate. I then spent 25 years as a Hampshire Police Officer, two years as a Primary School teacher and more recently worked in the Planning Departments of a number of councils in Hampshire and Dorset.

In my spare time I enjoy walking, travelling, the outdoors, reading and music. I volunteer at Seaton Wetlands with Wild East Devon and hope one day to be a tram driver on the Seaton Tramway.

Gemma Tozer-Howe - Parent Governor

My husband and I moved to Cranbrook in 2013, we have enjoyed watching our town grow from its infancy and love living here. I’ve always been passionate about Education. Having previously qualified as a Primary Teacher, I have worked at an Ofsted Outstanding FE provision for the last 16 years. I specialised in teaching and managing programmes for students with special educational needs and most recently by delivering GCSE Maths part-time. When visiting schools in the area I was attracted to St Martin’s by the wonderful learning environment and caring holistic approach. Now that my daughter has started in reception, I feel well placed to support her and the wider community by assisting St Martin’s in their delivery of a high quality and well-rounded education for all pupils.

Jennifer Elliott - Foundation Governor

I feel privileged to have been appointed as a Foundation Governor at such a welcoming and friendly school as St Martins. I currently (Oct 2021) have a grandson in Reception and am a Church Steward at Sidwell Street Methodist Church, Exeter. My background is in Secondary education and more recently horticulture. I have always loved the outdoors where we can learn from and admire God’s creations, reminding us that we are the custodians of our environment. I enjoy walking, swimming and learning from my grandson. I will try my best to support the school in achieving even more than anyone thought possible.

Rev. Jon Holder - Foundation Governor

I moved to Cranbrook in 2022 to lead Cranbrook Church with my wife and family. I am the Minister for Cranbrook and lead Cranbrook Church, which meets at St Martins Primary School on Sunday mornings. I am ordained within the Church of England. We love Cranbrook and feel it is such a privilege to live and work here and long to see the whole community thrive. Key to a thriving community is flourishing schools. I see it as an important part of my role, as Minister for Cranbrook, to support the work of the school so that every child and all the staff flourishes. One way I am privileged to help work towards this gaol is through my role as a school governor. I have a background in youth and community work, previously working in Hereford and Oxford. I hope my training, skills and expertise will benefit the life of the school and wider community.

Vicky Harris - Parent Governor

Profile in process