Mr William Manning
Headteacher
wmanning@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Mr Graeme Irwin
Deputy Headteacher - Raising Standards Leader
girwin@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Graeme Irwin graduated from Swansea University with a degree in Geography. After spending a year volunteering for a campus-based charity, Graeme returned to his studies in order to complete his PGCE in Geography Teaching. Starting his teaching career at Didcot Girls’ School, Graeme experienced a range of roles, including Head of Year & Assistant Headteacher, Head of Key Stage 3 before taking up a post in Hampshire as Deputy Headteacher of a rural Secondary School for three years.

Ms Julia Hopkins
Deputy Headteacher - Curriculum Teaching & Learning
RET Recruitment & Retention Lead
jhopkins@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Julia Hopkins graduated from the University of Gloucestershire with a degree in English Literature and Studies in Modern Writing in 2001. She then spent two years working as part of the occupational therapy team at a dual diagnosis unit for adults with learning difficulties and mental health illnesses at Oxfordshire NHS Learning Disability Trust. Following this Julia qualified as a teacher in 2004 and began teaching English at St Birinus in September of the same year. Prior to being appointed as Assistant Head Teacher, Julia held a range of posts across the school, including Head of English, Head of Year and Literacy Co-ordinator.

As Deputy Headteacher, Julia is responsible for ensuring consistently high quality teaching and learning at St Birinus and supporting its delivery through a programme of carefully designed CPD tailored to deliver the best for the students.

Mr James Cross
Director of Sixth Form
jcross@didcotsixthform.co.uk

James Cross graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature and Language, before completing a PGCE at the University of Keele and teaching in the West Midlands. He returned to Oxfordshire in 2014 to work at Didcot Girls’ School, where has held a variety of roles, most recently as Head of English and Associate Senior Leader. He has also worked across a number of schools as a Specialist Leader of Education, supporting English departments with curriculum development and raising standards.

James is responsible for the Didcot Sixth Form, working across both St Birinus School and Didcot Girls' School. He lives in Didcot, though hails originally from the North, and enjoys anything that takes him to more mountainous terrain.

Miss Sally Thom
Assistant Headteacher - Learning and Culture
Designated Safeguarding Lead
sthom@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Sally graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Biochemistry and completed her PGCE at the University of Oxford. She began her teaching career at a school in central Oxford, holding various roles within the Science department and contributing to whole-school Teaching & Learning. Joining St Birinus School in 2020 as Head of Science, she now serves as an Assistant Headteacher, contributing to the Pastoral and Curriculum Leadership groups, focusing on supporting students and their academic success in addition to being the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Mrs Rachel Lister
Assistant Headteacher - Inclusion
rlister@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Rachel studied for her PGCE at the University of Bath following her French and Spanish Joint Honors degree. Having lived and worked in various Francophone and Hispanic countries, she spent many years as a French and Spanish teacher in inner-city schools in London, during which time she studied for her Masters in Education. She then became a MFL Consultant for a multi-academy trust leading on Spanish across 46 schools spanning the capital. This was a highly rewarding and varied role, however Rachel missed the sense of belonging she had had from working in one sole school, so made the sideways move into in-school Leadership and became the Raising Standards Lead at a mixed secondary school in Berkshire for three years. She started at St Birinus in January 2024 as Assistant Headteacher leading on Inclusion and thoroughly loves the sense of community and is committed to serving the students and staff at SBS.

Miss Stacey Nutley
Associate Senior Leader - Teaching & Learning
snutley@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Stacey studied Geography MSci at University of Birmingham, then completed a PGCE in Geography at University of Oxford. Alongside her Associate SLT role, Stacey is also Head of Geography here at St Birinus School and is passionate about teaching and learning, curriculum and instilling her love of the outdoor world into her students. As Associate SLT, Stacey focuses on Quality of Education, with a particular focus on whole school assessment policy. In her spare time, Stacey enjoys long dog walks, camping, city breaks and lots of DIY and crafting.

Mr P Mahoney
Associate Senior Leader - ECV/ECA
pmahoney@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk

Phil graduated from the University of Exeter with a first-class honours degree in Mandarin and French with International Relations, during which he spent a year abroad studying at Peking University in China. He has lived and worked in France and Switzerland and trained to teach at the University of Oxford. Phil joined St Birinus in September 2022 as Head of Mandarin and became Associate Senior Leader with responsibility for developing the school's co-curricular portfolio in July 2024. In his spare time, Phil enjoys long distance running and triathlon.