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Hove Junior School

Portland Road & Holland Road

"There is strong evidence of good systemic leadership and an aspirational culture, supporting strong outcomes for pupils and in raising standards for disadvantaged and SEND pupils" - Ofsted, February 2020

Senior Leadership Team

 

Maddie Southern - Executive Headteacher 

It is a real privilege to be the Headteacher of Hove Junior School. It is a fabulous school – the greatest asset being our children who are highly motivated and enthusiastic and really involved in their learning. Our children have a strong sense of belonging and share common values of respect for and appreciation of each other through our ‘Working With Others’ approach to learning. We have a talented and enthusiastic team of staff, of which I am proud to be a member.  Standards are high and most children make good or better progress from their starting points.

We had our last Ofsted inspection in February 2020 and Ofsted confirmed that we continue to be a ‘good’ school.                                

 

Portland Road

 

Ben Massey - Head of School

I grew up in London and studied Psychology at the University of Sussex, where I fell in love with Brighton & Hove. For about eight years I was a freelance writer and web-and print-designer before completing my teacher training at Brighton University.

Before coming to West Hove, I trained at Middle Street and taught at Rudyard Kipling Primary, where I was Assistant Head in my final year. I’ve worked at West Hove Infants for four years as Assistant Head Teacher on the Connaught Road site before joining the School Road team as Acting Head of School in 2019. This role was made permanent in 2020, which I’m utterly delighted about!

I have two young boys who are both at primary school. When I get a minute to myself I very much like to read a book or play the drums or guitar.

 

 

Niamh O’Shea - Deputy Head of School

It is wonderful to work at Hove Junior School where children are at the heart of all we do, and all staff are determined to ensure learning opportunities are as exciting, creative and inclusive as possible. Since joining the school in 2016, I have worked as Year 3 Lead, Curriculum Co-ordinator and Assistant Head before taking on my current role of Deputy Head of School for Portland Road Juniors and now School Road Infants. It is a privilege to play a part in scaffolding the learning journeys of children from their start in reception to the end of key stage 2. As strategic lead for curriculum, I relish the opportunity to work with subject leads and use pupil voice to develop learning that captures children’s imagination, deepens their knowledge and enriches their experience. Our learning federation is a vibrant, positive and aspirational organisation to work for, and I feel incredibly proud to work within it.

 

Rachel Jeffers – Deputy Head of School

I joined Hove Juniors in September 2015 as a year leader and have since worked at the Holland Road site as Assistant Head teacher and back at the Portland Road site as deputy head teacher. Part of my role involves strategically leading English and assessment across the Junior school, coaching teachers to develop their teaching and learning and organising the day to day running of the Portland Road site. I have an in-depth knowledge of both Junior sites and am very passionate about the school’s journey.  Before working at Hove Juniors, I worked in a Medway school for 5 years and taught across KS2. Hove Juniors has high standards for teaching and learning and is a fantastic school to work at. I am looking forward to working within the Hove Learning Federation and continuing to drive improvements and outcomes for all pupils.

  

Keith Kelsey - Assistant Head

Hove Junior School is a school that bursts with creativity, excitement and energy. All decisions are driven by the passion that every one of our staff members have towards ensuring that the children have the best possible opportunity to achieve. I have had the pleasure of being a part of this team since I joined in 2016 as the Year 4 Lead, before moving to become Year 6 Lead in 2018. Inspired by the school’s ethos and enthusiasm for excellence, I applied for and was successful in my application as Assistant Head. Behaviour for learning is a key area of educational interest for me, and it was with great enthusiasm that I approached this new and developing role.

Since this time, I have regularly mobilised the School Council and called on the student body through pupil voice to review and reflect on the Behaviour Policy and its implementation across the school. Within the Hove Learning Federation, we have recently worked in collaboration to developed and write The Positive Relationships Policy, a policy that embraces a more metacognitive, trauma informed approach to behaviour and one that reflects the needs of the children and the school.

At Hove Junior School, we work to ensure that the voices of our children and staff are heard and drive change towards an inclusive and positive place to teach and learn – I feel extremely lucky and privileged to be a part of this ongoing journey.    

 

Mandy Stewart - Inclusion Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead

I moved to Brighton with my family eight years ago and have been lucky enough to have had a really varied teaching career, mainly in London.  

I have led inclusion in schools in two London boroughs as well as leading three resourced provisions in mainstream schools supporting pupils with Autism, Speech, Language and Communication difficulties and Social Emotional and Mental Health difficulties. 

I was also previously a Headteacher for thirteen years, which as well as being exciting and challenging, gave me the opportunity to view inclusion from another perspective.

I feel very lucky to work for the Hove Learning Federation, we have an amazing staff team, fantastic pupils and supportive parents and carers and governors who keep a careful eye on the school and ensure we challenge ourselves to do the best we can. I am excited about the opportunities the developing federation will bring.

 

Holland Road           

 Lorna Cummings, Head of School 

I feel very privileged to be Head of School at the Holland Road Site for West Hove Infants and Hove Junior School. I have worked at the Holland Road Site since September 2019 and prior to that was Head of School at the School Road Site for seven years. My experience means I know both schools and the school communities well and I am passionate about the education and experiences of our pupils.

During my teaching career I have taught all year groups from nursery through to Year 6 and have worked as a Lead teacher and Language and Literacy Consultant for Brighton and Hove. I am passionate about providing an inclusion education for all learners. I have a background in Special Educational Needs having previously been a SENCo and having worked in a specialist facility for children with Speech and Language difficulties. I have Qualified Teacher Status with the British Dyslexia Association.

 

Charlotte Wallace - Inclusion Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead 

I started working as SENCo at Hove Junior School in 2017 across both school sites.  I started my teaching career in London  and worked as a teacher and SENCo in the London boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Enfield across all year groups.  In 2015, whilst teaching, I completed a Master’s Degree in Special Educational Needs (MASIE) at the Institute of Education focusing on research into specific literacy difficulties and Autism.  I am passionate about ensuring children reach their full potential and helping them develop the resilience to learn from the challenges that may face them.