Downs Junior School

Co-opted Governor & Co Chair of Governors

Committees and Working Groups: Resources Committee

I joined the Board in October 2021 as a co-opted governor and the resources committee in January 2022. I have two children attending Downs Junior and have a wealth of gratitude and huge respect for the incredible work that the school and its staff do.   

I’ve worked in central government for 20 years delivering programmes and portfolios of digital transformation, building organisational strategy, improving how we do our work, how we govern and how manage our performance.    

Outside of work I’d say my keenest hobby is my allotment and horticulture…  it’s not always successful, but there’s always something to learn! 
 

Local Authority Governor & Co Vice Chair of Governors

Committees and Working Groups: Curriculum , Data & Teaching

I am Gareth Hughes a local authority Governor at Downs Junior School since May 2022 and vice chair of the Governing body since July 2023.  I am part of the curriculum, data and standards committee and work with Governors on the strategic direction for the school.

I have experience of school governance in the primary, secondary and sixth form college sectors and have been a school leader for over 20 years (I currently work as Deputy Headteacher at Varndean School) and I am pleased to bring this experience to the Governing Body at DJS.

Downs is a strong school embedded in its community and it is a pleasure to work with a group of Governors who have different expertise but share a common commitment to the school supporting what it does well and challenging its leadership to improve where it can.

Parent Governor 

Committees and Working Groups: SEND Link Governor 

I have a child in year 5 and another joining in September, he is currently at the infants and enjoying attending Downs Play. As a parent governor, I bring first hand experience of the school to my role and am committed to supporting the school to continue to thrive.

In my career, I work for United Learning, an education charity that runs 100+ schools in the state and private sector. I lead our organisational commitment to sustainability, and work closely with our schools to get behind their efforts to provide strong support for pupils’ mental health. Prior to United Learning, I worked for government at the Department for Education for over 10 years. I have also undertaken educational research at the ippr, a leading think-tank.

Beyond family and work, I love going for walks with friends, swimming, reading or a good TV drama, and I love holidays!

Co-opted Governor & Chair of Resources Committee

I am the CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums, the independent trust that cares for the Royal Pavilion and four other museums in Brighton & Hove. I previously worked for Arts Council England as Area Director South East England and have a background in museums and archaeology. I live with my wife Helen in North Laine and also have a home in Sweden where our nieces and nephew are at junior school. I was previously a school governor in London.

Staff Governor

Committees and Working Groups: Data, Teaching & Learning Group 

I have been teaching for 7 years and I have been at Downs Juniors for 4 years. In that time, I have seen how important it is for the governing board to understand what life is really like in school. Not only the challenges but also the wins and everything else in between.

I care about our DJS family and not just the work we all do day to day but the bigger picture too. I wanted to be a part of the decisions that help shape our future and to make sure the staff voice is represented appropriately in those conversations.

Co-opted Governor & Co Vice Chair of Governors

Committes and Working Groups:  Data, Teaching & Learning Group 

My three daughters enjoyed their time at Downs and are now at secondaries and beyond. I am delighted to be able to contribute something to the life of this wonderful school. One important aspect of DJS that I'm keen to support and to see enhanced is the breadth of the curriculum and the time given to subjects such as art, music, foreign languages and sport.  

I work in physics and engineering, which gives me a good understanding of the potential, but also the limitations, of measurement and data gathering; useful, I hope, for my role in the Governors.

Co-opted Governor & Co Chair of Governors

Committees and Working Groups: Vulnerable Pupils Group, Headteacher Appraisal Panel

I am a retired former project manager at the University of Brighton.

My hobbies are theatre, dancing, reading. 

I’ve always had a keen interest in education. My  3 adult children all went to DJS and I was a governor at the school back then and stayed on for a few years after my youngest left. Although it’s been several years since I was involved with the school I thought now was the right time for me to put to use my skills and experience.

Coopted Governor

Committees and Working Groups: Resources Committee

I became a Co-Opted Governor in November 2025. I have two daughters at Downs Junior school, and a third daughter joining soon from the Infants school. I work at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), with a focus on finance, change and assurance activities. Outside DHSC, I have worked in Migration and Borders at the Home Office, and began my professional journey at KPMG, where I qualified as a Chartered Accountant. I previously volunteered as an NCT Deputy Treasurer, a PTA Secretary, a Women’s Network Co-Chair, and also as an NHS volunteer. My family is relatively new to Brighton, but we’ve fallen in love with the community here, and I’m eager to give something back to it.

Co-opted Governor

Committees and Working Groups: 

I applied to be a governor at Downs Junior School because I wanted to play a more active role in our local community and support the brilliant work our schools do every day.

I’ve spent my career working in education, helping schools to build strong teams and create positive, people-focused environments where staff and pupils can thrive. I’m passionate about making education a great place to work and learn, and about helping schools tell their stories in a way that celebrates what makes them special.

Becoming a governor felt like a natural next step, a chance to give something back, learn more about how schools work from the inside, and contribute to a community I really care about.

Outside of work, I love being outdoors - I’ve recently taken up rollerskating (badly), and you’ll often find me hanging out with my two cats, Catten and Albus. 

Co-opted Governor

Committees and Working Groups: 

I became a Co-Opted Governor in November 2025. My daughter attends Downs Junior and the school played a big part in helping us all to settle into Brighton when we moved here in 2023.

I am a Communications Director with senior leadership experience in healthcare, human rights and international development, including recent roles at ActionAid UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK and NHS Providers. I am also a trustee, previously at UK-Med and currently at Freedom from Torture.

I joined the board because I want to bring my experience and commitment to inclusion and equality of opportunity to my local community. I want to help the school to ensure that every child who attends Downs Junior is empowered to achieve anything they want in life and given the skills and the tools they need for a happy and fulfilling future. 

Co-opted Governor

Committees and Working Groups: Resources Committee

I retired some years ago but I was a Video Producer for most of my career and worked in e-learning for the latter part. I have a background in psychology and open and distance learning. I now spend some of my time as a potter and am an active member of local tennis and golf clubs. I support Brighton and Hove Albion.

I was very involved in the school both as a parent and a governor while my two daughters were pupils in the 80s and 90s and continued my involvement into the early 2000s. I now have a grandchild in the school, which is an added incentive to rejoin the governing body, which I have recently done.

I have been a resident in Havelock Road for the past 46 years and been involved in local issues concerning the community.