Solihull Junior School welcomes new leadership

Mark Penney and Michael Jones have been appointed as the new Head and Deputy Head of Solihull Junior School respectively.
They have joined the School’s Director of Studies, Janet Humphreys, in the new Junior Leadership Team at the independent school for boys and girls on Warwick Road, Solihull where pupil admissions are at their highest ever.
The appointments take effect from September this year following the retirement of Lindsay Brough as Head of the Junior School.
Mark Penney joined Solihull Junior School in 2003 as a Form Teacher and Subject Coordinator, specialising in Maths and Information Communication Technologies.
Mark instigated the School’s now well-established video conferencing programme and quickly became Director of Studies. He has taught across the entire age range and was promoted to Deputy Head of Solihull Junior School five years ago.
With a BA Hons in Applied Psychology from University College Cork and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Aberystwyth, Mark began his career in Solihull as a Class Teacher at St Patrick’s C of E Junior and Infant School. He then worked in British International Schools in Malawi and Hungary before joining Widney Junior School, his previous school, in 1999.Michael Jones was previously a Deputy Head of Dorridge Nursery & Infants School having first taught in 2007 as a Maths and ICT Coordinator at Dorridge Junior School.
Michael taught in Year 5 and was also Year 6 leader during his four years at the school, which included a managing role for gifted and talented provision and running the school council. He was then seconded to the Infants School to help integrate the schools after their federation in 2009.
A former pupil at St Peter’s School in Solihull, the 28-year old graduated in History from Durham University before gaining a Master’s degree in Education that included original research into the benefits of co-operative learning.
A keen footballer who plays in the School Teachers League at Chelmsley Wood, Michael coached the Dorridge Junior School side representing Aston Villa that won the national inter-schools Under 11s cup at Old Trafford in 2009.
Mark Penney said: “Solihull Junior School is a special place where great things happen. To be given the opportunity to lead its consummately talented and hard-working team of professionals and over two hundred bright, inquisitive children is a great privilege.
“I am very much looking forward to the inherent challenges of making sure that Solihull Junior School remains one of the most successful schools in the Midlands in terms of educating the whole child.”
Michael Jones commented: “I am thrilled to be joining Solihull Junior School’s Leadership Team. From my first visit, I was impressed by the excellent facilities, the professionalism and friendliness of the staff and the enthusiasm anmd dedication the children have for learning.”
Janet Humphreys added: “Our small class sizes and a dedicated teaching team have helped us achieve an outstanding record of gaining academic and music scholarships at 11+.”