Welcome to Hanover

Set by the side of the Regents Canal with astonishing views across London from our rooftop playgrounds, it is hard not to be aspirational at Hanover. We really are at the heart of one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and we want our children to benefit from all that London has to offer. Our neighbours include some of the most creative and interesting organisations and businesses in the world – a constant reminder that we have a huge responsibility to prepare our children for an exciting and challenging future.

Our school community is very mixed and this makes us strong. We speak many languages and come from many different faiths and cultures. We bring a wide variety of experience and knowledge to school, and celebrate this both through the curriculum, and through regular community events. Children learn that diversity is good, that we must not only tolerate difference, but that there is huge benefit where we can learn from one another

We are a successful school. OFSTED recognised this in their most recent inspection, and our results  also support this statement. Children are challenged to make rapid and sustained progress through expert teaching and a carefully tailored curriculum. We are not an exam-factory however, and recognise the need for a broad and exciting curriculum.

The arts, physical education, computing, science, the humanities and the development of character are just as important as maths  or English results, and it is through a combination of all areas that children are enabled to leave our school ready for the challenges and opportunities that await them, and ultimately, for jobs that may not even exist yet. We want our children to become critical thinkers, to be resilient and resourceful, and to be able to work together to solve problems, and recognise that it is through the development of a relevant and interesting curriculum that these aims are most likely to be met.

Parents and carers are the prime educators of their children, and they are welcome at Hanover. We actively encourage that they come into the classrooms at the start and end of each day, and there are many opportunities for involvement at our school. Our openness and apparent informality is loved by many. We do not have a uniform, and children know adults by their first names. Do not be fooled however – we have extremely high expectations, and behaviour is very good! We believe that children learn best when they feel safe and understand the rules, and work hard to create a learning environment where everyone is happy, well-motivated, well behaved and healthy. We wish to instil a lifelong love of learning at
our school.

We are all on a learning journey, and our expectation is that everyone should be improving all the time. This applies to the children at Hanover, but also to our highly skilled and experienced staff team. We are committed to being the best school that we can possibly be, and also to the success and happiness of all those who are a part of our community. With hard work and a belief that we all have a part to play, Hanover will go from strength to strength. How might you contribute?

About our headteacher

 I’m really excited to be starting as the Headteacher at Hanover in September 2023. I joined the school in 2016 as Deputy Head and have come to know and love our school and community over that time. I want to lead the school to continue to innovate, succeed and thrive by listening to our pupils and their families, developing our fantastic staff, and staying true to our school vision.

As a teacher, I know that confidence and self-motivation are key to children’s success and happiness at school. I want to ensure that children achieve their academic potential while also developing as kind, brave and responsible young people. This is why, at Hanover, our curriculum has been developed to be relevant, challenging and engaging; we look for every opportunity for pupils to find and develop their talents and take on responsibilities; and we create an environment in which children can be active and healthy, with rewarding friendships and positive adult role models. 

I love primary schools - they are all unique but all make such a difference to the lives of their pupils, their families and their communities. I’ve been lucky enough to have taught every year group from Nursery to Year 6 in schools across London and elsewhere. I’ve also been a Teaching and Learning consultant with an English speciality, developing teachers across a local authority; an Early Years Leader in a primary; and a Chair of Governors in a nursery school. 

I believe in the power of schools to make a difference. Hanover is a little bit different to other schools - I look forward to meeting you and showing you what makes Hanover so special.

Thank you for visiting our site!

Polly Shields
Headteacher