Meet the Team

The ethos of the school is to motivate, nurture and inspire our pupils and their artistic skills. We offer a supportive yet challenging learning environment for our pupils, developing the necessary techniques to enhance their dance abilities in a safe, caring environment with skilled and experienced teachers.

Staff are highly qualified and experienced in their specialised field and are DBS checked.

PRINCIPAL

Heather Reynolds FISTD, ARAD

Miss Heather trained at the Judith Hockaday School from the age of six. As a student she performed in many shows and competitions and was a winner of the ISTD Ballet Awards Advanced section. After completing Associate teaching qualifications in Ballet, Modern, Tap and National, Miss Heather continued to study for Licentiate and Fellowship exams and is now a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. In 2000 she was awarded the ISTD Mavdor scholarship for talented young teachers.


Since 1997 Miss Heather has taught at several dance schools across the South West, including JHS, and since it’s inception in 2004 the Judith Hockaday College, training the next generation of performers and teachers.
She has had the opportunity to choreograph for The Dormy Opera House season, Stowe Opera, UK and international hair and fashion shows for L’Oreal and Schwarzkopf, pantomimes, local amateur groups and dance shows and festivals. Miss Heather’s real passion lies in teaching technique and developing artistry in her students.

VICE PRINCIPAL

Anna Pershin AISTD, DDE

Miss Anna started dancing at The Judith Hockaday School when she was 9yrs old. During her time as a student, she completed her Vocational Graded examinations and took part in shows and festivals and the ISTD faculty awards. She was awarded the senior musicality award at The Grandison Clarke National Awards and received the senior class work award at the Star Tap Awards. Miss Anna also took part in Dancer of the year and was an All England Winner when she was just 11 years old.
Miss Anna continued her training at Laine Theatre Arts where she graduated with a Professional Diploma and Associate teaching qualifications. As a professional dancer she has experienced TV and theatre work but mainly travelled the world working for Carnival Cruise Lines as a lead dancer, Adagio act, illusionists assistant and Dance Captain.

After a successful performing career, Miss Anna returned to Swindon and continued her teaching career both at JHS and JHC and other schools and colleges in the South West, teaching all genres but specialising in jazz, conditioning and adage work.

SINGING TEACHER

Yvette Cummings Dip TCL MISM

After graduating from Trinity College of Music Yvette embarked upon a professional singing and teaching career. She was director of music for Milbourne Lodge School where many of her pupils gained music scholarships to Eton, St Paul’s, Winchester, Charterhouse, and Westminster schools. Yvette relocated to Swindon and has since worked in several performing arts establishments. Yvette has training in Estill, Core and classical Bel Canto and is now studying for her MA in vocal pedagogy. She has students in the National Youth Choir and the Royal Academy of Music. Student college destinations have been Urdang, Bird, London Studio Centre, Guilford School of Acting and Arts Ed. Yvette was vocal coach for the premier of a new musical in 2021, which she also directed and casted.

DRAMA TEACHER

Rhian Vaughan-Webb PCertLAM, ATCL, DipLCM

Rhian has a great deal of passion for the performing arts and began her acting career at a very young age gaining a wealth of experience as an actor in theatre and television. Rhian is PCertLam, ATCL and DipLCM qualified and teaches the LAMDA and Trinity syllabi to an extremely high level and standard.

Rhian enters students into Speech and Drama festivals with solo, duo and group pieces with a huge success rate. Rhian works closely with students preparing audition pieces for performing arts schools and has prepared many students that have successfully been offered a number of places.

Rhian is extremely experienced in teaching students of varying ages and those with challenging and special educational needs and has a keen ability to adapt her teaching approach to the needs of those being taught. Rhian strives to see students achieve and grow in their own performing skills.

DANCE TEACHER

Lauren Skull DDE

Miss Lauren started dancing as a young teenager with 2Step Dance Academy and soon found her passion for dance. During her years as a student, Miss Lauren competed across the country, qualifying for the Street Dance Championships several times and placing 1st in Solos, Duos and Crews.  She has performed on many prestigious stages, including Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, the Videopolis Theatre at Disneyland Paris, The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon and Alton Towers Theme Park. She has also taken part in several shows and events with various colleges and schools. 

Miss Lauren completed her teacher training here at JHS, gaining her ISTD Diploma in Dance Education in Modern, Ballet, Tap and National. Miss Lauren has also completed her UDO Street Dance Teaching qualification and is qualified to teach Yoga to all ages.