Mr Silas Edmonds – New Principal of Ewell Castle School         2nd January 2019

 

Silas Edmonds, new Principal of Ewell Castle School is very well established in Surrey, he was previously Head of Senior School at Surbiton High, and before that Assistant Head at Wallington Country Grammar.  With a BA and PGCE specialising in English, Mr Edmonds also holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and an MA in Educational Leadership and Innovation. 

Was there a teacher you had at school who had a particular influence on you?

Mr Randall Lawton was my Head of English at Calday Grammar. He made lessons so engaging that we used to run to get there! Under his pseudonym, Walter Donnall, he wrote an original school play/musical every year for us to perform: these are my fondest memories of challenge and fun in equal measure, working hard with a group of mates and teachers to achieve something wonderful.

What attracted you to your school?

Ewell Castle oozes charm and character in a green and beautiful enclave. I have been struck by the widespread affection for the School’s family ethos, utterly loyal to its boys and girls and dedicated to inspiring their best achievement, whether in: academic success, sporting excellence or exceptional performing arts. The School’s reputation for an ambitious and personalised approach to individual pupils is well founded, creating a rounded and grounded experience for all.

 
What is your school’s ideology and how do you prepare pupils for life after education?

Ewell Castle’s ideology is to focus our energy on the learning and welfare of our children. What happens in the classroom is the beating heart of the School, stretching and challenging our pupils to achieve more than they thought possible, and to support them when they are struggling. I firmly believe that “I don’t know” is a starting point to stimulate young people’s thinking and is never the end of the discussion - developing a growth mindset  means that effort and struggle will always eventually be rewarded. Moreover, carefully nurtured social and emotional intelligence enhances communication skills and empathy, increasingly valuable qualities that will never go out of fashion in life beyond formal education. 

What makes you most proud of your pupils?

I am proudest of my pupils when they are happy to laugh at themselves in the face of life’s setbacks and challenges, self-confident and secure in their own resources to cope and to thrive in any circumstances. There is nothing more fulfilling for me than seeing a young adult at their final school prize giving ceremony, celebrating their story up to that point, and ready to write their own next great chapter. 

How have the challenges facing young people changed since you’ve been in education?

Digital media and social networking present exciting opportunities and great challenges which I could never have imagined twenty years ago. But, more than ever, young people need to be confident in their knowledge of themselves, and equipped to deal with the (often) unreal images of perfection they are inundated with on a daily basis. The antitdote for young people is to discover and play to their strengths, feeling a true sense of personal accomplishment. That is the most important role of education, as it always has been. 

Quick-fire (one-word answers)
Rugby or football? Football.
Pen or iPad? iPad.

End

For further information please contact: Carol Hernandez - Marketing and Development Manager, Ewell Castle School - Tel:  0208 394 3578     Email: c.hernandez@ewellcastle.co.uk