EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Meet the Head at Cumnor House Boys’ School
Meet the Head
Cumnor House Boys’ School is an IAPS Preparatory Boys’ School in the Croydon area, with 280 pupils in the Boys’ school and over 100 pupils in their two Kindergarten and Preschools. Miss Edwards is an Early Years specialist and joined Cumnor House in 2004 as a Reception class teacher. She soon became the Head of Early Years, as well as taking on the role of SENCo and Designated Safeguarding Lead. By 2013 she was appointed Head of Learning Support and Director of Studies, and has since had the roles of Assistant Head, Senior Deputy Head and was appointed Head in 2020.
allocations are similar to that of a senior school which enables them to transition smoothly. How does the School’s pastoral care provision help support children with any anxieties associated with settling into Senior school? Pastoral care is extremely important; form tutors spend time assessing and observing how the boys are doing. Any additional support needed is provided on an individual basis. We also have nurture groups which focus on teaching strategies to manage anxiety.
What attracted you to Cumnor House Boys’ School? Cumnor House has always had an excellent reputation. After teaching in Yorkshire for two years it was time to move back to my hometown. Independent schools offer so much more than just education to children. Pastoral care, high academic standards and an emphasis on the importance of the wellbeing of children is paramount. How would you describe the ethos of Cumnor House Boys’ School? Our ethos is one of compassion and kindness. We embed the Cumnor Way throughout the school and focus on ‘The five core values’: courage, compassion, integrity, endeavour and belief, that all our boys, families and staff follow. What inspired you to teach at a boys school? I was always interested in the way boys learn and develop. Having four sisters meant that my family was very female dominant, and I wanted to make a difference to boys’ in our society, teaching them to show their emotions and to promote positive mental health.
Special feature
at all times. What do you think are the key skills that children should have mastered by the time they enter Senior school? The boys should be well rounded, have skills across the curriculum and be able to flourish in areas that they are interested and excited in. A high level of Maths and English is important; and reading and language skills are key to their success. How would you describe that Cumnor House Boys’ School supports the boys in this important stage of the educational journey? As a prep school it is our role to prepare them for their future school. We do this by providing excellent teaching and enabling the boys to be successful at a high level in Sport and Music.
How would the students describe you?
How does the school help children transition to the senior school environment?
The boys would describe me as kind, they know that I care about them and want the best from them. They would also say that I have very high expectations and like them to work hard, be kind and show integrity
From Kindergarten upwards the children have a busy timetable with different lessons delivered by specialist teachers. As they move into the Upper school in Year 5 their timetable and subject
What sport and/or co-curricular activities does the school offer which really engage students in the first two years of their life at the school? All boys have weekly swimming lessons in our on-site swimming pool. They are able to take part in swimming galas from Reception up to Year 8. Our boys have specialist Rugby, Football and Cricket coaches and have the opportunity to join a number of choirs and music ensembles. Some of our most popular clubs include computer coding, mindful yoga, DT club and dinosaur club. Cumnor House is currently U11 Surrey Prep Schools Cricket Cup 2021 Winners and U11 ECSA National Cricket Cup 2021 Winners and one of the top 50 Prep schools for cricket in the UK. What are the qualities of a great teacher? To be a great teacher you need to be able to build a good rapport with your pupils; they need to know that you care about them, and you want them to do well. Teachers should be role models. What advice would you give to parents choosing a school? Visit the school when the pupils are there on a typical day. Sometimes it can be very different to visiting on an open day. Make sure the school suits your child, importantly, ask what opportunities will be afforded to them and if the environment allow them to flourish. Most importantly, ask will they be happy there? What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a teacher, of course! What is your real-life superpower? Kindness; making sure other people are happy is very important to me. Find out more about Cumnor House Boys’ School at www.cumnorhouse.com
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