Dedicated and Supportive Staff Members Join Our Boarding Community
David Griffiths is pleased to announce the appointment of four dedicated and supportive staff members to the boarding community at The Mount School York as of September 2022. Due to an increased interest in boarding opportunities amongst Senior School pupils, The Mount School York has expanded its boarding team to ensure the highest quality of care and nurturing is, both maintained, and developed further.
Grace Tong 
Grace Tong is currently Assistant Housemistress at Wycombe Abbey School, China and is herself a musician and choral leader. She will join The Mount School as Resident Graduate Boarding Assistant. Grace attended Hong Kong Baptist University, achieving an Associate Degree in Creative Communication, before going on to study at Edinburgh Napier University where she received a Bachelor Degree in Communication, Advertising and Public Relations. At Wycombe Abbey School, Grace has enjoyed immersing herself into school life and supporting pupils with their musical engagement. Grace has achieved her Grade 5 in piano, Grade 5 in Theory of Music and Grade 8 in Singing with The Royal Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Grace commented, saying “I have a strong understanding in safeguarding to promote the welfare of children, and to develop a safe and encouraging environment for the children to grow as a whole person. I encourage our young ladies to have a voice and to readily discuss their thoughts and opinions and to seek to foster a creative impact upon their living environment.”
Nia Passmore
Nia PassmoreMrs Nia Passmore has also been appointed as Resident Boarding Assistant with a choral and musical involvement. Nia is an experienced boarding housemistress with excellent choral and music experience. She Graduated from Princeton University in America with a 1st Class Honours Bachelor of Music Degree, in Sacred Music, in 2010. Nia became intertwined in music and the boarding life of schools in 2013 when she became a resident musician at Terrington Hall Prep School. Her role was to incorporate music and wellbeing into the students’ lives within the boarding environment. Nia has developed into Wellbeing Leadership and Pastoral Care and Housemistress work through various subsequent school appointments. Nia also spent some time in Italy as a singing teacher and building on her burgeoning educational experience. On her return to the UK Nia became a teaching housemistress at Stonar School in Wiltshire. Nia is excited to be joining the team here at The Mount, York. Nia says “My employment and educational backgrounds have provided a wealth of opportunities to establish myself as a nurturing, empathetic, innovative, and creative leader. Working almost exclusively in boarding, religious, musical, and educational settings, I have dedicated much of my career thus far, to enhancing and improving students’ journeys, from admission through to their graduation, with my primary focuses being wellbeing, pastoral, musical, and spiritual enrichment, and support. Being a houseparent has given me the opportunity to put all these skillsets to use daily and has been an absolute delight and privilege.”
Elizabeth Pickard
Lizzie is due to soon complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds Beckett University in the hope of becoming a teacher in the future. Lizzie has prior experience being a full-time boarder at Stonar School in Wiltshire, with this being the first time she had been away from both of her parents who were expats living overseas in Hong Kong. Lizzie experienced great support from the staff and Resident Graduate Boarding Assistants whilst she was at school and is now very motivated to provide a similar level of pastoral care and support to students who are now in the same position compared to the one that she experienced as a schoolgirl. She has a great interest and passion for sport and has represented her school in many sports including swimming, football, netball, volleyball, and horse riding. At university Lizzie was quick to join the Women’s Rugby team to represent Leeds Beckett.
We look forward immensely to welcoming this new wave of Resident Boarding Assistants to the boarding family and are excited to see the positive effects their wealth of experience and knowledge will undoubtedly have on our pupils.