New Staff Appointments for Next Academic Year
The Mount school York welcomes two new members of staff next academic year, Dr Matthew Adams as Teacher of Latin and Classics and Samuel Tong, Classroom Music Specialist.
Dr Matthew Adams
Matthew is an outstanding Classics Specialist. He graduated from Cambridge University with his BA and PGCE and later went on to achieve his Master’s, Master of Philosophy and PHD at both London and York Universities.
Matthew has been the Head of Classics for many years. He is currently at King’s School in Ely where he has been responsible for the teaching of Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation from Year 7 to Year 13, alongside being an examiner for GCSE Greek and A level Latin.
Matthew taught Latin to GCSE with the first St Peter’s ‘Independent State School Partnership’ cohort. In addition to this he has worked at York University, teaching Latin to postgraduates, at Cambridge University as a mentor for some of their PGCE Classics students and in Ely Cathedral, teaching Latin in a ‘community education’ project.
As a member of the British Exploring Society, Matthew has strong experience of leading within the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Matthew is very excited to be returning home to York to work at The Mount School.
Matthew commented; “I recognise the empowerment that a Quaker education gives to help pupils become the best versions of themselves and to develop a ‘can do’ attitude. I am strongly drawn to the values and the philosophy of The Mount, a school where the girls are allowed to find and develop their strengths and to grow in a supportive and constructive atmosphere.”
Samuel Tong
Samuel is a classroom Music specialist who graduated from University of Sydney, The Conservatorium of Music. Presently he is the Assistant Director of Academic Music in Wycombe Abbey School in Changzhou in China, having been at Wycombe Abbey since 2017. Samuel is the holder of a licentiate from Trinity College London in viola (LTCL). He is an Associate of Trinity College London in violin (ATCL) and Music theory (AMusTCL).
His present role involves the management of the overall activities of the Music curriculum team across the kindergarten, primary and secondary departments. Samuel has taught most impressively at Wycombe Abbey and consequently elevated the academic standards to the recent high of 95% Level A or above and 100% pass rates, in both GCSE and A Level Music. Not surprisingly, he has enjoyed a hugely successful impact on the academic development within the Music department.
Outside the classroom, Samuel is an active violinist and violist who has performed with such renowned musicians as Joshua Bell, King’s Singer – Trey Lee, Twoset violin – Eric Whitacre, and Vassily Sinaisky.
With more than ten years of teaching violin and viola, he possesses huge experience of teaching children from ages 3 to 18. He is devoted to seeing every child achieve their own level of success coupled with them achieving the supreme personal enjoyment that Music can engender.
“I am really looking forward to seeing Samuel’s burgeoning influence on the Music landscape of The Mount School and wider community.” – Mr David Griffiths, Principal of The Mount School York enthused.