Pridwin Preparatory School headmaster talks about his love for sports and education
Pridwin Preparatory School headmaster, Ross Grimley studied sports science before venturing into teaching.
Pridwin Preparatory School headmaster Ross Grimley reflects on his teaching journey as he embraces his new title as headmaster.
Grimley’s journey started with sports, which led him to pursue a sports science qualification in Cape Town. Soon after studying sports science, he realised he wanted to venture into a more personal career.
Teaching turned out to be his calling, and he believes the teaching bug came from his mother, who was a teacher for over 40 years.
“I started my teaching career at Rondebosch Boys Prep School in Cape Town and later moved to Johannesburg. I began my journey at Pridwin in 2005 as a Grade 7 teacher. Through that experience, I determined that Pridwin always strived for excellence in everything it does.”
He added that as a teacher, one wanted to provide the boys with the best opportunities possible so that they could go on to make a meaningful difference in the world, which required a holistic base involving hard-working teachers.
Grimley noted that he went from buying into the system to displaying leadership skills, which led him to be the director of sports, “I always wanted to get into the classroom; I became the Head of Academics, then deputy head, the school has been through exciting leadership changes.”
The headmaster said his biggest challenge since taking on the role for the past nine months is seeing things from a strategic perspective rather than an operational one, which he learned during his term as deputy head and had to change since being a headmaster.
He concluded that his fondest memories, besides being headmaster during Pridwin’s centenary year, are of the relationships he has built with the boys he taught over the years.
“As a headmaster, I enjoy being involved with the larger community to work with schools around Pridwin, such as Kingsmead and St Vincent School for the Deaf, in order to create an educational precinct for Melrose.”
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