05/10/2026
Today is World Teachers Day. In fact, not only is this the date teachers are celebrated annually, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. In recognition, we are pleased to highlight a couple of teachers from two of the British boarding schools we work with.
First, Mr Dafydd Roberts-Harry, Head of Mathematics at Sedbergh School, whose approach to teaching goes well beyond helping pupils arrive at the right answer. He wants them to “think like mathematicians”, to reason carefully, embrace difficult problems and develop confidence in their own thinking. At the heart of his teaching is a belief that Mathematics is powerful knowledge; something that can transform a young person’s ability to understand and interact with the world. It is an approach that develops not only mathematical ability, but curiosity, resilience and intellectual independence – qualities that pupils carry with them far beyond the classroom.
Then we have Mr Simon Kinder, Head of Teaching and Learning at Gresham's School, who is always thinking of new ways to make his lessons as engaging and impactful as possible to support his pupils’ learning. Empathetic and academically rigorous, he helps pupils to immerse themselves in what he is teaching, encouraging them to think for themselves and to understand both the context and the human stories involved, thereby gaining in-depth understanding of the topics. Whether pretending to be a medieval doctor or dressing up as Elizabeth I, his innate love of his subject brings considerable, infectious enthusiasm as well as a sense of fun to the History classroom.
