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News | 19 January 2024

“The most important thing is that the students are seen”

It's time to get to know the new principal of IES Norrtälje: Peter John Fyles. Mr. Fyles is from a town called Burnley in Lancashire, England, and currently lives in a small village north of Norrtälje. We have had the opportunity to ask him some questions and hear his vision for IES Norrtälje.

Since you have been a principal earlier - what is your favorite part of the job?
“Seeing young people develop and have fun! I want the students to come to my school and enjoy education.”

What is the most important thing you will focus on as the principal of IES Norrtälje?
“That the students are seen, this is the most important thing.”

Tell us about your family?
“My wife’s name is Anna-Carin and she is a labour and employment lawyer, we have three grown-up children called Alice, John, and Billy, and we also have two basset hounds and a cat.”

How did you end up in Sweden?
“When I was 23 years old I went to work in a moshav (farmers' village) in Israel. At the same time, Anna-Carin – who I hadn’t met yet – was travelling around Europe on a train ticket. The first time we met was on a roof of a youth hostel in Athens. We had two days together and then went our separate ways. When I returned from Israel I had planned on going to Holland and working in the flower industry. I wrote Anna-Carin a letter asking her to meet up in a pub in Amsterdam on Christmas Eve. I didn’t expect her to turn up, but she did! We spent one week together and then started writing letters to each other. Later on, we travelled the world; America, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Turkey. After that, we bought a run-down farm in Ireland where we lived for four years! Our first child Alice was born there and then we moved to Sweden. The rest is history!”

What do you do outside of work?
“I have been a triathlete for many years and compete once or twice a year. My last triathlon was in Jönköping where I did a 2 km swim, a 90 km cycle, and a half marathon in 7 hours 44 minutes. And I chop wood to heat the house at home! It’s good exercise.”

Tell us one thing that not many people know about you?
“I’m about to get a book published. I’ve had some offers to publish this book and I’ve just decided which company to go with. I’ve written two history books previously, so this is my first attempt at fiction.”

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FACTS
Name: Peter John Fyles
Education: BA Social Science, University of Manchester. MA History, University of Sheffield. HDipED University of Galway, MPhil University of Manchester.
Work: Has been working as an English and History teacher at the original IES school in Enskede, Principal of IES Gävle 2002-2005, CEO of IES from 2005-2014, and a published author.