Education Corner Podcast
You can listen to the Education Corner Podcast to hear from leading global figures in education including: Professor John Mullan (UCL), Lee Elliot Major OBE (Exeter Uni), Dr. Sandie Okoro (EDI), Mr. James Dahl (Master at Wellington College), Mrs. Jane Lunnon (Alleyn's School), Ms. Josephine Lane (SPGS) and many more!
Listen to the Education Corner Podcast
Interview with Professor John Mullan, UCL
Professor John Mullan speaks about the evolution of English as a subject at degree level and his recent books The Artful Dodger (Charles Dickens) and What Matters in Jane Austen? John quotes the narrator from Tristram Shandy who states: “Read, read, read, my unlearned reader, read!" as a top tip for students.
Listen to the Latest Education Corner Podcast Interviews
Interview with Ben Evans, Headmaster of Windlesham House School
Ben Evans speaks to us about Windlesham's forward-thinking and innovative approach to being a day and boarding prep school in Sussex.
" There's learning everywhere, learning is happening, children are happy and it has been the best thing that we could have done.
Interview with Dr Joseph Spence, Master of Dulwich College
Dr. Joseph Spence discusses Dulwich College's bursaries and philanthropic ethos, and reflects on what has changed and what has remained the same throughout his career, as he approaches the end of his tenure at the school, having announced his Summer 2025 retirement after over 30 years of working in education.
"The first part of our ethos and values is equity, respect and service, and I'm confident to just keep it at that because that's stemmed from the social revolution of recent years: how we faced up to the challenges of Black Lives Matter and Everyone's Invited, and questions of gender and sexual politics "
Interview with Nick Hewlett, Head at St Dunstan's College
Nick Hewlett joins us to talk about St Dunstan's ‘Let’s Talk About… Adolescent Addiction’ conference, the issues faces young people, their families and the education sector, and how schools can be best prepared to tackle these challenges.
“Our current curriculum lacks the imagination and agility to respond to the realities and societal challenges that are faced by pupils today, and consequently struggle to equip them with the tools and skills that they need to navigate the current world.”
Interview with Alex Tate, Head at St Johns School Leatherhead
Alex Tate speaks to us about flexi boarding, inclusive education and the importance of kindness at St John's School, Leatherhead.
“We're very proud of our academics, but we're not a hothouse, we're an all-round education. I always say to pupils and parents when they arrive: “Don't leave here with any regrets that you didn't try things.”
A panel discussion with Heads from several leading Scottish schools
A panel discussion with Warden Mark Mortimer, Glenalmond College, Principal Claire Chisolm, Lomond School, Headmaster Olly Langton, Belhaven Hill School, and Headmistress Ali Kinge, Ardvreck School, talking about their unique schools and the benefits of a Scottish education.
"We've really taken what makes us special as a school: our culture and our traditions and our heritage and we've embedded that into our curriculum. We're really proud of that "
Interview with Ms. Cathy Ellott, Head at Streatham and Clapham High GDST, London
Ms. Cathy Ellott speaks to us about Streatham and Clapham’s holistic approach to education, the role of social change and responsibility in the student experience and the school’s diverse and multifaith cohort.
"Our ethos is about that sense of stretch and challenge for the individual and recognising strength and opportunity with no invisible girls."
Interview with Katherine Vintiner, Principal at Hampton Court House School, Richmond
Principal Katherine Vintiner speaks to us about Hampton Court House’s purposeful informality, the school’s core ethos and values and provision for students wanting to attend from further afield.
"So, our whole approach is around enabling young people to feel confident, to find themselves, that sense of self-efficacy, that sense of self-awareness, to find their passion, and to really fly!"
Interview with Mr. Edward Venables, Head at Eagle House School, Berkshire
Mr. Edward Venables speaks to us about the benefits of boarding at Eagle House, their Golden Eagle Programme and how their curriculum is preparing pupils for a future within a fast-changing world.
"Understanding what the world of work looks like now, how a modern senior school is preparing children for that world is really, really critical. Aligned with that, having an understanding of the mental health challenges and other pastoral pressures that teenagers face allows me to work incredibly hard to equip the young people who come through Eagle House with the skills to be as prepared as possible for that next stage of their life."
Interview with Mr. Andy Johnson, Head at Truro School, Cornwall
Mr. Andy Johnson speaks to us about the bespoke boarding experience at Truro School, the school’s unique Cornish setting, mental health support and compassionate values.
"We try to use the language of belonging as much as the language of inclusion. I think ‘belonging’ speaks to people about how they can feel empowered - not just how they can feel involved - and I think that distinction is really, really important in any discussion around EDI and belonging. "
Boarding School panel interview with Heads from Tonbridge, Downe House, Lancing College and the Vice Principal at The Duke of York's Royal Military School on the benefits of boarding in the UK
A panel discussion about the differences between single-sex and co-educational boarding, the benefits of boarding and the future of boarding schools.
Mr. James Priory: “It is about developing independence but it's also about doing that in the context where there is a lot of support.” The opportunities and experiences provided by boarding also remain important, Mr. Dominic Oliver emphasised: “What we have to offer is so filled with a richness of opportunity.” Further to this, Mrs. Emma McKendrick added the importance of the interpersonal skills boarding teaches: “They learn to live with all sorts of people from all sorts of different countries, different backgrounds, different approaches. When they're out in the working world, they never worry about who they're going to work alongside, because they've learned to live alongside a whole variety of different people.”
Interview with Mrs. Nadia Ward, Headteacher at Heathside School, Hampstead
Mrs. Nadia Ward speaks with us about Heathside School’s main entry points, its unique reading scheme, meditation and how the school supports student wellbeing through exploring creative play and partnership with Place2Be.
"I think it’s wrong to see creativity as an opposite to academic excellence. I think at Heathside we really marry the two together - in our school, creativity and academic excellence are equal twins, and are all the better for it."
Interview with Mrs. Louisa McCafferty, Headteacher at Broomwood Prep -Girls, Clapham
Mrs. Louisa McCafferty speaks to us about Broomwood’s recent rebrand, the school’s key entry points and the benefits of single-sex education.
"We want school to feel like a home from home, because actually the children then feel safe, they feel secure, they feel comfortable in their surroundings, and because of this multi-site approach, we're able to tailor those sites to the children who are there."
Interview with Mr. Rory Vokes-Dudgeon, Headteacher at Abingdon House School, N London
Mr. Rory Vokes-Dudgeon speaks to us about the key entry points, SEN provision and academic support available at Abingdon House School.
"I recently read somewhere that making sure that a student with special educational needs has the appropriate accessibility to a curriculum is just as important as making sure that a student with physical needs has a ramp into the classroom."
Interview with Sarah Travis and Matt Keily from TASIS England, Surrey
Sarah Travis (Senior Associate Director of Student Recruitment and Admissions) and Matt Keily (Director of Boarding) speak with us about TASIS England's main entry points, their recent ISA Boarding School of the Year award and how the school supports student wellbeing through its pastoral care and their innovative creation of THRIVE.
"I got to stand up in assembly with the award in front of the boarders and say: “You go to the best boarding school in the country!” and that they are a large part of that, alongside my team of staff who all work incredibly hard all of the time." Matt Keily
Interview with Mr. Matthew Close, Executive Headmaster of the Royal School in Surrey
Mr. Matthew Close talks about the bursary provisions available at The Royal School, as well as their Future Ready programme and his vision for The Royal School’s future as its new Headmaster.
"We want our pupils and staff to be ambitious for themselves, we want them to set themselves high standards, we want them to dream big, because if you don't dream big, you're not going to aim high and if you're not aiming high, you're never going to push yourself to something that you think is almost impossible."
Listen to our more recent Education Corner Podcast Interview
Interview with Mr. Stuart Murphy, Assistant Principal at Surbiton High School in Surrey
Interview with Julia Martin, CEO of ISEB and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education
Interview with Julia Martin, CEO of ISEB and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education
Mr. Stuart Murphy speaks about how Surbiton High School supports both parents and children during exam periods, as well as the school’s specialist pastoral care, their focus on positive psychology and developing human intelligences.
"But I think that when it comes to exams, you just have to make sure that your child is confident. As long a
Mr. Stuart Murphy speaks about how Surbiton High School supports both parents and children during exam periods, as well as the school’s specialist pastoral care, their focus on positive psychology and developing human intelligences.
"But I think that when it comes to exams, you just have to make sure that your child is confident. As long as they have worked hard and have tried their best, they will be in the right place for them. "
Interview with Julia Martin, CEO of ISEB and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education
Interview with Julia Martin, CEO of ISEB and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education
Interview with Julia Martin, CEO of ISEB and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education
Julia Martin, CEO of the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB), and Dr. Kathy Weston, the Founder of Tooled Up Education, speak to us about the new partnership between ISEB and Tooled Up: the Parent Power Toolkit, which consists of resources designed to help parents and guardians prioritise their child’s mental health and wellbein
Julia Martin, CEO of the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB), and Dr. Kathy Weston, the Founder of Tooled Up Education, speak to us about the new partnership between ISEB and Tooled Up: the Parent Power Toolkit, which consists of resources designed to help parents and guardians prioritise their child’s mental health and wellbeing during the academic admissions process.
"It’s about educating parents in the small things they can do in their busy lives that can really optimise thriving, reduce the opportunity for mental distress to take hold and make sure that we’re doing everything in our power to give our children the best chance of doing well academically."
Interview with Lara Choksey, Lecturer in Colonial and Postcolonial Literature at UCL
Interview with Julia Martin, CEO of ISEB and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education
Interview with Lara Choksey, Lecturer in Colonial and Postcolonial Literature at UCL
Dr. Lara Choksey joined University College London as a lecturer in the Department of English in 2021. She has been affiliated with the UCL Sarah Parker Remond Centre as a Visiting Research Fellow since October 2020, where she is now Faculty Associate. Lara talks about the new course on Colonial and Postcolonial Literature at UCL and why
Dr. Lara Choksey joined University College London as a lecturer in the Department of English in 2021. She has been affiliated with the UCL Sarah Parker Remond Centre as a Visiting Research Fellow since October 2020, where she is now Faculty Associate. Lara talks about the new course on Colonial and Postcolonial Literature at UCL and why it is such an important topic to study.
"What the term ‘postcolonial’ did in the 1980s was to allow a set of critical approaches to take up space within the academy, so it had a practical function in this sense; but at the same time, some of its key theorists distanced themselves from it as a term almost immediately, so we got the emergence of comparative literature: world literature."
Interview with Mr. Adam Pettitt, Headmaster at Highgate School, North London
Interview with Mrs. Naima Charlier, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility at Wellington College
Interview with Lara Choksey, Lecturer in Colonial and Postcolonial Literature at UCL
Mr. Adam Pettitt speaks to us about the values of Highgate School, as well as their partnership with London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, the importance of pupil voice and Highgate’s core teaching philosophy.
" One of the key things I spend my time doing is telling parents to stop opening the oven door early to check whether the cake i
Mr. Adam Pettitt speaks to us about the values of Highgate School, as well as their partnership with London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, the importance of pupil voice and Highgate’s core teaching philosophy.
" One of the key things I spend my time doing is telling parents to stop opening the oven door early to check whether the cake is rising - you know, that sense of wanting to know how well your child is doing, how good their GCSE results are, how well they’re doing with Oxbridge, et cetera."
Interview with Mr. Tom Dawson, Headmaster at Sunningdale School in Berkshire
Interview with Mrs. Naima Charlier, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility at Wellington College
Interview with Mrs. Naima Charlier, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility at Wellington College
Mr. Tom Dawson speaks to us about the ethos, main entry points and highlights of Sunningdale School, and discusses the benefits of single-sex education.
"...we encourage them to take risks in the classroom, put up their hands, accept that sometimes they’re going to be wrong and that that’s a crucial part of learning. You can create that ac
Mr. Tom Dawson speaks to us about the ethos, main entry points and highlights of Sunningdale School, and discusses the benefits of single-sex education.
"...we encourage them to take risks in the classroom, put up their hands, accept that sometimes they’re going to be wrong and that that’s a crucial part of learning. You can create that academic culture of fearlessness if you work hard enough at it, and that is a really important element of learning."
Interview with Mrs. Naima Charlier, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility at Wellington College
Interview with Mrs. Naima Charlier, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility at Wellington College
Interview with Mrs. Naima Charlier, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility at Wellington College
Mrs. Naima Charlier speaks to us about her unique role at Wellington College, as well as the Harkness pedagogy and how equality is implemented into the school’s curriculum.
"When I first saw this job and started doing my research into Wellington College, I looked into the kind of establishment that they were and the type of work that they
Mrs. Naima Charlier speaks to us about her unique role at Wellington College, as well as the Harkness pedagogy and how equality is implemented into the school’s curriculum.
"When I first saw this job and started doing my research into Wellington College, I looked into the kind of establishment that they were and the type of work that they were doing. It was so innovative and so forward thinking in the way that they understand how learning happens and how children need it to interact, and they have placed wellbeing at the centre of the curriculum."
Interview with Dr. John Taylor, Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation at Cranleigh School
Interview with Dr. John Taylor, Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation at Cranleigh School
Interview with Dr. John Taylor, Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation at Cranleigh School
Dr. John Taylor speaks about life at Cranleigh School, expanding the curriculum, using AI in schools and the changing role of technology in the classroom.
"I think one of the effects that AI will have is it will intensify, as it were, our focus on the human, social, emotional and effective aspects of learning, because that will be our bit.
Dr. John Taylor speaks about life at Cranleigh School, expanding the curriculum, using AI in schools and the changing role of technology in the classroom.
"I think one of the effects that AI will have is it will intensify, as it were, our focus on the human, social, emotional and effective aspects of learning, because that will be our bit. We will get to the point by which the machinery will be able to automate many of the processes that go on in the classroom at the moment, and the teacher will need to have the supervisory eye on all of those, but the teacher’s contribution will be to provide the human touch and the relational dimension that no machine is ever going to be able to recreate. "
Mr. Graeme McCafferty - Head at Rosemead Preparatory School, Dulwich
Interview with Dr. John Taylor, Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation at Cranleigh School
Interview with Dr. John Taylor, Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation at Cranleigh School
Mr. Graeme McCafferty speaks about life at Rosemead Preparatory School, their strong community, using AI in the classroom and the advantages of merging with the St Dunstan’s College group of schools.
"There will be a change to the Rosemead transition process into St Dunstan’s, too. Rosemead’s branding on 11+ will always be that we will wor
Mr. Graeme McCafferty speaks about life at Rosemead Preparatory School, their strong community, using AI in the classroom and the advantages of merging with the St Dunstan’s College group of schools.
"There will be a change to the Rosemead transition process into St Dunstan’s, too. Rosemead’s branding on 11+ will always be that we will work as hard as we can to get your child into the school that is right for you, and if the right school for you now is St Dunstan’s, there’s a nicer process than the 11+ for Rosemead children. "
Emma Beamish - retired Irish women's cricketer
Interview with Dr. John Taylor, Director of Learning, Teaching and Innovation at Cranleigh School
Mr. Nick Hewlett - Head at St Dunstan’s College Senior School, SE London
Emma Beamish speaks about her journey as a female cricketer from a young age through to becoming the opening batter and playing in the World Cup in South Africa in 2005. She also discusses the challenges that women can face in sport and the opportunities she received through attending Reed's School and with Surrey Cricket. Emma continues
Emma Beamish speaks about her journey as a female cricketer from a young age through to becoming the opening batter and playing in the World Cup in South Africa in 2005. She also discusses the challenges that women can face in sport and the opportunities she received through attending Reed's School and with Surrey Cricket. Emma continues to play for the MCC Women's cricket club.
"Cricket is for everyone, and whether it’s a ball made out of electrical tape and sticks for wickets, trust me, the kids will be competitive. For me, I think it’s all about just having someone to keep turning up for them, and to give them access and opportunities."
Mr. Nick Hewlett - Head at St Dunstan’s College Senior School, SE London
Miss Laura Whitwood - Head at St Dunstan’s College Junior School, SE London
Mr. Nick Hewlett - Head at St Dunstan’s College Senior School, SE London
Mr. Nick Hewlett speaks about their conference on Tuesday 20th June titled: ‘Let’s Talk about… Porn, Sex and Educating for the Difference’ in an effort to raise awareness as to the current growing
teen pornography crisis.
"I believe that we have an absolute imperative as educators to tackle that proactively, to facilitate a dialogue among
Mr. Nick Hewlett speaks about their conference on Tuesday 20th June titled: ‘Let’s Talk about… Porn, Sex and Educating for the Difference’ in an effort to raise awareness as to the current growing
teen pornography crisis.
"I believe that we have an absolute imperative as educators to tackle that proactively, to facilitate a dialogue among young people so that they can make corrective choices online and build a values base from which they can make active decisions as to what they want to engage in and what they don’t want to engage in."
Mr. Chris Muller - Head at Sir William Perkins's School, Surrey
Miss Laura Whitwood - Head at St Dunstan’s College Junior School, SE London
Miss Laura Whitwood - Head at St Dunstan’s College Junior School, SE London
Mr. Chris Muller speaks about their ethos, school motto, their socially and ethnically diverse community, welcoming AI into the curriculum and the benefits to staff and pupils of being forward thinking as a school.
"It looks like 40% of jobs currently being done may well not exist by the time many of my students go into the workplace, so
Mr. Chris Muller speaks about their ethos, school motto, their socially and ethnically diverse community, welcoming AI into the curriculum and the benefits to staff and pupils of being forward thinking as a school.
"It looks like 40% of jobs currently being done may well not exist by the time many of my students go into the workplace, so it is really important for us to keep our eye on what is happening and make sure they’re fully prepared, in terms of the digital learning they’re receiving, for their eventual entry into the world of work."
Miss Laura Whitwood - Head at St Dunstan’s College Junior School, SE London
Miss Laura Whitwood - Head at St Dunstan’s College Junior School, SE London
Miss Laura Whitwood - Head at St Dunstan’s College Junior School, SE London
Miss Laura Whitwood speaks about the benefits of attending the Junior School, the Forder Programme and their Stuart curriculum and work that takes place with the local Lewisham community.
"We don’t want you to ever be able to spot a St Dunstan’s pupil, other than the fact that they’re really brave, bold, true to who they are and they embra
Miss Laura Whitwood speaks about the benefits of attending the Junior School, the Forder Programme and their Stuart curriculum and work that takes place with the local Lewisham community.
"We don’t want you to ever be able to spot a St Dunstan’s pupil, other than the fact that they’re really brave, bold, true to who they are and they embrace their individuality. They love that they have differences from others across the school. I think that that is a real benefit of St Dunstan’s, as it sets the children up for a really positive future."
Further Education Corner Podcast Interviews
Mr. Christian Saenger - Headmaster at Dumpton School, Dorset
Principal Mrs. Susie Longstaff and Head Mr. Paul Vanni - London Park School Clapham
Mrs. Maren Kelly - Science Lead at St Catherine’s Prep School, Bramley
Mr. Christian Saenger speaks about life at Dumpton School, their positive mindset and approach to learning. He also discusses their recent work related to Emotional Intelligence and the RULER initiative, character learning, the Dumpton Way and the Dumpton Diploma.
" The ‘RULER’ approach has been embedded throughout the school. It’s just be
Mr. Christian Saenger speaks about life at Dumpton School, their positive mindset and approach to learning. He also discusses their recent work related to Emotional Intelligence and the RULER initiative, character learning, the Dumpton Way and the Dumpton Diploma.
" The ‘RULER’ approach has been embedded throughout the school. It’s just been such a wonderful thing to see the impact that it’s had. Firstly, I think in just changing the culture to one where children feel they really can talk about emotions."
Mrs. Maren Kelly - Science Lead at St Catherine’s Prep School, Bramley
Principal Mrs. Susie Longstaff and Head Mr. Paul Vanni - London Park School Clapham
Mrs. Maren Kelly - Science Lead at St Catherine’s Prep School, Bramley
Mrs. Maren Kelly speaks about how science is an integral part of the curriculum for the Prep and Senior schools, the many STEM based clubs they offer, the importance of teaching science to girls and recently being awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark.
"We hope that many of the girls who will study science and discover their love of sc
Mrs. Maren Kelly speaks about how science is an integral part of the curriculum for the Prep and Senior schools, the many STEM based clubs they offer, the importance of teaching science to girls and recently being awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark.
"We hope that many of the girls who will study science and discover their love of science will go on to being the next generation of girls who will help cure diseases or clean the oceans, or maybe even discover a new planet."
Principal Mrs. Susie Longstaff and Head Mr. Paul Vanni - London Park School Clapham
Principal Mrs. Susie Longstaff and Head Mr. Paul Vanni - London Park School Clapham
Headmaster Mr. Guy Sanderson and their Lead on REACH Mr. Gideon Hammond - Eltham College, SE London
Mrs. Suzie Longstaff, Principal at London Park School Clapham as of Easter 2023, and the newly appointed Head, Mr. Paul Vanni, speak about the new London Park School, Clapham that will run through to GCSEs and is based in two buildings overlooking Clapham Common, with all the benefits and outdoor space this brings. They are going to open
Mrs. Suzie Longstaff, Principal at London Park School Clapham as of Easter 2023, and the newly appointed Head, Mr. Paul Vanni, speak about the new London Park School, Clapham that will run through to GCSEs and is based in two buildings overlooking Clapham Common, with all the benefits and outdoor space this brings. They are going to open a Sixth Form partner school, London Park Sixth Form, in Belgravia in September 2024/5.
"We want our students to be powerful agents of change. Changemakers is the word that we use. It is about soft skills, but it is also about real world knowledge and understanding from the curriculum.
Headmaster Mr. Guy Sanderson and their Lead on REACH Mr. Gideon Hammond - Eltham College, SE London
Headmaster Mr. Guy Sanderson and their Lead on REACH Mr. Gideon Hammond - Eltham College, SE London
Headmaster Mr. Guy Sanderson and their Lead on REACH Mr. Gideon Hammond - Eltham College, SE London
Mr. Guy Sanderson speaks about Eltham College’s history and some of the changes and challenges the school has addressed in the past ten years and Mr. Gideon Hammond speaks about how the college is addressing equality, diversity and inclusion and their recent ‘Every Name Matters’ initiative.
" We focus on Eltham College’s five R’s: respec
Mr. Guy Sanderson speaks about Eltham College’s history and some of the changes and challenges the school has addressed in the past ten years and Mr. Gideon Hammond speaks about how the college is addressing equality, diversity and inclusion and their recent ‘Every Name Matters’ initiative.
" We focus on Eltham College’s five R’s: respect, relationships, responsibility, resilience and readiness. The idea behind this is that if we can put those at the centre of what we do, then our actions are based on thought and reflection, which keeps us balanced for daily life and helps us engage with each other in a much more positive way. "
Mr. Andrew De Silva - Head at The Oratory Prep School, Oxfordshire
Headmaster Mr. Guy Sanderson and their Lead on REACH Mr. Gideon Hammond - Eltham College, SE London
Mr. Andrew De Silva - Head at The Oratory Prep School, Oxfordshire
Mr. Andrew De Silva speaks about the importance of child centred learning and his work as the Chair of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools’ EDI group looking to ensure that independent schools are fully supported. He also discusses the admissions process, facilities and ethos at the school.
"Don’t come to the school for our
Mr. Andrew De Silva speaks about the importance of child centred learning and his work as the Chair of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools’ EDI group looking to ensure that independent schools are fully supported. He also discusses the admissions process, facilities and ethos at the school.
"Don’t come to the school for our facilities, come to the school because of the relationships that the teachers have with the children, and the tools that help those teachers impart knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and skills. Yes, that’s helped by the facilities, but the real reason to come is that we can ensure your child makes social, emotional, and academic progress, which is all we want from our children."
Mr. Nick Hewlett - Head at St Dunstan's College, SE London
Headmaster Mr. Guy Sanderson and their Lead on REACH Mr. Gideon Hammond - Eltham College, SE London
Mr. Andrew De Silva - Head at The Oratory Prep School, Oxfordshire
Mr. Nick Hewlett speaks about the ethos and St Dunstan’s , St Dunstan’s Diapason and the broad renaissance education that they offer children from many different socio - economic backgrounds. He also shares his thoughts about EDI and how to ensure that independent schools are able to continue to thrive going forwards…
"Societal relevance
Mr. Nick Hewlett speaks about the ethos and St Dunstan’s , St Dunstan’s Diapason and the broad renaissance education that they offer children from many different socio - economic backgrounds. He also shares his thoughts about EDI and how to ensure that independent schools are able to continue to thrive going forwards…
"Societal relevance is the big one for me. We need to ensure that we don’t become obsolete or dug into a trench of identity that doesn’t resonate with society as a whole. I think that that is a huge risk of the independent education sector."
Victoria Ayodeji - ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
Victoria Ayodeji - ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
Victoria Ayodeji - ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
Victoria speaks about her experiences as a Black student from a disadvantaged background and her determination to overcome the many challenges she faced from her school years through to her gaining a place at Cambridge, despite the many challenges that she faced. She offers advice to other young people and offers a positive and insightful
Victoria speaks about her experiences as a Black student from a disadvantaged background and her determination to overcome the many challenges she faced from her school years through to her gaining a place at Cambridge, despite the many challenges that she faced. She offers advice to other young people and offers a positive and insightful insight into the many charities and support networks that are available and how having resilience and determination can lead to success despite the many challenges that young people may feel that they face.
"Yes, grades are very important, but that being said, you want to come across as someone who is both interesting and interested. I think you gain so much in life beyond the lecture hall and beyond the classroom, so I think it’s really important to ensure students are well-equipped to be fantastic global citizens, and a lot of that takes place beyond the school gates, so we need to encourage young people to access opportunities."
Mr. David Mulae - Assistant Head Pastoral of Cranleigh School, Surrey
Victoria Ayodeji - ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
Victoria Ayodeji - ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
Mr. David Mulae speaks about the ethos and values at Cranleigh School, his prior history working on EDI issues, the work taking place with ‘Flair’ partnered with an organisation called the ‘African Caribbean Education Network’ (ACEN) Cranleigh’s commitment to #BeTheChange and how Cranleigh are teaching the children to be themselves and to
Mr. David Mulae speaks about the ethos and values at Cranleigh School, his prior history working on EDI issues, the work taking place with ‘Flair’ partnered with an organisation called the ‘African Caribbean Education Network’ (ACEN) Cranleigh’s commitment to #BeTheChange and how Cranleigh are teaching the children to be themselves and to embrace the future.
"This sort of work around anti-racism, anti-sexism and anti-discrimination is all important in building an inclusive environment for pupils when they are here but discussing it in school means pupils can go out into the world and they can be the change that they want to see."
Mrs. Grace McCahery - Vice Principal of The White House School, Clapham
Victoria Ayodeji - ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
Mrs. Sophie Edward's - Head of Languages at St Catherine's Prep School, Surrey
Mrs. Grace McCahery speaks about The White House Preparatory School, which is also affiliated to Woodentops Nursery. The school is situated in Clapham, South London and was established in 1985. It provides a warm, friendly and inviting place for children to discover, learn and grow in confidence.
"We are definitely a school where childr
Mrs. Grace McCahery speaks about The White House Preparatory School, which is also affiliated to Woodentops Nursery. The school is situated in Clapham, South London and was established in 1985. It provides a warm, friendly and inviting place for children to discover, learn and grow in confidence.
"We are definitely a school where children can remain children, we nurture an environment where they can learn and grow and exceed their own ambitions and make friendships for life within a very wide school community. "
Mrs. Sophie Edward's - Head of Languages at St Catherine's Prep School, Surrey
Co-editors: Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall discuss their recently launched book ResearcHER.
Mrs. Sophie Edward's - Head of Languages at St Catherine's Prep School, Surrey
Mrs. Sophie Edwards speaks about the importance of learning languages at an early age and incorporating it as a fundamental part of the curriculum.
" We’re encouraging the girls to see (not that they only know one language) that we live in a plurilingual school with all these languages bubbling under the surface."
Co-editors: Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall discuss their recently launched book ResearcHER.
Co-editors: Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall discuss their recently launched book ResearcHER.
Co-editors: Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall discuss their recently launched book ResearcHER.
"We wanted to move away from this stereotypical idea that women are just one thing. We’ve got women from a whole range of different backgrounds in there. We wanted the book to talk of both their research and their lives. We wanted to explore the different journeys that they have taken to this research. Each chapter gives the reader an opp
"We wanted to move away from this stereotypical idea that women are just one thing. We’ve got women from a whole range of different backgrounds in there. We wanted the book to talk of both their research and their lives. We wanted to explore the different journeys that they have taken to this research. Each chapter gives the reader an opportunity to try out an activity or something related to the research that the chapter authors have undertaken. We explore their journeys, their different socio - economic backgrounds, we have women from really different backgrounds, some from working class backgrounds, some with a disability, some who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We wanted to bring the idea of research careers to young people at a much earlier age so that they have it on the horizon. "
Interview with Ben Draper, young British tennis player and Mr. Richard Garrett from RMG Associates
Co-editors: Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall discuss their recently launched book ResearcHER.
Co-editors: Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall discuss their recently launched book ResearcHER.
Ben Draper talks about his exciting tennis career to date, his early introduction to the sport through his parents and attending Reed’s School, in Cobham, with his younger brother, Jack Draper. Further to this he discusses his experience at UC Berkeley, USA, and also offers some top tennis tips for success!
"Everyone is unique, and I th
Ben Draper talks about his exciting tennis career to date, his early introduction to the sport through his parents and attending Reed’s School, in Cobham, with his younger brother, Jack Draper. Further to this he discusses his experience at UC Berkeley, USA, and also offers some top tennis tips for success!
"Everyone is unique, and I think that these colleges want to hear your story. They are interested to hear where you came from. Don’t be afraid to put your achievements out there. "
- Ben Draper
Previous Education Corner Podcast Interviews
Ms. Josephine Lane - Deputy Headmistress of SPGS, Project Re-MAKE
Ms. Josephine Lane - Deputy Headmistress of SPGS, Project Re-MAKE
Ms. Josephine Lane - Deputy Headmistress of SPGS, Project Re-MAKE
Ms. Josephine Lane speaks about project ReMAKE. Recently, St Paul’s Girls’ School have taken part in Project ReMAKE and ReMAKE Educational, an outreach project that introduces sixth form pupils to ex-offenders. This gives both sides the opportunity to share experiences, debate ideas and, most importantly, learn.
"Our students have come to
Ms. Josephine Lane speaks about project ReMAKE. Recently, St Paul’s Girls’ School have taken part in Project ReMAKE and ReMAKE Educational, an outreach project that introduces sixth form pupils to ex-offenders. This gives both sides the opportunity to share experiences, debate ideas and, most importantly, learn.
"Our students have come to a real understanding of how important it is to be seen as a productive member of society. They want to have a sense of purpose and identity that is supported and that helps with the transition back into society."
Miss Joanne Croft - Headmistress of Rye St. Antony
Ms. Josephine Lane - Deputy Headmistress of SPGS, Project Re-MAKE
Ms. Josephine Lane - Deputy Headmistress of SPGS, Project Re-MAKE
Miss Joanne Croft speaks about the ethos of Rye St Antony, being apart of the Girls on Board approach, boarding options, supporting the students’ wellbeing, SEN and bursaries.
" Our school is all about empowering the child to be the best version of themselves. It is about giving the child space to learn and love learning. It is about gi
Miss Joanne Croft speaks about the ethos of Rye St Antony, being apart of the Girls on Board approach, boarding options, supporting the students’ wellbeing, SEN and bursaries.
" Our school is all about empowering the child to be the best version of themselves. It is about giving the child space to learn and love learning. It is about giving the child space to find their own talents, their own individual skills that they are good at."
Dr. Joe Spence - Headmaster of Dulwich College
Ms. Josephine Lane - Deputy Headmistress of SPGS, Project Re-MAKE
Mrs. Louise McCabe Arnold - Headmistress of Surbiton High Girls' Prep
Dr. Joe Spence, long-standing Headmaster at Dulwich College, talks about the ethos and efforts being made to ensure they are a fully diverse and inclusive school for boys’ in London.
"Our job is to be allies, and that leads very neatly into trying to educate the boys to realise that feminism is not about women versus men. It is not a girls
Dr. Joe Spence, long-standing Headmaster at Dulwich College, talks about the ethos and efforts being made to ensure they are a fully diverse and inclusive school for boys’ in London.
"Our job is to be allies, and that leads very neatly into trying to educate the boys to realise that feminism is not about women versus men. It is not a girls’ issue. It is very powerful to move forward in that space and that is where we are at the moment."
Mrs. Louise McCabe Arnold - Headmistress of Surbiton High Girls' Prep
Mrs. Louise McCabe Arnold - Headmistress of Surbiton High Girls' Prep
Mrs. Louise McCabe Arnold - Headmistress of Surbiton High Girls' Prep
Mrs. Louise McCabe-Arnold speaks about her new role as Headmistress at Surbiton High Prep, the school ethos, supporting parents, bursaries, entrance procedures and even her school friendly dog!
"I think that the wonderful appeal of Surbiton is that the girls reach that high academic standard, with an excellent education, but they get that without having to compete for a secondary school place."
Mr. Dominic Oliver - Lancing College
Mrs. Louise McCabe Arnold - Headmistress of Surbiton High Girls' Prep
Mrs. Jane Lunnon - Alleyn's School, Dulwich
Mr. Dominic Oliver speaks about his last 10 years leading Lancing College in Sussex and were able to learn about the ethos at Lancing College and the aims of the staff and their key concern to reflect pupil voice in their teaching and learning at the school and the benefits of boarding.
"I know all of the students here. I love the fact that I know them and know them well. "
Mrs. Jane Lunnon - Alleyn's School, Dulwich
Mrs. Louise McCabe Arnold - Headmistress of Surbiton High Girls' Prep
Mrs. Jane Lunnon - Alleyn's School, Dulwich
Mrs. Jane Lunnon, first Headmistress of Alleyn's School, speaks about their global approach to learning and how they have supported the children through the many issues that have arisen since the pandemic including: BLM, Everyone's Invited, gender equality and the digital advances that have been made since going online.
"We're looking for
Mrs. Jane Lunnon, first Headmistress of Alleyn's School, speaks about their global approach to learning and how they have supported the children through the many issues that have arisen since the pandemic including: BLM, Everyone's Invited, gender equality and the digital advances that have been made since going online.
"We're looking for young people who are hungry for opportunity, who are curious and eager for the future and what it holds."
Mr. Lee Elliot Major OBE - first professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University
Mr. Lee Elliot Major OBE - first professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University
Mr. Lee Elliot Major OBE - first professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University
Mr. Lee Elliot Major speaks about his pivotal position at Exeter University leading the increased focus on inclusion and diversity. He also was able to discuss his recent book The Good Parent Educator.
"As a university, we want to educate and help young people from all backgrounds, so we have some ambitious targets for over the next 5-10 y
Mr. Lee Elliot Major speaks about his pivotal position at Exeter University leading the increased focus on inclusion and diversity. He also was able to discuss his recent book The Good Parent Educator.
"As a university, we want to educate and help young people from all backgrounds, so we have some ambitious targets for over the next 5-10 years as a part of the University strategy. This is mainly to try to enrol more state school students and more students from disadvantaged backgrounds."
Ms. Ffion Robinson - Churcher's College Junior School
Mr. Lee Elliot Major OBE - first professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University
Mr. Lee Elliot Major OBE - first professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University
Ms. Ffion Robinson speaks about the ethos of Churcher's College Juniors. We explore: the advantages of a South Downs location; features of a Churcher's child and activities to support children outside of the classroom.
"Happy children learn best... we adapt, and we are flexible and we create plans according to what children need."
Simon James Green - LGTBQIA+ author
Mr. Lee Elliot Major OBE - first professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University
Simon James Green - LGTBQIA+ author
Simon James Green has been shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2021, been featured in Book Trust's Great Book's Guide 2021, and has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal 2020.
We discussed some of his favourite books so far, and how he explores LGBTQ+ characters within them.Simon also talked about his latest book Sleep-over Take-over, which came out in January 2022!
Marvyn Harrison - Dope Black Dads
Dr. Sandie Okoro - inclusion and diversity champion
Dr. Sandie Okoro - inclusion and diversity champion
Marvyn Harrison, founder of Dope Black Dads and BELOVD, speaks about his experience as a father and his work as a celebrated leader and voice for diversity and inclusion.
"Words become your actions, become your thoughts, become your feelings."
Dr. Sandie Okoro - inclusion and diversity champion
Dr. Sandie Okoro - inclusion and diversity champion
Dr. Sandie Okoro - inclusion and diversity champion
Dr. Sandie Okoro, General Council of World Bank and Vice President, discusses the importance of using her 'voice' to support gender and racial equality. Dr. Okoro shares some insight into her childhood experiences in education that enabled her to become a diversity and inclusion champion.
"Women are half the world's population; we need to be in half the conversations, we need to be half of the people in the room."
Miss Olivia Buchanan - Falcons Prep School
Dr. Sandie Okoro - inclusion and diversity champion
Miss Olivia Buchanan - Falcons Prep School
Miss Olivia Buchanan speaks about the ethos of Falcons Prep School, including: what they look for in their children; how they help support them post lockdown; Black History Month and much more!
Mr. Bart Wielenga - Blundell's School
Mr. Simon Williams - Churcher's College
Miss Olivia Buchanan - Falcons Prep School
Mr. Bart Wielenga speaks about the academics at Blundell's, their main entry points and their wonderful location in Tiverton, Devon. Be sure to listen in for information about their extracurriculars, their ethos, scholarships and bursaries.
“Of course, getting a good set of grades matters, as grades open up opportunities, but really, it’s the other skills that are developed at school that are important, as these are the skills that students need to be successful in society.”
Mr. Simon Williams - Churcher's College
Mr. Simon Williams - Churcher's College
Mr. Simon Williams - Churcher's College
Mr. Simon Williams, Headmaster of Churcher's College, discusses the benefits of a school in the countryside, the COVID learning gap and a classic Churcher's pupil.
"I think the children here are multitalented, but with a competency and a confidence, which allows them to progress onto the next stage in their life, but also to make a grand success of whatever they go on to do."
Mrs. Beth Dawson - Sutton High School
Mr. Simon Williams - Churcher's College
Mr. Simon Williams - Churcher's College
The Headmistress of Sutton High GDST discusses Sutton's academic results and destinations, the benefits of a single sex education and a typical Sutton girl. Listen in for more.
“Our three values are courage, truth and joy and they are a part of absolutely everything that we do!”
Mr. John Floyd - Bruern Abbey School
Mr. Jon Hetherington - More House School
Mr. Jon Hetherington - More House School
Bruern Abbey is a school that specialises in preparing boys aged 8-13 with
learning difficulties for Common Entrance. We spoke to the Headmaster about their learning support, flexible boarding and the boys' secondary school destinations.
“Their self-confidence and self-belief increases, they get a better understanding of themselves both in terms of their strength and weaknesses,”
Mr. Jon Hetherington - More House School
Mr. Jon Hetherington - More House School
Mr. Jon Hetherington - More House School
More House offers specialist support for boys with specific learning and language-based difficulties. We spoke to the Headmaster about the support they offer, their mainstream curriculum and their BTEC options.
“Every single one of our teachers has a very keen awareness of what the potential barriers are for our sorts of pupils and they deliver in a way that supports neurodiversity.”
Mr. James Dahl - Wellington College
Mr. Jon Hetherington - More House School
Mr. James Dahl - Wellington College
Mr. James Dahl, 15th Master of Wellington College, talks to us about being a Headmaster during COVID, the new Education Grant and their work with local state schools. Well worth a listen if you want to hear more about the the fizz of Wellington!
"Absolutely, I am very keen moving forward that our social impact our social responsibility work falls into three areas. One is around direct partnerships with schools, teacher to teacher, teacher to pupil, pupil to pupil. The second branch of work is widening access, you mentioned the Prince Albert foundation and that is our transformational bursary scheme that we are really keen to grow. This third branch is this new educational grant, and we have just appointed someone to come in and lead that entire process."