Nick Hewlett
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Nick Hewlett | |
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| Born | 1979 (age 44–45) Croydon |
| Nationality | English |
| Education | King's College London |
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Nicholas Paul Hewlett (born 1979) is an English schoolteacher and is currently Head of St Dunstan's College, Catford, London. Before that, Hewlett was Head of Boys' School at North London Collegiate School Jeju.
Early life
Born and brought up in Croydon, Hewlett attended Whitgift School from 1991 to 1998.
Career
In January 2020, the most significant development of the school site took place since the school’s foundation in 1888. This included the construction of a new Junior School, STEM Centre for Innovation and Excellence, Sixth Form Centre and Performing Arts Centre.[1] On the developments, Hewlett explained: "As one of the first schools in the world to have invested in science and technology laboratories, it seems fitting that, 130 years on, we are creating state-of-the-art STEM facilities for the next generation of Dunstonians."[2]
In 2023, St Dunstan's merged with Rosemead Prep School, further enlarging the St Dunstan's Community of Schools.[3]
Under Hewlett's leadership, St Dunstan's College has won numerous awards.[4]. Judge David James praised Hewlett saying: "The head is asking interesting questions of the sector, including areas like privilege and responsibility, which go beyond the usual platitudes. It's a really interesting school in a tough market, trying to not just survive but actually make something different for the children and families they're working with."[5]
In 2023, St Dunstan’s College was named the Most Progressive School in London at the Private Education Awards. He also leads St Dunstan's 'Rethinking Education' webinar series.[6]
Views on education
Hewlett is an advocate for a renaissance education, and at St Dunstan's he has ensured pupils get to experience the wealth of 17 compulsory subjects in the Senior School before choosing GCSE subjects.
Hewlett is passionate about the creative arts and, in 2015, relaunched the St Dunstan's Festival which had first taken place in the 1990s at the school.[7] The 2023 event took place across 11 days and featured more than 160 events for St Dunstan's students and those from local schools. Speaking on his Rethinking Education webinar episode Hewlett explained: "It breaks my heart when I read of the decimation of creative arts subjects in schools. Creativity is such a fundamental part of education and of early adolescent brain development and yet schools time and again deprioritise these subjects."[6]
Hewlett is also passionate about independent schools working closely with local communities. In 2021, working with Lewisham Council and the Westside Young Leaders Academy, Hewlett co-launched the Lewisham Young Leaders Academy. The academy supports young Black Caribbean and dual heritage pupils in Lewisham with life skills including leadership, presentation skills and CV building.[8]
He is also committed to changing the perceptions of independent education. In 2022, Hewlett told School House: "I am a firm believer that independent schools must be active participants in the broader societal journey and our collective endeavour towards a more inclusive society. We can and must do more to erode any perception that we are bastions of institutional privilege."[9]
In June 2023, Hewlett hosted the conference 'Let's Talk About... Porn, Sex and Educating for the Difference' at Mansion House for education professionals in response to the growing teen pornography crisis. In his opening remarks, Hewlett explained: "If we don’t get a grip on this and start talking with young people properly, we will have a generation coming through who will come out the other side entering adulthood with a completely distorted view of what sex should look like and feel like and consequently an intrinsic dissatisfaction that their sex life is not a replication of that."[10]
Media interest
In February 2021, Hewlett spoke to the [1] about his plans to be open to students about his sexuality in assembly to mark LGBT History Month. He explained: “There will be kids who are struggling with their own sexuality and who would benefit from knowing that you can be happy and gay, and I have a privileged position to show them that. I felt that I owed it to the pupils to be open and courageous too. I am inspired by them.”[11] The assembly gained international attention and was covered across the world including the United States, Spain, France and Australia.
In February 2023, Hewlett and St Dunstan's made headlines around the world when it was reported the school was covering toxic masculinity and the negative consequences of individuals such as influencer Andrew Tate. Speaking to AFP, he explained: "If schools don't respond to that, who is going to challenge their views? (…) You'll create a generation of young people who have a completely distorted view of what success looks like."[12]
Hewlett has also appeared on Sky News, BBC News, BBC Radio London and ITV News. He also regularly writes for Reuters and educational titles including School House and Absolutely Education.
Personal life
Hewlett has always had a strong interest in the Arts and for music in particular, having led numerous choirs and ensembles.
In the Media
Head Nick Hewlett features on BBC Politics London to discuss toxic masculinity | Sunday 2 July 2023
Our Stuart Curriculum lessons feature on BBC Breakfast | St Dunstan’s College
BBC Radio London with Vanessa Feltz and Nick Hewlett - Thursday 30 June 2022
References
- ↑ "St Dunstan's College celebrates the official opening of new Junior School, STEM Block and Sixth Form Centre". ST Dunstan's College. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ↑ "St Dunstan's starts 'most significant redevelopment' of school facilities". IE-Today. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ↑ "St Dunstan's College and Rosemead Preparatory School announce new merger". St Dunstan's College. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ↑ "Our Awards and Reports". St Dunstan's College. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ↑ "St Dunstan's College wins Independent Senior School of the Year at Tes Awards 2022". St Dunstan's College. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Rethinking the importance of education in a post-pandemic world". St Dunstan's College. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ↑ "St Dunstan's Festival". St Dunstan's College.
- ↑ "Launch of Lewisham Young Leaders Academy (LYLA)". Lewisham Council. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ↑ "Our Mutual Friends Partnerships". Country and Townhouse. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ↑ "St Dunstan's College hosts groundbreaking conference to tackle teen pornography crisis". St Dunstan's College. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ↑ "Headmaster to use online assembly to come out to his pupils". The Times. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- ↑ "UK schools fight misogynism peddled by online influencer Tate". France 24. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
External links
This article "Nick Hewlett" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.