Nick Hewlett

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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.

After a brief spell in the City, working at Tullett and Tokyo, Hewlett went to King's College London to study Geography, where he obtained First Class honours in 2002.

Career

After contemplating a career as a professional singer, Hewlett decided to complete a PGCE at the Institute of Education, leading him to take his first teaching job at Dulwich College, in 2003. After three years, Hewlett was made Head of Geography at Magdalen College School, Oxford.

In 2011, Hewlett was employed as part of a team that helped to lead a flagship school on the island of Jeju, South Korea, under the banner of North London Collegiate School. As Head of the Boys' School, the school quickly became a beacon of excellence in Asia. In 2014, Hewlett became Head of St Dunstan's College, Catford, where he is currently in post. Under his leadership, St Dunstan's has grown and gone through significant developments.

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. 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."

In 2023, St Dunstan's merged with Rosemead Prep School, further enlarging the St Dunstan's Community of Schools.

Under Hewlett's leadership, St Dunstan's College has won numerous awards. In 2020, the school was named Independent Co-educational School of the Year at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards. In June 2022, St Dunstan's College was named Independent Senior School of the Year at the Tes Awards in central London. 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."

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. Hewlett was also shortlisted for Headteacher of the Year (Independent) at the TES awards in 2023.

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. 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."

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.

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."

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."

Media interest

In February 2021, Hewlett spoke to the 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." 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."

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. He maintained his standing as a tenor soloist throughout his 20s, as well as singing as a lay clerk for New College Oxford from 2009 to 2011.

Following his time in South Korea, Hewlett returned to his south London roots and now lives in Catford with his husband, Alberic, their two children and South Korean rescue dog.

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

This article "Nick Hewlett" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Nick Hewlett. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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