The most common question I am asked as a Headmaster is: What is your vision for the School? Pass me a…
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Archives: Head's Blog
Could do better…should do better.
Government, organisations, schools, families all face dilemmas in balancing potentially competing agendas. Issues around climate change and the environment are…
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To serve or bang our drum
In this blog series, I am reflecting upon Cranleigh’s values, Service, Relationships, Leadership and Excellence. Service: All in the community are…
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Choosing courses – an historical perspective
On 29th December, Toby Helm wrote an article in The Observer claiming that exam reforms were putting private school pupils…
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The Subtle Beauties
‘The artist…only after long and close observation do the scales drop from his eyes and he sees a beautiful pose,…
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What mean these stones? 11th November 1934
Our archivist, Old Cranleighan Martin Williamson, came across this sermon preached in Chapel by John Purvis on Armistice morning in…
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A Natural History GCSE ?
Please read my previous blog, The Subtle Beauties for a fuller context. In 2011, natural historian and writer Mary Colwell…
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Can old ways be Pathways?
This blog is part of a series in the spirit of ‘Cranleigh Thinking’, intended to provoke thought and debate and…
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Relationships – the ‘Hi Sir’ test
Relationships: Strong relationships are fostered as a priority in a predominantly boarding community. Children flourish within safe, supportive environments. This…
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Direction setting
Four years ago we set down our Vision 150, setting out the direction for Cranleigh’s future. When a school’s founding…
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Reflections on Remembrance
A school, a community, is a living, breathing, ever-changing wonderful being full of promise and challenge and suffering and love.…
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Environmental Action Guest Blog
Mr Leamon, who has supported the School’s Environmental Action Group in its first year, reflects on the progress that has…
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The Ills Of The World
I was once interviewed by The Good Schools Guide and, during my meeting, I was asked a very good question…
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Reflections on Excellence
We are just about to pilot a new rewards and sanctions policy. One of the reasons for doing so was…
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Card shopping with my mother
I cannot remember the last time I went shopping with my mother – I confess I was no James James…
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To ban or not to ban
That really was the question of last term, and the School’s decision not to allow the Fourth Form to have…
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Running with a purpose
This blog is part of a series in the spirit of ‘Cranleigh Thinking’, intended to provoke thought and debate and…
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What Future for Leadership?
This blog continues a series on school values with a focus on leadership. This opening blog approaches the language we…
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The curriculum beast
This blog is part of a series in the spirit of ‘Cranleigh Thinking’, intended to provoke thought and debate and…
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Leading in Uncertain Times
This is the second in a series of blogs on Leadership. Please see the blogs What future for leadership? and…
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Unleashing a beast
This blog is part of a series in the spirit of ‘Cranleigh Thinking’, intended to provoke thought and debate and…
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A Model for Leadership
This is the third in a series on leadership. Please see What future for leadership? and Leading in Uncertain Times…
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Getting back on track with a purpose
This blog is part of a series in the spirit of ‘Cranleigh Thinking’, intended to provoke thought and debate and…
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Inspired and rocked…
This blog is a transcript of the March 2020 Colours Assembly podcast. Having had a week of virtual learning, a…
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The gatherings
During my Speech Day address, I emphasised the specialness of our environment. So, as part of our 150th Year celebrations,…
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From colour to black and white
An Indian summer has produced some wonderful displays of russets and golds around the school campus. Oaks, ashes, alders and…
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Measuring the sun
Data, data, data?we are at times overwhelmed in its swamp. And to use deliberately and ironically statistical terminology to quantify…
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Measuring in the sun
Please read my blog ?Measuring the sun? for a different perspective on measurement In my blog, ?Measuring the sun?, I…
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Family members
There are three members of the Cranleigh Family: Cranleigh School, Cranleigh Prep School and our latest member, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi.…
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Ex Cultu Robur – from culture comes strength
On 28th April, Cranleigh held its first educational conference, one of the central events of its 150th Anniversary Celebrations. The…
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Awakenings
The Cranleigh landscape looks at its best in spring. Surrounded by deciduous trees and mixed native hedgerows (mainly hawthorn, blackthorn…
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Flying Kites
The bird of prey, or raptor, is probably the genus of bird that is on everyone’s list of favourites. Perhaps…
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Thinking time
Over the last few weeks of the Spring term, I can genuinely claim to have seen education in action in…
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Ex Cultu Robur: shaping a Cranleigh Curriculum
This blog is part of a series in the spirit of ‘Cranleigh Thinking’, intended to provoke thought and debate and…
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Climate change, hypocrisy and me…
In the spirit of Cranleigh Thinking, Head’s blogs are meant to provoke conversation around issues as it is through dialogue…
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What the papers did not say
After speaking at the annual Heads’ conference, several journalists were eager for a story, as I suppose were we. As…
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Learning the Greek way
The end of November marks the beginning of reports season, the scramble to meet coursework deadlines and preparation for rehearsal…
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