EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST WITH HEAD
Mr. Will Newman FROM CRANLEIGH PREP SCHOOL, SURREY In this episode of Education Corner Podcast, we spoke to Mr. Will Newman, Head at Cranleigh Prep School, Surrey. Will spoke to us about Cranleigh Prep School’s family-like community, the importance of developing pupils’ confidence and passions and preparing children to be future leaders.
Mr. Will Newman first began working in prep education after graduating from university, despite originally intending to work in secondary education, he told us: “Within a week, I realised I’d found my calling and loved it and that’s where I’ve stayed ever since - in prep schools.” Since then, he has worked in several schools, including Sedbergh Prep, Taunton Prep and Edgeborough School, before joining Cranleigh Prep as Head at the beginning of 2025. The school motto is Ex Cultur Robur, meaning: ‘From Culture comes strength’. Will likened the community and culture at Cranleigh Prep to a family: “I think of our children here, in many ways, as I think of my own children. We all want the best for our kids. We all want them to explore every avenue or every interest that they might possibly have and that’s what we do here at the Prep School at Cranleigh.” This supportive, familylike atmosphere is particularly important to the boarding pupils at Cranleigh Prep. Will described the benefits of boarding and stated: “It gives you 1 8 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | S P R I N G 2 02 5
even more opportunity to immerse the children in the culture that you want them to be a part of,” giving pupils even more opportunities to make the most of all Cranleigh Prep has to offer. Will also believes that boarding at the prep stage can benefit pupils and families by prolonging their childhood, especially “[in] an era and in a society where sometimes children are accelerated through their childhood quicker than parents may want.” At Cranleigh Prep, pupils are “completely screen-free in the boarding environment.” Instead, they are encouraged to play outdoors and explore the many activities on offer with their friends. Will stated: “They spend their evenings, their mornings and everywhere in between, just talking to each other, mucking around with their friends, doing all kinds of daft games, ridiculousness. I think that is a wonderful antidote to a society in which children’s childhood is in danger of being eroded.” At Cranleigh Prep, pupils have plentiful space and resources to entertain themselves and explore anything that might pique their interest: “If you want a school in which you’ve got your own astroturf, a swimming pool, a gym, its own woodlands and all the rest of these things that the children do, then there’s that.” Alongside the excellent academic offering, the hidden curriculum, life skills learnt by partaking
