Surrey


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Reigate-St-Marys-Nick-Oakden.jpg" alt="Nick Oakden, head master at Reigate St Mary's in Reigate, Surrey." class="wp-image-65363" style="aspect-ratio:1.4992503748125936;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Reigate-St-Marys-Nick-Oakden.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Reigate-St-Marys-Nick-Oakden-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Reigate-St-Marys-Nick-Oakden-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Reigate-St-Marys-Nick-Oakden-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Reigate-St-Marys-Nick-Oakden-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nick Oakden, Headmaster at Reigate St Mary&#8217;s in Reigate. </figcaption></figure>



<p><em>Nick Oakden took up the role of Headmaster at Reigate St Mary’s in April 2026, following the retirement of Marcus Culverwell after 20 years at the helm. He joins from Hurstpierpoint College, where he had been Head of the Prep School for the previous four years.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-top-3-things-to-tackle-in-your-inbox"><em>What are the top 3 things to tackle in your inbox?</em> </h2>



<p>Definitely&nbsp;at&nbsp;the top of my inbox is getting into every classroom as often as possible.&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;making it a priority to learn every child’s name and get to know them properly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Spend plenty of time with our parent community.&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;been hosting informal coffee mornings; a relaxed chance to say hello, listen, and hear what families love most (and what&nbsp;they’d&nbsp;like more of).&nbsp;</p>



<p>And finally, the site itself… there are some exciting plans bubbling away in the background. Watch this space!&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-30-second-elevator-pitch-for-your-school-sell-it"><em>30 second elevator pitch for your school – sell it!</em></h2>



<p>At Reigate St Mary’s, we believe childhood is precious&nbsp;and we have a responsibility to&nbsp;make every child’s time at school joyful and truly special.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>We teach children how to think, not what to think, placing wellbeing, character and social responsibility at the heart of school life, so they grow into confident, kind and curious learners.</p>



<p>Set in the heart of Reigate, we’re fortunate to have 15 acres of green space, giving children real room to explore, play and learn outdoors every day. </p>



<p>Inside and out of the classroom, our broad curriculum and specialist teaching, from Forest School and philosophy to Mandarin and computing, spark curiosity, creativity and a genuine love of learning.  </p>



<p>Most importantly, every child feels known and valued, nurtured and supported to flourish, so they leave us confident and excited for their next chapter. Being part of the Reigate Grammar School family also brings real continuity with the reassurance of a clear, supported pathway on to their wonderful senior schools. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-would-you-like-to-star-as-nick-oakden-in-the-movie-of-your-life"><em>Who would you like to star as Nick Oakden in the movie of your life?</em> </h2>



<p>Robert Downey Junior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-ve-been-given-a-1m-donation-for-the-school-what-will-you-spend-it-on"><em>You’ve been given a £1m donation for the school, what will you spend it on?  </em></h2>



<p>We’re already very lucky with the facilities we have at Reigate, but if a £1m gift landed on my desk I’d invest it in taking our STEAM provision to the next level. Our Lego Robotics room is a brilliant starting point, and I’d love to build on that momentum by widening the range of hands‑on STEAM experiences across the school. STEAM fuels curiosity, creativity and critical thinking &#8211; exactly the skills our pupils need for life. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-describe-your-own-childhood-school-days"><em>Describe your own childhood school days</em>.</h2>



<p>I wanted to become a teacher largely because I loved my own prep school so much. I genuinely enjoyed learning (most of the time!) but what stayed with me most was the feeling of community. It was a friendly, encouraging place where I felt known and supported. That sense of belonging gave me the confidence to throw myself into everything school had to offer, from sport to drama to singing in choirs.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;exactly why I place such importance on leading a school with a strong community today, so every child feels valued,&nbsp;encouraged&nbsp;and able to get involved.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-the-common-theme-of-nick-oakden-s-school-reports"><em>What was the common theme of Nick Oakden&#8217;s school reports?  </em></h2>



<p>Nick works hard, gives 100%, fully embraces the co-curricular life of the school&#8230; and talks too much! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-and-worst-teachers-at-your-childhood-school-and-why"><em>Favourite and worst teachers at your childhood school and why? </em></h2>



<p>My&nbsp;favourite&nbsp;teacher was my history teacher. He was genuinely inspirational; he had a gift for bringing the past to life and making every lesson feel like a story you wanted to step into. Most importantly, he made you feel you could do it, and that belief stayed with me&nbsp;</p>



<p>My worst was a&nbsp;maths&nbsp;teacher with no patience, firing questions and demanding instant answers. Ironically,&nbsp;he’s&nbsp;one of the reasons I later&nbsp;specialised&nbsp;in&nbsp;maths;&nbsp;I wanted to teach it in a way that made children feel confident, not&nbsp;anxious.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-and-worst-subject-at-school"><em>Best and worst subject at school?  </em></h2>



<p>Best: history </p>



<p>Worst: maths </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-did-you-go-to-uni-what-did-you-study"><em>Where did you go to uni? What did you study?</em><strong> </strong></h2>



<p>University of Wales to read&nbsp;English&nbsp;and History,&nbsp;followed&nbsp;by a&nbsp;Masters in Educational Leadership.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-your-favourite-books-in-childhood-uni-and-now"><em>Tell us your favourite books – in childhood, uni and now.</em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1574" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings.jpg" alt="Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien." class="wp-image-65367" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings-508x800.jpg 508w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings-635x1000.jpg 635w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings-254x400.jpg 254w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings-768x1209.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Book-Lord-of-the-Rings-976x1536.jpg 976w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>My favourite book as a child was<em> Lord of the Rings</em> by JRR Tolkein </p>



<p>At university, my favourite book was <em>Harry Potter</em> by JK Rowling </p>



<p>Currently I’m really enjoying reading <em>Shantaram</em> by Gregory David Roberts </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-weren-t-a-head-what-would-you-be"><em>If you weren’t a head, what would you be?</em> </h2>



<p>I still&nbsp;harbour&nbsp;dreams of playing for Coventry City,&nbsp;but sadly my football talent never quite matched my ambition. However, my more realistic Plan B would be&nbsp;travel&nbsp;writer: I love reading, I love exploring&nbsp;new places, and the idea of travelling the world and writing about&nbsp;adventures,&nbsp;the people, the food, the little surprises,&nbsp;sounds like a&nbsp;perfect&nbsp;job.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-describe-what-s-on-your-work-desk"><em>Describe what’s on your work desk…</em> </h2>



<p>I like&nbsp;a tidy desk, so&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;mostly just my notebook and laptop, plus a few photos of my wife and our two daughters to keep me smiling. I do also have&nbsp;a framed Coventry FA Cup Final ticket stub that never fails to lift my mood.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-what-s-in-the-top-drawer"><em>And what’s in the top drawer? </em></h2>



<p>Currently&nbsp;very little, but&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;sure that&nbsp;I’ll&nbsp;stock it with snacks over the next few weeks.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-best-school-trip-you-ve-ever-been-on"><em>What’s the best school trip you’ve ever been on? </em> </h2>



<p>I’ve&nbsp;led plenty of wonderful school trips, but my&nbsp;favourite&nbsp;must be a ski trip to Canada when I first started teaching.&nbsp;I’d&nbsp;never skied before, so I learned with the children which was very humbling, because they were fearless and flying down the slopes while I was still negotiating how to stop!&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-play-book-and-film-should-be-on-every-child-s-cultural-bucket-list"><em>What play, book and film should be on every child’s cultural bucket list?</em> </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Matilda-the-musical-Production-photography-sep-2024_2024_credit-llie-Kurttz-1000x667.jpg" alt="Matilda the Musical on stage (2024)" class="wp-image-65366" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Matilda-the-musical-Production-photography-sep-2024_2024_credit-llie-Kurttz-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Matilda-the-musical-Production-photography-sep-2024_2024_credit-llie-Kurttz-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Matilda-the-musical-Production-photography-sep-2024_2024_credit-llie-Kurttz-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Matilda-the-musical-Production-photography-sep-2024_2024_credit-llie-Kurttz-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2026/05/Matilda-the-musical-Production-photography-sep-2024_2024_credit-llie-Kurttz.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8216;Matilda the Musical&#8217; on stage. <em>Photo credit: Ellie Kurttz</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Play: <em>Matilda the Musical</em>, it empowers children to stand up to bullies and celebrates intelligence and creativity. </p>



<p>Book: <em>Goodnight Mr Tom</em> by Michelle Magorian, a touching and thought-provoking portrait of how two people can find solace in each other in the midst of turmoil. </p>



<p>Film: <em>Inside Out</em>. Growing up is really about figuring out our feelings, especially the confusing ones. <em>Inside Out</em> helps children understand that even the tough emotions are completely normal, and they all have a place. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-want-to-hide-from-the-kids-and-staff-for-half-an-hour-where-do-you-go"><em>If you want to hide from the kids and staff for half an hour, where do you go?</em><strong>  </strong> </h2>



<p>I tend to do the opposite. If I want to hide from my desk and the&nbsp;never‑ending&nbsp;to‑do&nbsp;list, I&nbsp;go and find&nbsp;the children and staff. A quick wander around school is the best kind of reset.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-song-you-sing-at-full-volume-when-everyone-s-gone-home"><em>The song you sing at full volume when everyone’s gone home?</em> </h2>



<p>Anything by Oasis&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-younger-nick-oakden"><em>What advice would you give to a younger Nick Oakden?</em> </h2>



<p>Don’t&nbsp;be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are not setbacks;&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;stepping stones.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-your-current-students"><em>And your current students? </em></h2>



<p>Embrace every opportunity, get involved, lead with kindness and make time to notice something beautiful every day. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<p><strong><em><a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/school-reviews/reigate-st-marys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reigate St Mary’s</a> is a town centre prep school and nursery set within 15 acres of parkland in the heart of Reigate. It’s a warm, community-focused school with strong academics and plenty of space for children to roam, explore and get stuck in.</em></strong></p>



<p><em><strong>Reigate St Mary’s School, Chart Lane, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 7RN. Tel: 01737 244880. <a href="https://www.reigatestmarys.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reigatestmarys.org</a></strong></em></p>


Head’s up! Nick Oakden, Reigate St Mary’s

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