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Our Story

Six decades of shaping remarkable lives

Since 1962, Northwood Academy has been more than a school. It is a community built on curiosity, character and the belief that every child carries something extraordinary.

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Northwood Academy campus
1962
Founded
On a single ideal: education with heart
Who We Are

A school where character matters as much as achievement

Founded by educator Margaret Northwood with just forty pupils, our academy was built on a simple conviction: that children learn best when they are known, challenged and cared for in equal measure.

More than sixty years on, that conviction still guides us. Today we are a thriving international community of 1,450 students from 42 nations — yet we remain, at heart, a place where every name is known and every story matters.

Our Mission

To inspire curious, principled and resilient young people who think deeply, act with kindness, and leave Northwood ready to shape a better world.

Our Vision

To be a school without limits — where tradition and innovation meet, and where every child discovers not just what they can do, but who they can become.

What We Stand For

Six values, woven into everything

Our values are not words on a wall. They live in our classrooms, our corridors and our community — and they shape the adults our students become.

01

Curiosity

We nurture the questions, not just the answers — fuelling a lifelong hunger to learn.

02

Integrity

We do what is right, especially when it is hard, and own our choices with honesty.

03

Courage

We embrace challenge, take brave leaps, and learn as much from failure as success.

04

Compassion

We lead with empathy, lift one another up, and serve the wider world with kindness.

05

Excellence

We pursue our personal best in all things, with discipline, craft and pride.

06

Community

We belong to something larger than ourselves, and we make it stronger together.

Our Journey

Milestones across the decades

1962

A school is born

Margaret Northwood opens the academy with forty pupils in a converted manor house.

1978

The campus grows

Our 25-acre campus and first science laboratories are established.

1995

Going global

The International Baccalaureate is introduced, welcoming families from around the world.

2012

A new era of innovation

The Science & Innovation Hub and 400-seat theatre open their doors.

2024

Rated Outstanding

Awarded the highest inspection rating, with 98% of leavers placed at first-choice universities.

Our Leadership

Guided by experience and heart

Dr. Helena Cross

Dr. Helena Cross

Head of School
Robert Chen

Robert Chen

Deputy Head, Academic
Aisha Rahman

Aisha Rahman

Deputy Head, Pastoral
Thomas Bennett

Thomas Bennett

Director of Admissions
ISI
Independent Schools Inspectorate
IB
World School Accredited
CIS
Council of International Schools
HMC
Headmasters' Conference
Come and See

Experience Northwood for yourself

The best way to understand our community is to walk our corridors. Book a personal tour and meet the people who make Northwood special.