Shortlisted (for the second year in a row) for the ‘Independent Girls’ School of the Year’ Award 2023!

We are delighted to share the news that we have been shortlisted (for the second year in a row) for the ‘Independent Girls School of the Year’ Award 2023.

You can read our entry below:

In a recent GDST survey, almost a third of girls nationally felt unable to participate in certain activities or subjects because of their gender; 75% of the girls surveyed believe that it is their generations’ responsibility to make the world a better place (and 66% want a job that makes a difference to society), however, 36% said they want to make a difference but do not feel that they can. 

‘We believe that success and purpose stem from feeling valued and creating impact’ is the first line of our mission statement (https://www.northwoodcollege.gdst.net/about-us/aims-and-ethos/) and we are committed to showing girls that they CAN have an impact on the world around them. ‘We ignite intellectual curiosity’, ‘We act with compassion and integrity’, ‘We challenge and build resilience’ and ‘We foster joy’ are further values that we are proud to have brought to life this academic year as we celebrate our school’s 130th anniversary.

It is important to us that this milestone created a more meaningful, purposeful and educational impact than one day of celebrations, and so we launched our NWC 130 Campaign with an ambitious pledge that every one of our 889 students will complete an act of service for our local community during this academic year. Intellectual curiosity was ignited with 130-themed lessons, where students used archive materials to learn about our school’s history (resulting in the creation of celebratory bunting and letters that the girls wrote to imaginary alumnae); we fostered joy by starting our 130th Birthday with a high energy exercise ‘drill’ (reminiscent of the way days began in the 1890’s) and a celebratory picnic was enjoyed by all.

Ambitions are big and expectations are high at NWC and the 130 Campaign has introduced our girls to a wide scope of environments and situations that have: helped them learn and discover whilst having the chance to shine, benefit together from the joy of collective endeavour and sisterhood whilst gaining social confidence, and feel valued and purposeful whilst creating a positive impact.

Students have produced meals (and wrapped gifts) for the local Food Bank; cleaned and replenished Residents’ Notice boards; decorated shops and charities (for Christmas); volunteered in local businesses; held an Orchestral Workshop for a local school; performed musical productions to MHA Communities, Community Connex, Sunshine House and Mount Vernon staff; litter-picked; donated and wrapped gifts for Hillingdon Council; distributed a charity’s newsletter; volunteered in charity shops, a dentist surgery and at a charity’s weekly social lunch club; hosted a Mock COP event for local state schools and volunteered at a Charity Run.

In line with their interest in supporting biodiversity, the girls aerated soil and planted seeds at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre which has resulted in a beautiful wildflower meadow that the staff and patients can now thoroughly enjoy.

The NWC 130’s Social History Project helped our students find out more about the lives, experiences and contributions of local senior citizens at the MHA Centre (a short walk away from school) and developed the girls’ interview and discussion skills. The students were eager to meet the senior citizens and find out more about how society has changed and the impact over the years; the fascinating discussions have been equally enjoyable for the members of the Live at Home Scheme. With help from the History Department and Pastoral Deputy Head, the students curated a list of questions to provide a framework for the conversations, and worked in pairs discussing and taking notes which they are now compiling into a chronicle to share with other students, their parents and the MHA senior citizen members. 

It is important to us that our girls know that their voices are heard and part of the campaign involved students compiling a ‘Safety in Northwood’ survey, which they presented to our local Police Ward Panel.  

One academic year – a lifelong commitment to positive change and purpose nurtured!