A New Name and Structure For Northwood Schools

Northwood Schools – one of London’s leading groups of Pre-Prep and Prep schools, consisting of Broomwood Hall Lower School, Broomwood Hall Upper School and Northcote Lodge, will unite under one name and one brand from September 2023 – Broomwood.

The name change will consolidate the excellent education already offered across the three schools into one united brand that symbolises and confirms the seamless educational journey from Pre-Prep to Prep schools. The new logo and branding draws on the best of the existing identities to form a new dynamic offering which combines the existing Broomwood ‘B’ with the Northcote stag. There will also be a revised uniform that is iconic, practical and affordable with parents, staff and children involved in the final designs.

By renaming and rebranding, drawing on the best of all the schools, the schools will demonstrate more clearly the unique model of collaborative single-sex and co-educational education on offer. Boys and girls will experience all the benefits of both single-sex and co-educational education with opportunities to try everything, yet also having the chance to share facilities, trips, some sports, and activities and more whilst also learning to work alongside and continue friendships started in the early years.

In 2023 the pre-prep school will extend its excellent early years provision by opening a pre-school class: Little Broomwood, which, together with the Reception class, will create a hub of Early Years Excellence. This will enable children to start their education in an environment designed around the educational needs of young children whilst being part of a broader school community with opportunities to experience lessons with some specialist teachers, assemblies with older children as well as participate in whole school events. Specialist Early Years designers will help to design a stimulating and exciting child-centric space which will be a total learning experience utilising sight, smell, hearing, and touch.

Along with these changes and in recognising the changing face of the senior schools’ assessment focus, Year 3 will now start in the Prep schools and the Pre-Prep will stop at Year 2. The Prep schools
will now have three sections:

• A consolidated Key Stage 2 Junior Section (Years 3 and 4) to provide a nurturing start to Prep school life, ensuring children are settled and confident in their setting
• A middle section (Years 5 and 6) that prepares children for the important assessments in Year 6
• A senior section (Years 7 and 8) which centres on continued progress, extension and enrichment, along with preparation for senior schools through developing life skills and helping pupils to take more responsibility for their learning so that they can work with greater independence and take on leadership roles to foster greater emotional intelligence and an ability to think more critically.

To accommodate these changes, there will be a new building and re-furbished playground at the boys’ Prep and some re-configuration of spaces at the girls’ Prep. These will build on the enhancements and developments already made to the gardens at the Pre-Prep and girls’ Prep.

Working together as one school under one Principal, but with separate sites under autonomous, yet collaborative Heads, Broomwood will continue to equip and inspire boys and girls to #BeYourBest by giving them the very best of all worlds: a joyful co-educational start to education at the age of 3 or 4 in a bespoke, specialist Early Years centre within a wider school setting, with a seamless transition to single-sex, yet collaborative, Prep schools at the age of 7.

This model has real benefits for both boys and girls enabling them to experience everything that a tailored, single-sex learning environment can offer, whist also working alongside and collaborating with their peers in a co-educational setting. These soft skills lead to greater success at senior school and further ahead, once they become adults, in the world of work.

All these changes consolidate the excellent education that the schools are already known for (ISI Inspections for all schools were excellent in May 2022). By building on the heritage of the past yet making appropriate changes, the schools will ensure that Broomwood continues to provide children with the very best Pre-Prep and Prep education whilst preparing them for some of the best and most demanding schools in the country.

Alongside these changes, Clive Smith-Langridge will step down as Head of Northcote Lodge from February 2022 as he moves to live in France but will remain involved in the transition plans as he re-joins the school as a Governor. Kevin Doble, Principal, will be Head until a new Head is in place.

Kevin Doble, Principal of Broomwood, said: ‘These changes are a natural extension and evolution of what we already do and are changes that have been a long time in the planning, even under the previous owners. I am excited to be able to lead these wonderful schools through to the next stage of their lives and to extend and expand our offer to younger pupils, too. There are not many schools that can prove themselves to be truly ‘excellent’ and provide a bespoke single-sex education within a collaborative, co-educational community that enables children to experience the best of all worlds. I’m delighted that at Broomwood we do exactly that.’

Louisa McCafferty, Head of Broomwood Hall Upper School (Broomwood Prep, Girls), said: ‘I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead with greater collaboration and sharing of facilities. We already tailor our preparation for examinations with enormous success, so extending our starting point to Year 3 will enable us to continue to do that whilst still providing the rich, fully rounded education that we are well-known for. The opportunity to offer both a rich single-sex education within a broad, collaborative, coeducational environment really does give pupils the best of all worlds.’

Clive Smith-Langridge, Head of Northcote Lodge (Broomwood Prep, Boys), said: ‘Although we are changing our name, in almost every other way, the school will continue as it does today, offering an excellent boys’ education in a dedicated single-sex environment with myriad opportunities to try everything and anything on offer, yet with the added benefit of shared learning and experiences with our sibling girls’ Prep school. The values underpinning the school remain true and constant and we will continue to encourage all the boys to be the best versions of themselves that they can be.’

Caron Mackay, Head of Broomwood Hall Lower School (Broomwood Pre-Prep), said: ‘I am really excited about what lies ahead. I am so thrilled to be Head of the Pre-Prep school and to be the one leading its evolution. I know that not only will we manage the transition of our changes at the top end of the school well so that our leavers are supported and ready, but that we will also create an inspirational and state of the art learning space that will continue to give children a joyful start to an excellent education. I am especially excited to be opening Little Broomwood and know that we can draw upon the experience and expertise of Dukes to help us create a centre of Early Years excellence.’

Aatif Hassan, Chairman and Founder of Dukes Education, said: ‘Children only have one opportunity to enjoy a great education so I am excited that Dukes Education will help to facilitate the positive changes that the schools are proposing, which we fully endorse. These changes will consolidate an already excellent offer and ensure that the schools continue to inspire children to be their best for years to come.’

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