St Helen’s is a leading independent day school for over 1150 girls aged 3-18 and is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA). Our spacious and beautiful 21-acre site is conveniently located in the heart of Northwood in North London, approximately 30 minutes by underground from Central London on the Metropolitan Line and within easy reach of the Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire borders.
St Helen’s School is committed to academic excellence and is dedicated to equipping pupils with the skills which will enable them to take their places as leaders in a rapidly changing world. The culture of our School is deeply-rooted in its fine history, having been founded by Miss May Rowland Brown in 1899, but is also forward-looking and innovative.
Whilst strong academic standards prevail across the whole School and pupils are encouraged to have high expectations for their achievement and career prospects, success is not measured purely in terms of exam results but also in how our students are supported to become the best version of themselves.
Prep School
St Helen’s Prep School, led by Mrs Antonia Lee, is a vibrant community of learners. Prep is a busy, exciting, creative, muddy, inspiring and fun place to be and one where girls learn who they are and how to make the most of their talents and passions.
Early years education at St Helen’s comprises the Early Years Foundation Stage (3-5 year olds) and Key Stage 1 (5-7 year olds) housed in two dedicated buildings:
- The Foundation Years place an emphasis on child-initiated learning and achieve high standards of literacy and numeracy, enabling pupils to progress confidently to more structured activities at Key Stage 1.
- Key Stage 2 consists of Years 3-6 (7-11 year olds) and enjoys a number of specialist facilities.
Prep is a member of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) which provides outstanding training and networking for the teaching staff and opens up a whole world of opportunities for sporting competitions.
Senior School
The majority of Prep pupils transition through to the Senior School, where they are also joined by an equal number of pupils from a wide range of prep and primary schools.
The Senior School is divided into three sections:
- Middle School (Years 7-9)
- Upper School (Years 10-11)
- Sixth Form
The Sixth Form caters for our post-16 students who take three or four A Level subjects as well as an extensive Enrichment Programme
Senior School provides a wide range of academic subjects and co-curricular opportunities, including sports, music, performing arts and numerous clubs and societies, which enables every pupil to explore, find and pursue their passions.
St Helen’s provides a wonderful environment for girls to flourish and succeed. An outstanding pastoral system is central to ensuring that girls remain balanced and supported throughout the various stages of their journey through the School.
Regular investment is made into the physical environment to ensure that girls are provided with the best possible facilities within which to learn and develop.
Recent years have seen significant development of the School site. A state-of-the art School of Music was opened in 2018, and most recently, an outstanding STEM Centre, further reinforcing our commitment to investing in areas that ensure our girls have the freedom to pursue any educational path they choose.
The School is well-placed to build an even more exciting and rewarding future for everyone within the St Helen’s community and, in particular, for our pupils.
