Northwood is consistently recognised as one of the top public boys’ schools in KwaZulu-Natal based on the matric results, a testament to academics remaining the primary focus of the school. The rich and varied academic programme offers a general formative education while at the same time emphasising the personal development of every learner in the classrooms.
All matric subject combinations qualify learners for university admission. During their first two years at Northwood, learners study a range of subjects, enabling them to make informed subject choices for their final phase of schooling and tertiary education. This is a school of academic rigour and our excellent facilities enhance the learning programme. Grade Tutors, supported by Deans of Grade, monitor the work, attitude, behaviour and appearance of each learner. The tutors regularly report to management, allowing for focused attention and intervention. Full-time school counsellors assist teachers and tutors with any problems that may arise.
Northwood has produced many leaders in the fields of Business, Science, Academics and the Arts, as seen in the calibre of the recipients of the Knights’ Circle of Valour Awards each year. The staff and management are committed to maintaining this proud tradition.
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Digital Integration
Academics at Northwood is systematic and individualised, yet dynamic in its approach with a blended learning focus. Each classroom has either an overhead projector or a TV to be used as a teaching tool for visual learning. Google Classroom is extensively used within the school and gives learners access to fantastic online content and worksheets that can be supplemented by spot tests and quizzes. Google classroom also provides learners with the ability to ask peers and their teacher’s, questions regarding homework or tests, without having to be at school.
Added Academic Support
An in-depth Programme of Assessment (POA) is published each term stipulating the dates of all formal tasks and tests that are to be written that term. A unique system of setting individualised target marks for each learner in each subject allows us the opportunity for positive reinforcement at Northwood. If this target mark is reached in each Control Test, the learner has the privilege of leaving school at 13:30 on a Friday afternoon as opposed to having to attend a “reinforcement lesson” for an extra hour on a Friday. The extensive use of SMS messages allows parents to be able to remain close to their son’s academics, with messages sent to all learners achieving 80% or above for congratulations, as well as messages regarding learners that have not reached their target mark or for those that have failed to hand in an assessment.
A weekly programme of extra lessons is available to all learners, at no additional cost, and allows learners the opportunity for extension in areas or just reinforcement. An established homework centre is available for all learners from Monday to Thursday. The homework centre is guided by our top senior academic students who, in one-on-one sessions, provide others needing assistance, an alternative angle of instruction.
We run a Learner Centre with a reading and comprehension programme – Readmaster. This helps the weaker learners who have difficulties in English to increase their reading speed, vocabulary and comprehension skills. This in turn gives them the means to improve in all subjects.
Our latest addition is Exam Portal. This is used to administer computer based tests and exams for learners with concessions for either a human reader, computer accommodation, or both.
With the opportunity to choose AP Maths as an additional subject, attend National Benchmark Test training and also Winter School for our Matrics, Northwood really does provide the platform to launch into the career your son desires.
