North Bridge House Schools

Last week we welcomed Paul Hannaford BEM 🥇 into school for a drug awareness workshop with our Year 9–12 pupils.
Paul shared his personal journey — from a sporty teenager to the wrong crowd, and the life-changing consequences that followed. He spoke with unflinching honesty about gangs, weapons and addiction, and what it means to take responsibility for your own path.
The pupils were extraordinary. They listened. They engaged. They reflected.
💬 “It was very impactful, truthful and moving.”
💬 “I will never get myself caught up in drugs. It can spiral out of hand so quickly.”
💬 “The most powerful assembly we have ever had.”
Thank you Paul — these are the conversations that matter. 🙏

Flashback to three weeks ago when our fantastically talented thespians staged a truly memorable production of Wizard of Oz. We are sure anyone who was lucky enough to catch one of the performances would agree that it was a very special show, really bringing the magical world of Oz to life.
There are too many people to recognise individually, so a massive congratulations to everyone who was involved in this amazing production as everyone on stage and behind the scenes did themselves, and the school, proud.

A huge congratulations to our very own Miss Oliver who has successfully completed the amazing feat of climbing the worlds highest free-standing mountain - Mt Kilimanjaro!
Describing this achievement as “honestly the hardest, most challenging thing I have ever done”, Miss Oliver took on this climb to raise funds for the Chifundo Foundation. Her efforts on the mountain, combined with other school events such as the non-uniform day and a bake sale, has so far raised over £1,300.

The Chifundo Foundation is an Irish charity that focuses on the educational needs of disadvantaged children in Zomba, Malawi. Their support includes school fees, learning materials (books, uniforms, shoes), and transportation. Additionally, they offer essential nutritional, social, and emotional assistance when required.

We are incredibly proud to share the news that one of our former North Bridge House Hampstead students, Sam O’Donnell has recently won the Urban Animals category in the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2025 with his fantastic image titled “Looking out into a concrete jungle”

Sam said of the photograph “In spring, a small colony of sand martins took up residence in old drainage pipes at Walthamstow Wetlands in East London. It was amazing to watch this migratory species breed successfully and thrive in this highly urban nature reserve. It’s something we should all strive for – to live alongside nature without harming it. I sat down, got into position (getting stung by a few nettles), adjusted my settings, and waited for a bird to perch on the edge of the pipe.”

A fantastic afternoon of table tennis!

Our students took part in the ISA Under 13 Table Tennis Tournament this week, representing the school with real determination and sportsmanship throughout the afternoon.

Well done to all who competed, with special congratulations to:

Patrick - 4th place in the Under 13 Boys’ Cup

Farah - 4th place in the Under 13 Girls’ Cup

Kayla - 🥇 Winner of the Under 13 Girls’ Plate Competition

The afternoon was a clear reflection of the focus, resilience and competitive spirit our students bring to sport. 👏🏓

📸 Photos: Patrick with Zain, and Kayla with Farah.

We are proud to see Mrs Sarah Cartwright-Styles, our Nursery and Pre-Prep Head, featured recently in .

The article explores Sarah’s dual role as a school leader and senior naval reservist, and how the values of discipline, teamwork and care for others shape her leadership both in uniform and in school. As Sarah reflects in the piece, “you can have two careers and you can hold them together”, a powerful reminder that purpose and service can take many forms.

These values are felt every day in school, enriching the way pupils are supported, guided and inspired, and modelling to them that leadership is rooted in commitment, resilience and integrity.

We are incredibly proud to have such a dedicated, values-led leader at the heart of our school community.

Visit the link in our bio to read full article.

📸 Christopher L Proctor for The Times

An unforgettable moment from the end of term! The My House Got Talent competition returned once again, inviting students across the school to take to the stage and share their talents through singing, drama, magic and more. Each performance reflected confidence, creativity and the joy of expressing individuality, making it a highlight many look forward to every year.

What truly sets this event apart is the sense of togetherness it brings. With our staff team also joining in with a performance - including one of our teachers singing Defying Gravity from Wicked. The evening became a shared celebration of talent, encouragement and school spirit, a reminder of how remarkable it is when the whole community comes together 👏💛

A brilliant day of swimming for our students!

George in Year 8 and Martin in Year 9, joined Year 11 Yasmin in representing London North at this year’s ISA National Swim Competition.

It was an exciting opportunity for our swimmers to compete at a national level, challenge themselves against other top competitors, and gain valuable race experience.

Events competed in:
🏊‍♂️ George - 200m Year 8 Boys Freestyle Team and 200m Medley Team
🏊‍♂️ Martin - Year 9/10 Boys Butterfly 50m and 200m Medley Team
🏊‍♀️ Yasmin - 200m Year 11/13 Girls’ Medley Team

A huge well done to all three swimmers for their commitment and for representing the school with such pride. 👏

What a week!

Nursery and Pre-Prep spent the week championing kindness in celebration of Anti-Bullying Week and World Kindness Day, kicking things off with a colourful Odd Socks Day to celebrate what makes each of us unique.

Our young superheroes designed capes for their teachers, teamed up across year groups, and filled their kindness charts with compliments, helping hands and thoughtful gestures. It’s been a week filled with creativity and connection - proving that kindness really does make the world brighter. 🦸‍♂️🧦🤝🌈

Our pupils proudly holding the beautiful wreaths they created for their classroom doors, each one made with care and reflection as part of our Remembrance Day activities. ❤️

Who says you can’t find nature in the heart of the city?

Today, we celebrated CNN’s Call to Earth Day, held in partnership with Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative - a global initiative dedicated to inspiring awareness and action for a more sustainable future. This year’s theme, “Guard Your Green Space,” couldn’t be more fitting for our students, who have been busy designing and transforming one of our outdoor areas into a sustainable Be Well Eco-Garden - growing flowers, herbs, and seasonal berries to encourage biodiversity in our urban surroundings.

CNN’s Nada Bashir visited to hear how this green haven will not only support local wildlife but also promote mindfulness and offer a calm space for students to connect with nature. As the garden develops, students plan to expand it further by growing vegetables that can be used in our school kitchen - a hands-on way to learn about sustainability and the journey from garden to plate.


We’re also actively working on other sustainability projects across the school:
💡 Turning off unused monitors and lights to reduce energy consumption
🔌 Unplugging devices when not in use to save power
🥗 Cutting down on food waste in the dining hall
🌱 Encouraging every class to take small steps that make a big difference

All part of our ongoing mission to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the planet we all share.

Together, we’re learning, growing, and taking action for a greener tomorrow - one mindful choice at a time. 💚🌳

Earlier in the term, our Year 7 students took part in a three-day residential trip to Condover Hall in Shrewsbury. It was the perfect way to start the year building new friendships and taking on challenges. The experience also helped students step outside their comfort zones and develop key skills such as communication, leadership, and resilience.

Their days were filled with lots of adventure, including activities like archery, zip-lining, wall climbing, the Gladiator Wall, and the laser maze. Each activity brought plenty of teamwork and encouragement as everyone pushed themselves and supported one another. They even swapped their helmets for headphones for a well-earned silent disco! The trip was a brilliant start to the year and an experience to remember. 🏕️🧗‍♀️🏹🎯