How We Teach

Nurtured to achieve beyond expectation

Our staff adopt a ‘high support, low pressure’ approach to ensure every student is nurtured within our small, close-knit school community. Their commitment to inspiring a lifelong love of learning and enjoyment of their subject results in students achieving outcomes which way surpass their academic trajectories. Staff work together with each and every student to help them find their own individual passion - their area of excellence - and what success looks like for them, guiding them on a journey to find their True North.

Find out about the values that are central to how we teach below.

Smaller class sizes

Smaller year groups and high staff to student ratios enable teaching to take a truly bespoke route - identifying the best in every child.

With an average class size of 20, children are noticed, their strengths challenged and their weaknesses supported. Class sizes are smaller still at GCSE and A Level with averages of 10-15 and 5 respectively.

Unrivalled university preparation

Students are carefully advised on A-Level choices, degree programmes and university selection, while experienced mentors with in-depth knowledge of higher education support with UCAS applications and university interview techniques.

Amongst our highly qualified staff are teachers with experience of interviewing candidates for Oxford and Cambridge universities. They are able to guide students throughout the university application process (UCAS), and provide additional mentoring for Oxbridge and Russell Group candidates.

Mock interviews give students the opportunity to practise their communication skills, testing their subject-specific understanding and personal statements. In subject-specific interviews, students complete a range of tasks designed to test their suitability for higher education, whilst personal statement interviews test students’ passion for their subject and knowledge beyond the A Level syllabus.

Research informed teaching and learning

We use evidence-based research to inform teaching methods and develop metacognition in our students, enabling them to effectively evaluate their own learning behaviours.

Our collaboration on research projects with UCL’s Institute of Education and experts on the adolescent brain allows us to deliver a progressive, forward-thinking educational experience, understanding our learners and guiding them on the journey from pre-teen to young adult.

We have implemented a later midweek start time to reflect current findings regarding teen sleep, with staff benefitting from weekly CPD during this period.

A mighty breadth of opportunity

The fact that we have a smaller capacity of 250 students allows us to tailor and evolve our offering according to the interests of our students.

Staff carve incredible opportunities into our curriculum, which breeds everything from excellence in STEM to competent stone masons. Our co-curricular programme sees students attend lectures at the Royal Geographical Society and ‘takeover’ exhibitions at the neighbouring Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, whilst trips take them as far as Borneo, Malawi and the US.

“The school is just brilliant – a really happy, caring environment where all the teachers really “get” the children/young adults. Classes are small so the academic attention is there. Could not recommend it highly enough.”

– NBH Canonbury Parent

Join us at an open event

Our open events provide the opportunity to see the school in action, meet our Head, Mrs Charlotte Tassell-Dent, our brilliant staff and pupils, and learn more about what life at Canonbury really looks like.

BOOK AN OPEN EVENT

Discover more about admissions

Our admissions process is designed to be as straightforward and supportive as possible, setting your child on the path to an excellent education experience.

Find out more about the application process through to the point of offer and enrolment with our step-by-step guide.

SENIOR SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

SIXTH FORM ADMISSIONS

Our Approach