A school that responded to students’ calls to be better represented has won an inclusion award.

Northwood College for Girls has been named Independent School of the Year for Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, and Justice by the Independent School of the Year Awards 2024.

The winners were selected from more than 700 nominations, and the independent panel of judges were impressed by Northwood's commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Headteacher Mrs Brown said: "This award is a true testament to the work of our fantastic NWC team, who are dedicated to creating an environment where all students have the opportunity to shine, and where everyone feels known, valued, respected and celebrated."

The school has introduced diversity dolls, providing younger students with toys they can identify with, and diversity inclusion prefects in both junior and senior school.

Mrs Brown said: "New texts, such as Diver’s Daughter, which foregrounds black experience in Tudor Britain, and newly integrated topics, such as the partition of the sub-Asian continent and its impact on modern Britain today, have deepened our curriculum work in this area."

Dedicated form times and lessons provide opportunities for students to celebrate festivals and anniversaries, including the Lohri Punjabi Festival and Chinese New Year.

Student-led activities have ranged from a neurodiversity art project to a Pride-themed disco that celebrated diverse musicians.

This year saw the launch of a ‘My History and Me’ Exhibition, where students displayed items that have played a part in their personal history.

In response to student data showing a desire for better representation of Sikh students' religion, the school focused on the role of Sikh soldiers and all those that participated during the war in last year’s Remembrance ceremony, and examined the work of Sophia Duleep Singh, a maharaja's daughter who became a prominent suffragette.

Mrs Brown said: "All these achievements are a result of the dedication and commitment shown by our whole NWC team and I would like to wholeheartedly thank and congratulate our entire community on this fantastic accolade."