NORTHWOOD School headmaster Dr Garth Shaw says he is relishing his new role at the school.

Shaw, who has served in education for 18 years, takes over from the previous headmaster, Paul Viljoen, who left the school at the end of 2023.

In June, Shaw cycled 600km from his old school, Dale College, in a fundraising initiative, over nine days, to the gates of Northwood School on Kenneth Kaunda Road (Northway).

The funds raised from that cycle went towards the ‘Andy Andrews Financial Assistance Fund’, which will be for the benefit of learners from eQonce (King Williams Town) who cannot afford the school fees charged by Dale College.

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Shaw, who took the reins of Northwood on July 1, holds a PhD from the University of Cape Town; he also holds a B.Ed Honours in School Management and a B.Sc (Ed – Math) qualification from the University of Stellenbosch

Speaking to Northglen News, Shaw said he plans to build on the ethos of the school.

“It was such an amazing welcome for me and my family as we crossed the finish line at the school. The effort the school went to celebrate this journey and the contributions from the Northwood School community towards fundraising was incredibly humbling. The school has a proud ethos, and I see my role here as strengthening what Northwood already has. From what I’ve seen, the school is a values-driven institution, with a sense of family, tradition and proud appreciation of its culture. It is such a healthy model, and we see it in the success of many of the school’s Old Boys. Northwood has produced leaders in industry as well as a number of athletes who have represented the country in various sporting codes,” he said.

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He added that the support from the learners, parents and staff have made his journey as headmaster easier.

“I have really connected with the learners, parents and staff, and they’ve been so welcoming. I feel this community has a positive culture of developing initiative, and I’m excited to continue to encourage that,” he said.

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