National Cathedral School

NCS is an educational community which inspires each student to become her best self. NCS students are confident, creative, independent, and resilient. Our program is designed to capture students’ intellectual curiosity and fuel their academic, artistic, athletic, and personal growth. NCS’ identity as an Episcopal school and historic affiliation with the Washington National Cathedral provide a remarkable opportunity to learn and grow in the embrace of a spiritual community that honors people of all faiths, nurtures each community member, and values service to others.

National Cathedral School is dedicated to preparing young women for a world that needs their wisdom, their curiosity, their variety — their power. An NCS education amply prepares one for her future, wherever that may lead. Here she builds confidence, gathers allies, tests strengths, finds the courage to explore new areas of interest, and discovers resilience — life lessons that she will never outgrow. She also experiences a stimulating academic life, priming her for a lifetime of learning. Nothing is beyond the grasp of an NCS woman, and we are both proud and unsurprised to count stateswomen, Olympic athletes, and rocket scientists among our alumnae.

Girls studying in the company of girls makes a real difference. Here, students feel encouraged to take risks and actively participate in class, to contribute to their communities in meaningful ways, and to provide leadership in extracurricular activities. The deep friendships that form between classmates, built on shared experiences, initiative, and principles, last long beyond their time at NCS.

We believe in the power of young women and educate them to embrace our core values of excellence, service, courage, and conscience. National Cathedral School lives by these core values:

• Excellence: We strive to offer our best work, to maintain the highest standards, and to set goals within a context that honors the contributions and achievements of the entire community.
• Service: We believe we have an obligation to make a difference in the world, to contribute to the greater good, and to respond with purpose to the needs of others.
• Courage: We act with conviction, strength, and integrity. We stand up for ourselves and others.
• Conscience: We work to develop an abiding sense of right and wrong, and guided by that moral sense, seek ethical responses to life’s challenges. We act toward others with kindness, respect, and compassion.