KNOWLEDGE. IDENTITY. HOPE
Our Future Generation
Charterhouse is one of Britain’s most historic and respected schools, with a tradition of academic excellence that dates back to its founding in 1611. Over the centuries, it has earned a reputation for combining rigorous scholarship with character formation, producing generations of leaders in fields as varied as politics, business, science and the arts. In recent years, Charterhouse has sought to extend this legacy beyond the UK, opening schools internationally to share its distinctive educational approach with new communities around the world.
Charterhouse Lagos marks its first venture into Africa. Set on a 60-hectare site in Nigeria’s commercial capital, the school is being developed in phases - starting with Primary and expanding to full boarding and senior education. Its mission is to deliver world-class standards while remaining culturally grounded. To better understand how this vision is being brought to life, I spoke with John Todd, Director and Founding Head of Charterhouse Lagos. With deep international leadership experience, John plays a hands-on role in every aspect of the school’s growth. His insight sheds light on what it takes to turn legacy into local impact.
Charterhouse, one of England’s oldest independent schools, is renowned for its academic excellence, distinctive house system and tradition of boarding education. Its global expansion reflects a commitment to sharing its heritage of holistic, high-quality British education with new communities worldwide. The school has long been associated with academic excellence, rigorous preparation for university and a strong tradition of boarding education. It is famous for its distinctive house system and for helping develop modern football (soccer) rules. Its alumni, known as Old Carthusians, include prominent figures such as Robert Baden-Powell (founder of the Scout Movement), the writer William Makepeace Thackeray and several British Prime Ministers, including Lord Liverpool.
​
Charterhouse is also known for cultivating leadership, critical thinking and a spirit of service, values that have guided its international expansion. In recent years, it has opened and partnered with schools around the world, aiming to share its heritage of holistic, high-quality British education with new generations in diverse settings. In September 2024, Charterhouse opened its first African campus - Charterhouse Lagos- marking one of the most ambitious private school projects in Nigeria’s recent history. Located on a 70-hectare site in Ogombo on the Lekki Peninsula, the school is being developed in phases, beginning with a Primary School (Years 1–6) and later expanding to include Senior School and full boarding. Facilities include STEM labs, a theatre, music suites and extensive sports infrastructure - all designed to support a world-class learning experience. The founding of Charterhouse Lagos was driven by a clear need. While Nigeria has a high demand for quality education, the national system faces challenges such as overcrowded classrooms, under-resourced public schools and inconsistent academic standards. Many families have traditionally sought schooling abroad. Charterhouse Lagos offers a competitive, globally recognised alternative right at home, combining the rigour of British independent education with a curriculum and ethos adapted to the Nigerian context.​
Under the leadership of John Todd, Director and Founding Head, the school has invested heavily in high-quality staffing, training and infrastructure. Partnerships with institutions such as Evercare Hospital and Ruff & Tumble further reinforce its commitment to excellence across all operations. As the school grows, it aims not only to educate but also to inspire and set a new benchmark for private education in Nigeria. Its vision is clear: to raise ethical, intelligent and confident global citizens while remaining deeply rooted in Nigerian culture and values. In my conversation with John, it became clear that this purpose is not without its challenges. He shared honest reflections on the mindset shift required to introduce a school of this calibre in Nigeria and the deliberate choice to invest heavily in preventative strategies to uphold standards. Most striking, however, was his view on what true success looks like - not in statistics or prestige, but in happy children, supported families and a thriving community ready to make lasting change.
When speaking to John Todd about the journey of building Charterhouse Lagos, one theme quickly emerged as the greatest challenge of all: mindset. Unlike the expected hurdles of finance, infrastructure or regulation, what stood in the way most often was a deeply embedded disbelief that excellence, of the highest international standard, could not be built or sustained in Nigeria. “We’ve heard it before. ‘You won’t finish,’” John said, recalling the early responses to the school’s ambitious vision. “We had one person coming to visit and they wanted pictures for progress and security so we sent them pictures of the school. They said, ‘No, no, no. We want real pictures, not CGI.’ And we said, ‘These are real pictures.’ And when people walk into the school, their mouth drops open.” This scepticism reflects a long-standing narrative that premium quality must be imported, that it simply cannot be home-grown. But Charterhouse Lagos is actively challenging that narrative. “We want excellence in everything - security, catering, finance, HR - everything. And we keep hearing from suppliers, ‘Well, no one’s asked us that before.’ And we say, ‘Well, my friends, we’re asking you now.’”​
The determination to demand the best at every level has meant initiating a total mindset shift, not just within the school, but among every stakeholder involved: staff, contractors, suppliers and even families. The school isn’t simply importing a British boarding model; it’s reimagining how international education can be rooted in Nigerian soil. This ethos starts with training. “A lot of schools here only train teachers,” John observed. “I start from the idea that the first person you see in the school is not a teacher, it’s a security guard or a cleaner. So actually, it’s important that they also understand what is safeguarding, what is anti-bullying, what is anti-corruption.” In other words, excellence and responsibility must permeate the entire ecosystem, not just the classroom. Yet even more than training, a successful school culture depends on ownership. Charterhouse Lagos is not the product of a single visionary; it is the result of shared belief and shared responsibility. “If you want to make the change,” John emphasised, “then you’ve got that personal desire. It’s not just MY change. It’s YOUR change.” That’s the heart of his leadership philosophy: when the vision becomes shared, it becomes sustainable. From the front office to the sports field, from the construction site to the classroom, everyone must carry the same torch. This mindset shift extends to the architects and designers involved in the school’s construction, who were challenged to think beyond standard models and create facilities that matched international benchmarks. It extends to the families, many of whom are seeing this type of education for the first time and understandably bring both hope and hesitation.​
John spoke thoughtfully about the concerns raised by parents, particularly around the preservation of Nigerian culture within a British-style boarding environment. Charterhouse Lagos has made a deliberate effort to celebrate and include Nigerian values and heritage in the life of the school. Whether it’s through literature, history, local partnerships or even the staff hired, the aim is to create a school that feels proudly Nigerian while meeting international standards. This blend of cultural honour and educational excellence is part of the school's core mission. It is about turning a solitary vision into a shared one, carried by a team and a community that is willing to shift their expectations and rise to meet a new possibility. The mindset is the challenge, but also, perhaps, the greatest victory in the making.
At the heart of Charterhouse Lagos’ operational philosophy lies a powerful yet often overlooked principle, one that also deeply resonates with the ethos of Our Future Generation: prevention is better than cure. While this adage is commonly used in healthcare, it’s a core part of how John Todd and his team approach every aspect of running a world-class school - from infrastructure to staff development. When asked where most of the school’s budget has gone, John was clear: it’s not just bricks and mortar, it’s people. “Education is very staff intensive,” he explained. But beyond the expected investment in salaries, the school has adopted a much deeper and longer-term strategy: investing in people while things are going well, rather than waiting until things go wrong. This means rigorous and ongoing staff training across every role in the school. “There’s a serious investment in training people,” John said. Rather than waiting for gaps in performance or leadership to surface, Charterhouse Lagos is proactively building capacity. From the outset, the school has ensured that teachers, administrative staff and support teams are thoroughly trained, not just in what to do, but why they do it.
“Many schools here just do things on a hunch,” John explained. “You want to do this in your classroom. Why? What is the evidence for it?” This philosophy reflects an international best practice model: the use of evidence-based educational programmes, where teaching methods and decisions are grounded in research, not assumptions. By embedding this reflective mindset from the beginning, the school ensures that innovation doesn’t come at the expense of rigour. But the focus on prevention extends well beyond staff development. In terms of facilities and infrastructure, the school has adopted a preventative maintenance model - a forward-thinking decision in a country where schools often fall into cycles of repair and patchwork fixes. “What we’re doing is investing in preventative maintenance,” John shared, highlighting that this approach, though costly upfront, reduces the likelihood of operational issues disrupting learning in the long term. This level of care also demonstrates a high level of respect for the learning environment. In many contexts, particularly in underfunded systems, deterioration of school infrastructure is accepted as inevitable. But Charterhouse Lagos is aiming to set a new benchmark. Every decision about facilities, staffing or systems is made with one goal in mind: to sustain excellence and reduce risk over time.
Importantly, this model is not about extravagance, it’s about intentionality. By doing things properly the first time, the school is building a culture where every element, no matter how small, is worthy of attention and care. The goal is not simply to look impressive, but to function with integrity. This preventative mindset also sends a powerful message to families and students: excellence is not improvised; it is planned, nurtured and protected. In a society where public institutions often fall short due to neglect and reactive decision-making, Charterhouse Lagos is attempting to rewrite the script, showing that with the right values and vision, high standards can be maintained consistently. Ultimately, John’s approach to prevention is rooted in stewardship. He understands that a great school is not just built for today, it is built to last. By anticipating the needs of tomorrow and investing today, Charterhouse Lagos is laying the foundation for a school that not only meets expectations but exceeds them, again and again.
My final question to John was about what the success of Charterhouse Lagos looks like - not just in five years, but over the next generation. His answer was as thoughtful as it was profound. “Happy kids, happy parents,” he said, simply. While test scores, league tables and university placements might dominate conventional ideas of success, John believes education has shifted. “Education has changed from, we must get the best grades, to thoughts around wellbeing… a holistic idea of children needing to be happy and comfortable within themselves.” This reframing is essential, especially in a high-pressure environment like Lagos where parental expectations can be intense and academic performance is often seen as the sole marker of achievement. But for Charterhouse Lagos, success is about educating children to thrive, not just excel. It’s about emotional intelligence, inner confidence and self-awareness. It’s about building young people who are resilient, grounded and inspired.
Initially, the school’s founding mission was to be 'the best school in Nigeria.' “One of my colleagues turned around and said, ‘Well, define best,’” John recounted. And it’s a fair challenge. Is the best school the one with the highest A-level scores? Or is it the one that raises children with strong values, ambition and a deep love for their country? For John and his team, the answer is the latter. One of the underlying goals of Charterhouse Lagos is to curb the brain drain that continues to affect Nigeria’s long-term development. Every year, thousands of students are sent abroad for their secondary or university education, often with the intention of returning home one day. But the reality is, most of them don’t. “They all leave,” John said. “What we want… is for them to come back and make a difference. They don’t do that from London or New York. They do that in Lagos.” This is the deeper, long-term vision behind the school: to create a generation of young people who will stay, lead, and transform their country from within. If they are educated locally in an environment that reflects the best of global standards, while still being deeply rooted in Nigerian identity, they are more likely to believe in the possibility of change. And more importantly, they are more likely to drive it.
​
Charterhouse Lagos is also investing in building a future community, a network of alumni (just like the founding Charterhouse UK) who know each other, trust each other and understand the nuances of Nigerian society and industry. “That in 20, 30 years, it can make a difference to the future of Nigeria,” John said. “We are, in a sense, creating that network of people that know each other… that can reach out for support… that know the culture and the business.” Success for Charterhouse Lagos, then, is not just about what happens within the gates of the school today. It’s about what its students will go on to do in the years and decades to come. Will they be leaders, innovators and changemakers? Will they return to contribute to the country that raised them? Will they remain connected to their community, empowered by a shared sense of vision and belonging? These are the questions that guide the Charterhouse Lagos journey. And if John’s vision is realised, the answer to all of them will be a resounding yes.
My conversation with John Todd offered far more than a behind-the-scenes look at Charterhouse Lagos- it revealed the heart and conviction behind a school built on vision, excellence and long-term purpose. From challenging fixed mindsets to setting a new benchmark for staff training and quality assurance, Charterhouse Lagos is not just replicating a global model; it is thoughtfully reimagining what private education in Nigeria can be. At the core of this project is a commitment to shared purpose, one that turns individual ambition into collective mission. Whether it’s the security guard at the gate or the head of curriculum, every member of the school community is aligned with a culture of integrity, accountability and care. Its emphasis on evidence-based teaching, preventative infrastructure planning and deep cultural relevance ensures the school is not just world-class, but contextually grounded.
Most importantly, Charterhouse Lagos is planting seeds for the future. It’s building a community of young people who will grow up confident in their Nigerian identity, equipped with global tools and inspired to make lasting change right where they are.
A heartfelt thank you to John Todd for sharing his time, wisdom and unwavering commitment to this vision. As he beautifully put it: “Happy kids, happy families.”
References
​
1. Charterhouse School. (n.d.). Our History. Retrieved from https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/about-us/our-history
​
2. Charterhouse Lagos. (2024). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.charterhouselagos.com
3. The Guardian Nigeria. (2023). Charterhouse School makes debut in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://guardian.ng/features/education/charterhouse-school-makes-debut-in-nigeria/
4. Evercare Hospital Lekki. (n.d.). Partnerships and Community Engagement. Retrieved from https://evercare.ng
5. Ruff ‘n’ Tumble. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.ruffntumblekids.com/pages/about-us
6. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2023). Nigeria: Education and Literacy. Retrieved from http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ng
7. British Council Nigeria. (2022). Education in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities. Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.org.ng/programmes/education/research
Charterhouse School UK – Website: https://www.charterhouse.org.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/charterhouse-school
Charterhouse Lagos – Website: https://www.charterhouselagos.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/charterhouse-lagos
