For more than a century, The Norwich Free Academy, a privately endowed secondary school, has served Norwich and surrounding communities as a regional high school.   Dedicated, as early as 1854, to "the importance of adapting the courses of study to the necessities of students destined to different callings of life."  The Academy continues to build on the foresight of its founders.   Today, through its comprehensive programming, The Academy offers to all students the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge for a lifetime of learning.  In addition, its students, growing up as citizens of a democratic nation in a constantly changing world, are encouraged to take responsibility for their own lives in order to better serve themselves and society.

The Norwich Free Academy believes that all students should receive a comprehensive education and that this should include common learning experiences in the areas of English, social studies, science, mathematics and physical education. Opportunities should be provided to explore areas of personal interest and career interests.  To facilitate the learning process, The Academy creates an atmosphere which emphasizes the value of learning, offers a broad and diverse curriculum with differentiated levels of instruction, and incorporates a variety of teaching methods.

The Norwich Free Academy believes there is a common integrated and interdependent set of learning outcomes which is essential to the development of all students.  These essential outcomes represent a preparation for life which involves not only preparation for employment and further education but also the acquisition of those characteristics necessary to become a productive and contributing member of society.  Consequently, as a result of a K-12 educational experience culminating at The Norwich Free Academy, each student must acquire the attributes, attitudes, skills, competencies, understandings and applications as outlined in Connecticut's Common Core of Learning.

In pursuit of the right to an education, the Academy further believes that all people can learn.  Each individual entrusted to our care must ultimately become a lifelong learner and a contributing member of a global society.  The Academy is committed to providing the resources to support its high expectations for academic, social and personal achievement to ensure that all people learn.