North London Collegiate School 11+ guide

Considering North London Collegiate School for your child? We’ve collated everything you need to know about 11+ entry. Learn how to apply, what’s on the entrance exam, and how to help your child prepare for success.

Key information for North London Collegiate School

• Address: North London Collegiate School, Canons Drive, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7RJ
• Age range and gender: girls aged 4–18
• Type of school: independent day
• Number of students: 1101
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• 11+ open days: September–October
• 11+ selection criteria: entrance exam and interview
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• 11+ scholarships: academic, music, sports

About North London Collegiate School

North London Collegiate School (NLCS) is a private day school in London for girls aged 4–18. It was founded in 1850 by Frances Buss – a pioneer in girls’ education – as the first school in the UK to offer girls the same educational opportunities as boys.

The school was founded in Camden Town but is now located in a Georgian mansion on a 30-acre site in northwest London. The school is currently improving its facilities as part of a site masterplan. These include an Innovation, Design, Engineering, Art and Science (IDEAS) Hub and additional tennis courts.

North London Collegiate School is one of the most successful schools in the country. Girls can choose to take A levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) from the ages of 16 to 18. Students go on to study at some of the world’s most prestigious universities, with offers from Oxbridge, Yale, Stanford, Boston, Berkeley and McGill.

Dates for your diary

• Registration opens: end of May in Year 5
• Registration closes: October in Year 6
• Scholarship and bursary application deadline: November in Year 6
• Entrance exam: December in Year 6
• Interviews: mid-January in Year 6
• Offers of places: February in Year 6
• Acceptance deadline: early March in Year 6

North London Collegiate School 11+ entrance exam

All children who are registered for 11+ entry to North London Collegiate School take English and maths entrance exams.

English

The North London Collegiate School English entrance exam is made up of two parts. The first assesses reading comprehension and lasts 30 minutes, while the other tests creative writing and lasts 50 minutes.

In the reading comprehension section, your child will need to read a passage of text. Questions will test her understanding of what she has read.

In the creative writing section, your child will be tested on skills such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary and originality. It may also include giving opinions on points raised by the text.

Maths

The North London Collegiate School 11+ maths takes 75 minutes to complete.

There is one section in the paper with around 25 questions – some with multiple parts to complete. These cover topics such as number, pattern recognition and understanding, ratios and percentages, measurements, fractions, logic puzzles, and spatial reasoning.

If your daughter is successful in the entrance exam, she will be invited back to North London Collegiate School for an interview in January. The interview is an opportunity for the school to get to know your child better, and for your child to ask any questions they might have about the school. You can learn more in our guide to senior school interviews.

Atom’s top tips for applying to North London Collegiate School

North London Collegiate School is a popular selective school, and competition for places can be high. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the selection process.

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before school entrance exams. Your child should have a good understanding of the content they’ve been taught at school before testing their knowledge with practice tests.

Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.

With Atom Home, you don’t need to worry about creating a study schedule. When you enter your target schools, you’ll get a bespoke learning plan tailored to your schools’ entrance exams. Know exactly what your child needs to do each week to confidently pass.

Read widely

Entrance exams test children’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child build these skills.

Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.

Looking for reading inspiration? Check out our Key Stage 2 reading list.

Hone curiosity

Selective schools are often looking for children who are interested in learning. You can help by supporting your child’s broader learning, their intellectual curiosity, and their passion for developing an understanding of the world.

Talk to your child about the world we live in and inspire an interest in current affairs with age-appropriate journalism. It’s also a good idea to make sure they’re benefitting from a rich variety of experiences, such as visiting libraries, museums and galleries.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with their knowledge of the exam topics, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Mock tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and refine exam technique. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning, while highlighting any knowledge gaps they might want to tackle before exam day.

When you set North London Collegiate School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get NLCS as part of their learning plan. Know what to expect on exam day.

Celebrate progress

Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.

Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.