North London Collegiate School

Focus 

Ambition and excellence

Day fees 2025/26

$40,200

Term dates

• Term 1: 4 September to 12 December 2025
• Term 2: 6 January to 27 March 2026
• Term 3: 20 April to 8 July 2026

Ages

11-18

Pupil count

810

Spear’s Review

On the northern edge of greater London is North London Collegiate School (NLCS), a provider of top-quality education to the daughters of British and international families.

Founded in 1850 by Frances Buss, one of the first graduates of Queen’s College London and also founder of Camden School for Girls, NLCS has always been a pioneering centre of women’s education. The independence and confidence instilled in a Collegiate girl is a reflection of its history. NLCS continues to make strides with continually exceptional academic results, and a new school building, the IDEAS Hub, opened in 2025. The building houses spaces for teachers and students to experiment and innovate with design, engineering, arts and sciences subjects.

Students are also challenged outside the classroom, and girls have the opportunity to take on leadership roles, embark on trips or join a variety of clubs, sports and societies.

Academics

In 2025:

• 99 per cent of (I)GCSE results were grades 7-9
• 86 per cent of A-Level results were A* or A
• Average IB score was 42.9

Head teacher

Headmistress Vicky Bingham joined NLCS in 2023 as the school’s 10th headmistress. Prior to arriving at NLCS, she led South Hampstead High School for more than six years. She also has served as deputy head (academic) at Guildford High School and head of classics at St Catherine’s School, Bramley. She has a classics degree from Oxford and a PGCE from Cambridge.

University and college destinations

NLCS girls frequently progress to the top universities and institutions around the world. In 2025, nearly one in four leavers secured offers from Oxford or Cambridge.

Admissions

Every applicant is required to take an entrance exam consisting of written papers in maths and English. A number of them will then be selected to attend an interview with a faculty member.

Notable alumni

• Anna Wintour (media executive)
• Rachel Weisz (actress)
• Dorothy Evans (suffragette)

Accessibility

Heathrow Airport: 45 minutes

Location

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