Set in 35 acres in Edgware, North London Collegiate School is an academic and co-curricular powerhouse that wears its success lightly. Founded in 1850 by pioneering educator Frances Mary Buss and now led by Headmistress Vicky Bingham, it is a day school for girls aged 4 to 18 with a reputation for turning out bright, grounded young women who are comfortable being busy and purposeful.
Admissions. For 11+ entry, the school offers 72–75 places for external candidates. Applicants sit entrance papers in Maths and English, with high performers invited to interview. Other entry points include 4+, 7+ and 16+, with occasional places in other years. Typically, NLCS offers 40–42 places at 4+, 8–10 at 7+, and around 20 at 16+.
Academic Excellence. The academic credentials here are exceptional. The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026 named NLCS Independent Secondary School of the Year, Independent IB School of the Year and Independent Secondary School of the Year in London, placing it first among girls' schools nationally and third overall. Results consistently cluster at the top grades, with many leavers progressing to Oxbridge, Ivy League and other leading universities. As well as traditional routes, girls are encouraged to explore alternative pathways such as degree apprenticeships, with recent leavers securing positions at leading firms including JP Morgan Chase and UBS.
Curriculum. A defining feature of NLCS is its global outlook. Sixth Form students can choose the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a rigorous qualification highly valued by universities. The school has offered the IB alongside A levels since 2004 and ranks among the highest-achieving IB schools globally. Sister schools in Jeju, Dubai, Singapore and the newly opened Kobe campus expand opportunities for exchange and collaboration, enriching students’ global understanding.
Alongside academic rigour, NLCS places strong emphasis on how students learn and communicate. Raising Voices, introduced last year, is developing into a whole-school strategy to strengthen students' spoken confidence. It encourages girls to take the floor, ask sharper questions and develop their thinking through discussion and debate. Early events included a comedy workshop with Anna O'Grady and Brainwaves, a four-minute talk showcase with topics ranging from political theory to unicorn genetics.
Our new Start-Up Academy, Surge, extends this commitment by teaching Year 12 students the fundamentals of entrepreneurship through workshops led by industry leaders and Old North Londoners. In a world where less than 3% of UK venture capital goes to all-female founding teams, we are equipping our students not just to enter the start-up landscape but to change it.
Co-curricular. Life at NLCS is lively and ambitious, with more than 140 lunchtime and after-school clubs driven by student interest and leadership. Philosophy sits alongside climate action, human rights debates alongside chess, while dance, literature and everything in between find their place in a timetable that never stands still. The Senior Societies programme adds another dimension, giving students the freedom to invite an impressive line-up of speakers each week. Around 250 visitors come through the doors each year, from politicians and barristers to journalists and campaigners, with recent names including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Michael Gove and Professor James Wood. Students also shape the school's intellectual life through their own magazines in subjects as varied as Law, Languages, Science and Economics, producing nearly 40 journals annually. Beyond school grounds, NLCS students compete with enthusiasm in Model United Nations, debating, chess, VEX Robotics and a growing list of national competitions.
Pastoral Care. Investment in the individual sits at the heart of pastoral care at NLCS, ensuring all girls feel known and valued so they can reach their potential. We celebrate achievements alongside joy, playfulness and humour, while continuously improving our provision. Last year's focus included ensuring consistency in pastoral care, promoting digital self-awareness and ensuring every voice is heard.
Students engage meaningfully with service, fostering empathy, leadership and community through student-led projects, environmental action and local and global partnerships. Using CPOMs, AS Steer and Whisper, the pastoral team provides preventative strategies, early intervention and individual support. Themed weeks including Kindness Week, Anti-Bullying Week and Mental Health and Wellbeing Week promote positive mental health, while Celebration Week emphasises praise and recognition.
The Cedar Space, our Wellbeing Centre, offers wellbeing activities, counsellor drop-in sessions and social space. We partner with Tooled Up and Girls on Board to provide expert resources for parents, pupils and staff.
Facilities. All students enjoy first-class facilities designed with care and purpose. There are lacrosse pitches, all-weather tennis courts and a Sports Centre with an indoor pool, climbing wall and fitness suite. The on-site Performing Arts Centre hosts more than 35 productions a year. The Ideas Hub, completed in 2025, brings together art studios, engineering workshops and flexible, university-style learning spaces, hosting everything from conferences to Surge, the school’s start-up academy for Sixth Formers.
Bursaries. Enabling bright girls from all backgrounds is central to the ethos of the school. Many bursaries are offered to girls who do well in the 11+ test and those entering the Sixth Form, whose parents can demonstrate financial need.
Scholarships. Music, Sports and a Sophie Bryant Scholarship are awarded at 11+ and 16+.
Fees per term (2025-2026). Senior School: £9,917; Junior School: £8,540. Fees include VAT.
Charitable status. The North London Collegiate School is a Registered Charity, number 1115843. It exists to provide an academic education for girls.
Governors & Staff:
The Governing Body:
Mrs Gabrielle Gower OBE, MSC, MA Cantab (Chair)
Mr P Needleman, MA, FIA (Vice Chair)
Mrs M Boghani-Nathoo BSc, FCA
Mrs F Boulton, BSc Hons, MA, OBE
Ms V Godfrey, MA Oxon, MBA, FRGS
Mrs V Harding, BMus Hons, PGDip RAM, PGCE, LRAM, ATCL
Ms R Herdman-Smith, BA (Vice Chair)
Cllr A Jogia MBE, JP, MA
Mrs N Kingsmill-Moore, MED, HDE
Ms C Marten, BA, MA, PGCE
Mr J Sheridan, BA (Hons), CFA
Dr T Thomas, BSC, PhD, PGCE
Dr D Toh, PhD, CPA, PGCHE
Mr A Utermann, BSC, MA, ASIP
Mrs E Watford, MCHEM, MBA
Chief Operating Officer: Mr T Brown, BA Bournemouth, MBA Greenwich
Headmistress: Mrs Vicky Bingham, MA Oxon
Deputy Heads:
Senior Deputy Head: Mrs J Bedi, MA Cantab
Academic: Mr S. Etienne, MSC Oxon
Pastoral Mrs N Dawson, BA Durham
Director of Innovation: Mr R. Street, BA, NPQH Exeter
Head of Junior School: Mr R Queripel, BA Sheffield
Assistant Heads:
Enrichment: Mr J Majithia, BA Oxon
Professional Development: Mr H Waddington, MA Cantab, MPhil Cantab, FRGS
Teaching and Learning: Ms L Timm, MChem Oxon
University Guidance and Careers: Ms D Mardell, MA Cantab, MEd Cantab
Head of Sixth Form: Mr B Tosh, BA Greenwich
Head of Upper School: Mrs N Taberner, BA Brighton
Head of Middle School: Mrs J Demetriou, BA London
Head of Mental Health & Wellbeing: Ms G Mellor, BA Exeter PGCE
Director of IB Diploma: Dr H Linscott, BA, MA, PhD UCL
Head of Careers: Miss P. Henderson, PGCert (Oxon), BA (Hons) (Durham)
Head of Examinations and Data Manager: Mr V Patel, BA London
Deputy Director of Innovation (Junior School): Mr D Harrison, BA Leeds
Director of Partnerships: Mr A. Duffey, BA Surrey Institute of Art & Design
Heads of Academic Departments:
Art and Design: Miss E. Lerche-Lerchenborg
Classics: Mr E Pike, BA London, MA Cape Town
Computing: Mr Z Qureshi, BSc Hertfordshire
Drama: Mr C. Alaru
Economics: Mrs H Waywell, BSc Loughborough, MA IoE
Engineering, Design & Technology: Mr A Duffey, BA Surrey Institute of Art & Design
English: Ms M Henson, BA, MA Cork
Geography: Mr M Morgan
History, Government & Politics: Ms M. Stone
Mathematics: Mr W. Galton, BA (Cantab)
Modern Languages & German: Mrs A Venter, BA Hons Pretoria, MA Sorbonne
French: Miss K Bonnal, Maîtrise Avignon
Italian: Dr N Ibba, MA Bologna, PhD London
Russian: Miss E Makower, BA Oxon
Spanish: Mrs X Yerbury, MA London
Mandarin: Ms A Hickman, BA Durham
Music: Mr S McCall, BA Durham
Physical Education: Mrs G Castle, BA Liverpool John Moores
Theology & Philosophy: Mr J Holt, BA Durham, MA Open
Science: Mr M Powell
Biology: Dr N. Modha
Chemistry: Miss M Siddiqui, BSc London
Physics: Dr C Gannarelli, PhD UCL, MSc UCL
PA to the Head: Ms V Parmar