At a glance
11+ · Year 7 · about 70 to 75 places
English (1 hr 15 min) and maths (1 hr 15 min) written papers, on paper; no verbal or non-verbal reasoning; 30-minute interview for selected girls, with spoken maths and English questions; school reference
Occasional places (Years 8 to 10) · Years 8, 9 and 10 · places not published
Written papers and interviews; details shared if a place becomes available
| Entry point | Joins in | Places (approx.) | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11+ | Year 7 | About 70 to 75 | English (1 hr 15 min) and maths (1 hr 15 min) written papers, on paper; no verbal or non-verbal reasoning; 30-minute interview for selected girls, with spoken maths and English questions; school reference |
| Occasional places (Years 8 to 10) | Years 8, 9 and 10 | Not published | Written papers and interviews; details shared if a place becomes available |
Year 7 is the standard entry point. Occasional places sometimes come up in Years 8, 9 and 10 (not every year), via an expression of interest form. There is no Year 11 entry.
Entry points and who can apply
North London Collegiate School is a girls' school. For the Senior School, there is one main way in.
- 11+ (Year 7). This is the standard entry point. The school offers around 70 to 75 places to external applicants each year, for entry in September 2027. These girls join about 45 who move up from the school's own Junior School.
- Occasional places (Years 8, 9 and 10). Places sometimes come up, but not every year. You fill in an expression of interest form, and the school contacts you if a place becomes available. It does not offer places in Year 11. The school does not run a separate 13+ entry.
You register online through the school's website. Registration for September 2027 entry closes at 4pm on Friday 13 November 2026. The non-refundable entry assessment fee is £150 for UK applicants and £200 for overseas applicants. After registration closes, the school asks your daughter's primary school for a confidential reference.
If your daughter has special educational needs, give details on the registration form. The school says you may request extra time or special consideration in the exams if a professional body supports the need. If travel to the UK is not possible, the school can send the papers to your daughter's current school, where she sits them under supervised exam conditions.
The assessment: what your daughter will sit
Every girl who registers by the deadline is invited to the entrance exam on Thursday 3 December 2026. It consists of two written papers, set by the school, in English and maths. The papers are on paper, not on a computer.
| Paper | Time | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| English | 1 hr 15 min | Comprehension and creative writing |
| Mathematics | 1 hr 15 min | Written answers; calculators not allowed |
The school says it does not use verbal or non-verbal reasoning tests.
What the sample papers show
The school publishes a sample maths paper and a sample English paper (from December 2022) with its reading passage. It does not provide answers. Use them to see the format; they may not match this year's papers exactly.
- English. The sample has two parts. Part A is reading: about 35 minutes, including 5 minutes to read the passage and questions, with written answers of varying length. Part B is writing: about 40 minutes, split into two 20-minute pieces. In the sample, one continues the story from the passage and the other asks for her views on a statement. Reading and writing carry equal marks.
- Maths. Answers are written in the spaces on the paper, in pen or pencil. Working is shown, and the instructions say some marks may be given for incomplete answers if the working is clear. The paper tells girls to move on if stuck and not to worry if they do not finish.
What this means in practice
- Handwriting and stamina matter. Two papers of 75 minutes each, all on paper. She needs to write clearly and keep going.
- Show the working. In maths, a clear method can earn marks even when the final answer is wrong.
- Plan the English time. Reading and writing are worth the same, so she should not run out of time before the writing.
- English and maths only. There are no verbal or non-verbal reasoning tests, so preparation can focus on the two subjects that are tested.
Interview and the decision
After the exam, some girls are invited back for a 30-minute interview. Interviews run from Monday 11 to Friday 22 January 2027. Experienced members of staff conduct them. The school says they are a chance to get to know each girl a little better, and for her to ask questions. There is also further maths and English testing during the interview, as spoken questions. Parents are not interviewed.
The school's admissions policy lists the criteria candidates must meet. They include:
- performing strongly in the entrance exams and interviews, relative to other applicants
- a strong recommendation from the Head of their current school, covering academic achievement, motivation and extracurricular involvement
The school is oversubscribed. Where it must choose between girls who meet its standard, it may give preference to a girl with a sister at the school or a parent who is a former pupil, a girl whose parent is on the staff, or a girl with a particular skill, talent or aptitude.
Offers go out by email on Friday 12 February 2027. Everyone offered a place is invited to an offer holders' event at the school, which the school says is "in plenty of time to help you make a decision". The acceptance deadline is early March 2027 (not yet confirmed). The school does not give feedback on assessments.
The school runs Senior School In Action mornings for parents. At the time of writing, the next one is Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 9am; the earlier autumn dates are fully booked.
Help with fees: bursaries and scholarships
Senior School fees for 2026/27 are £10,365 per term, including VAT. When you accept a place, you pay an acceptance deposit of half of one term's fees, which is returned when your daughter leaves the school. Bursary holders pay a pro-rata deposit.
Means-tested bursaries are available to girls joining the Senior School at 11+ or 16+, and can cover up to 100% of fees. They can also include help with lunches, coach fares (50% off), uniform, curriculum materials, exam fees and compulsory trips.
As a guide, the school says families with a total income below £40,000 and limited assets are likely to be considered for a full bursary, and families with income above £150,000 are unlikely to receive help. Partial bursaries may go to families in between. Most awards go to girls joining from state (maintained) schools.
If you want to apply for a bursary, say so on the registration form; the school will then send you an additional form to complete. The deadline is Friday 13 November 2026, the same day registration closes. An independent agency, the Bursary Administration Agency, assesses applications, which may include a home visit or phone call. Bursaries are kept separate from admissions: markers and interviewers do not know who has applied. The fee-paying parents must be UK tax resident. Awards are reviewed every year.
Scholarships are separate, and a girl can hold a scholarship and a bursary at the same time.
- Sophie Bryant Scholarship. For a small number of girls with a deep love of learning and wider interests. There is no separate application; external applicants are considered through the normal exam, interview and reference. It usually carries some fee remission, but this is not guaranteed.
- Handel Music Scholarship. Worth 10 to 20% of fees. Candidates must already be at Grade 5 distinction standard or above on their first instrument (Grade 4 distinction for viola, double bass, oboe, bassoon and brass). The deadline to apply is Friday 13 November 2026; auditions are on Saturday 16 January 2027.
- Doris Gregory Organ Exhibition. One award a year, to a student who shows outstanding musical promise on piano or organ, after the entrance exam and an audition. It covers organ lessons and organ exam entries; there is no fee reduction.
- Sports Scholarship. For girls playing at club (under-11 only), county, regional or national level. It usually carries some fee remission, but this is not guaranteed. The deadline is Friday 13 November 2026; trials are on Wednesday 13 January 2027.
Every scholarship candidate must also pass the entrance exam.
How to prepare
The school publishes the format and sample papers; use them to see what to expect.
- Read widely and talk about it. Fiction and non-fiction, with questions about mood, word choice and what a character is feeling. The sample comprehension asks for answers in her own words and for quotations with explanation.
- Secure Year 5 and Year 6 maths. Without a calculator. Fluent arithmetic, fractions, decimals, ratio and geometry, then multi-step problems.
- Practise full 75-minute papers on paper. Build stamina gradually. Teach her to move on from a hard question and come back to it.
- Always show the working. Neat, clear method on the page, so a marker can give credit for it.
- Write regularly to 20 minutes. Practise two kinds of piece: continuing a story, and giving a reasoned view on a statement. Read them back together for paragraphs, punctuation and spelling.
- Get used to talking through her thinking. The interview includes spoken maths and English questions. At home and without pressure, let her explain out loud how she solved a problem.
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Sources
All checked on 21 October 2026. Akiru is independent and not connected with North London Collegiate School. Always confirm details with the school before applying.