How to Get into North London Collegiate School (11+ Guide)
Written by: Xuan
(Updated on 15 April 2026)
About North London Collegiate School (NLCS)
- Highly selective independent day school for girls in Edgware, Harrow
- Approx. 1 in 10 chance
- 550-600 applicants -> 200 interviews -> 100 offers -> 60 places
Offers are determined by (1) exam performance, (2) interview and (3) a reference from your current Headteacher so academics, motivation and curiosity all matter.
NLCS’s Exam Format
Exam:
- English: paper, open answer (1h 20 mins)
- Maths: paper, open answer (1h 15 mins)
Answers are written on the paper itself (standard format). The papers are set internally by the school, meaning they do not follow a specific external exam board.
The exam tests knowledge, speed and reasoning in timed conditions.
Interview:
- Conversational interview with a senior member of staff
- Explores student’ academic interests, reading habits, and scholarly curiosity
NLCS’s English Exam
It is standard format and open answer.
It tests reading comprehension and creative writing.
NLCS English Sample Papers / Past Papers
Note: NLCS was part of the North London Independent Girls’ School Consortium (Group 2) before 2017. From January 2017, it began setting its own papers.
NLCS’s Mathematics Exam
The paper is standard format (open answer) and lasts 1 hour 15 minutes.
The paper covers all KS2 content. The first part of the exam is general maths questions, the end however tests longer, extends into much more challenging multi-step problems.
NLCS Mathematics Sample Papers / Past Papers
Note: NLCS was part of the North London Independent Girls’ School Consortium (Group 2) before 2017. From January 2017, it began setting its own papers.
NLCS’ Interview
Previous students have said the interview is a general conversation with some academic tasks including:
- 1-3 problem-solving questions (logic / maths / VR)
- a short English or Maths task with a teacher
where students have to explain their answers and thought process verbally.
NLCS Previous Interview Questions
General:
- Why do you want to join NLCS?
- How many schools have you applied to?
- What subjects do you enjoy?
- What do you do in your spare time?
- Any hobbies or interests?
- Any questions for the school?
Academic:
- Logic puzzles (e.g. ordering siblings and ages from clues)
- Verbal reasoning-style puzzles
- Maths problem-solving question
- Occasionally:
- Read a short passage
- Answer an English comprehension question
How to Prepare
How to Prepare: Timeline
Preparation should ideally begin in Year 4:
- Read more classics + contemporary fiction to handle complex texts.
- Read a poem or newspaper opinion piece once a month and discuss it.
- Practice vocabulary, build a word bank.
- Focus on mental arithmetic and ensure all maths foundations are covered.
- By the time you’re in March of Year 5, you should be comfortable with KS2 Maths.
- Marks are awarded for clear working out so start practicing writing out every step of your working out.
- Practice NVR spatial reasoning questions as these come up in the Maths paper.
In Easter of Year 5:
- Start doing practice papers.
- Start writing 20-30 minute pieces based upon prompts.
- Practice active reading – marking metaphors, unusual adjectives and any structural changes in the writing.
In August of Year 5 to the exam:
- Complete practice papers in timed conditions to build stamina. (Aiming for 80-90%+ in practice tests is historically a strong indicator of success).
- Start writing 30-40 minute pieces based upon prompts, and proofreading and refining for a further 10 minutes.
- Practice 20 minute task switching. For example, writing a 20 minute storytelling piece then a 20 minute persuasive/opinion piece immediately after.
- Start discussing why you solve a question a certain way out loud to get used to the interview format.
In December of Year 6:
- Prepare for the interview by discussing academic interests, favourite books, and explaining the logic to difficult maths problems out loud.
- NLCS value curiosity so make sure you’re really talking about why you like things.
How to Prepare: Resources
The best books are (starting from 8-9 and build up to 10-11):
- Bond 11+ Assessment Paper (£22.86 for 4 books)
- CGP 11+ Practice Books (£8.08 per book)
- Schofield and Sims Mental Arithmetic series (£4.70 per book)
- Prep Ed questions (£15 per month)
To enhance your reading:
- Read books regularly either from Recommendation Books or one your child takes interest in at the book store.
- Read The Week Junior regularly and discuss the articles.
- Read a poem from an anthology or from a newspaper and discuss its meaning.
The English exam requires strong comprehension skills, particularly in inference, deduction and vocabulary so you definitely want to start reading early and learning/memorising vocabulary.
Good resources for this include:
- Vocabulary by Age (free)
- up to age 10-11
- 11 Plus Vocabulary by Rose McGowan (£7)
- Prep Ed Vocabulary worksheets (£15 per month)
- start from 8-9 and work up to 10-11.
Start practice papers around April in Year 5.
In preparation for the written papers, some good resources are:
- Independent School Exam Papers for both subjects. There are an abundance of papers available and they are all free. There is no need to buy specific packs. If you cannot find any, feel free to get in touch and we can direct you.
- NLCS past papers (as linked above).
- Prep Ed Worksheets and Practice Papers (£15 per month)
- Primary School Maths Challenge Past Papers (free)