North London Collegiate School vs Southbank International School - Hampstead Campus
North London Collegiate School and Southbank International School - Hampstead Campus are both in London, about 11 km apart. Both schools offer IB programmes, and North London Collegiate School also offers Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS and Pearson Edexcel IGCSE. Published annual fees are close, at £25,620 - 29,751 for North London Collegiate School and £20,172 - 38,613 for Southbank International School - Hampstead Campus. North London Collegiate School takes pupils from 4 to 18, and Southbank International School - Hampstead Campus from 2 to 11. North London Collegiate School is the larger school, with around 1,108 pupils to Southbank International School - Hampstead Campus's 165. Typical class sizes are 20 at North London Collegiate School and 16 at Southbank International School - Hampstead Campus.
IB (DP), Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Curriculum
IB (PYP)
Pupils
Pupils
1,108
Pupils
165
Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
16
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
1850
Opened
1979
Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
Yes
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Located in north‑west London, NLCS's Senior School is on Dalkeith Grove in Stanmore (HA7 4SQ) and has a Canons Drive entrance in Edgware (HA8 7RJ). The school sits in the London Borough of Harrow. Stanmore Station (Jubilee Line) is about a 10‑minute walk to NLCS; Canons Park Station (Jubilee Line) is about 8 minutes away; Edgware Station (Northern Line) is about a 15‑minute walk to the Canons Drive entrance.
Location
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Stages
Stages
Girls aged 4-18; Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form.
Stages
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School type
School type
Independent day school
School type
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Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
The Medical Centre and Cedar Space provide health and wellbeing support, including a Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, a School Nurse, a healthcare professional, and two counsellors; tailored support to meet individual needs.
Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
United Kingdom
Country affiliation
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Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
Junior School day: First School (Reception–Year 2) arrives 8.30–8.45am; registration 8.50am; lessons finish 3.20pm; Lower School (Years 3–6) arrives after 8.15am; registration 8.40am; lessons finish 3.25pm; after-school clubs 3.30–4.00pm. Senior School day: nine 35-minute lessons; arrivals 8.15am–8.35am; Period 1 8.40–9.15; Period 2 9.15–9.50; Form time/assembly 9.50–10.25.
School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
Coach and minibus services operate; morning coaches aim to reach the School by 8.25am.
Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application / Entry assessment fee
- Entry assessment fee (non‑refundable): GBP 150 for UK applicants and GBP 200 for overseas applicants.
Tuition fees (per term and per year)
- Junior School: GBP 8,540 per term; GBP 25,620 per year (three terms). - Senior School: GBP 9,917 per term; GBP 29,751 per year (three terms).
Coaches and lunches (additional annual charges)
- Coach travel: GBP 2,937 per year for a return coach fare (billed termly). GBP 2,329 per year for a single coach fare (billed termly). - Lunches: GBP 1,215 per year for pupils in the Lower and Senior School (billed termly). GBP 1,029 per year for the First School. Senior School pupils may alternatively bring a packed lunch. - No additional charge is made for textbooks, stationery or examination fees.
Deposit
- An Acceptance Deposit equal to one half of one term's fees is required when a place is accepted. The Acceptance Deposit is retained until the pupil leaves and is repaid as a credit on the final fee bill (unless donated). A pro‑rata deposit applies to holders of bursary awards. An Additional Deposit may be required where the pupil's normal residence is outside the United Kingdom or where fees are paid from accounts or income outside the UK.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Billing frequency options: Termly in full on the first day of each term, or monthly in ten equal instalments. Annual charges (tuition, buses, lunches etc.) are collected in ten equal instalments on the first day of the month from 1 August to 1 May. Extras (for example trips) are collected on 1 August for the Autumn Term, 1 January for the Spring Term and 1 May for the Summer Term and are added to the existing instalment collections. Invoices are issued by email in advance of the term to which they relate.
Fee payment methods and administrative charges
- Payment by direct debit is the standard method; fees for each term are due as cleared funds by direct debit before the commencement of the term unless a separate arrangement has been agreed. Payment by cheque or by bank transfer is permitted but the School reserves the right to charge an administration fee of GBP 50 each time such a payment is made. Cash payments are not accepted. The School may refuse a payment if it is not satisfied as to the identity of the payer or the source of the funds. Agreements with third‑party payers do not release parents from liability if the third party defaults.
Other costs and extras
- Extras may include charges for educational visits, overseas trips, additional tuition, coach charges, lunches, clothing and equipment, photographs or other items ordered by parents or pupils, and damage where the pupil has caused wilful loss or damage. Extras are billed on the dates noted under the billing schedule. Some financial assistance awards may include support for uniform, lunches, coach transport, essential curriculum materials, exam fees and compulsory school trips.
Boarding
- Boarding is not applicable; the School is a mainstream day school for girls aged 4 to 18 years. No boarding fees apply.
Refunds, cancellations and notice
- Fees are non‑refundable in the ordinary course: fees will not be refunded, reduced or waived for pupil absence through illness, for a shortened Term or extended vacation, for early release before or after public examinations, for temporary closure due to adverse weather, or except in exceptional cases at the sole discretion of the Headmistress. An offer and acceptance made entirely at distance may be cancelled within the statutory 14‑day cancellation period; in such cases Acceptance and Additional Deposits, if paid, will be refunded together with any fees paid pro‑rata for educational services already provided. If parents withdraw a pupil without giving at least one full Term's written notice they will be liable to pay one Term's fees in lieu of notice (special rules apply where a pupil leaves at the end of Year 13). Acceptance and Additional Deposits may be refunded in specified circumstances as set out in the School's terms and conditions.
Summary notes on inclusions
- Textbooks, stationery and examination fees are included within the published fees and are not charged separately. Extras such as trips, additional tuition or optional activities are billed separately on the dates listed under the billing schedule. Bursaries and scholarships are discretionary and any award terms (including what costs they cover) are notified at the time of offer.
Fee details
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Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
In Years 7–9 the curriculum follows the National Curriculum, and in Years 10–11 pupils study the Edexcel IGCSE syllabus, with all students taking IGCSE Language and Literature in Year 11. In the Sixth Form the school offers two pathways: A Levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, with English Literature available through IB and Cambridge Pre-U. The Mathematics department uses the Edexcel IGCSE syllabus in Years 10–11, and about three-quarters of Sixth Form students study A Level or IB Mathematics, with some choosing Further Mathematics or IB Higher Level. Pupils can study six modern languages—French, Spanish, German, Russian, Mandarin and Italian—with language exchanges and a Polyglot Society. The Music Department offers IB, A Level and IGCSE music syllabuses, following Cambridge IGCSE Music and AQA A Level Music.
Curriculum details
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Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
IB Diploma 2025 average score 42.94, making NLCS the second highest performing IB school in the world and the best in the country. A Level 2025 results were outstanding with 54.3% A* grades, 86.1% A*-A and 96.1% A*-B. GCSE/IGCSE 2025 results were record-breaking with 83.4% grade 9, 95.9% 9/8 and 99.2% 9/8/7.
Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Notable university destinations include Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, UCL, King's College London and LSE, with many graduates also going to Yale, Brown, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, McGill and other leading institutions. Destinations span the UK, USA, Canada and Europe.
Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
The Sophie Bryant Scholarship commemorates the intellectual brilliance of Sophie Bryant and offers an individualized mentoring and enrichment programme. It includes termly mentoring sessions, a Sophie Bryant Symposium, a Sophie Bryant Journal and potential fee remission, and is offered to a small number of girls entering NLCS in Year 7 and Year 12 who demonstrate a deep love of learning.
Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Entry points for NLCS: 4+ (40 places), 7+ (8–10 places), 11+ (approximately 70–75 places), and 16+ (approximately 20 places). There are also Junior School Occasional Places and Years 8–10 Occasional Places. Registrations for 2026 entry are closed. NLCS seeks students with strong academic potential, curiosity about the world, ambition, and readiness to embrace opportunities, and it values diversity. A range of scholarships and bursaries is offered, including music scholarships, sports scholarships, and the Sophie Bryant Scholarship, available to Senior School entrants at 11+ and 16+. Occasional places may be available in other year groups, and School in Action mornings can be booked to visit.
Admissions
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Scholarships
Scholarships
Music Scholarships are offered at 11+ and 16+ for outstanding musical promise; Handel Music Scholarship provides a remission of 10–20% of school fees and 11+ scholarships last for the duration of studies while 16+ scholarships cover the duration of Sixth Form. The Sophie Bryant Scholarship is awarded to a small number of Year 7 or Year 12 entrants, includes mentoring and enrichment, and usually fee remission (not guaranteed); assessment follows the 11+ or 16+ process and is open to external and some internal applicants. Sports Scholarships are open to external 11+ and 16+ applicants as well as current Year 6 and Year 11 pupils; candidates must demonstrate high-level sport and potential; recipients receive mentorship, a strength and conditioning programme, some NLCS kit, nutritional support, and usually fee remission; assessments include fitness tests, skill evaluations, and interviews.