Don't waste another second putting off preparing your daughter for her NLCS 4+ Assessment.
/So you have applied to North London Collegiate for your daughter’s 4+ Assessments (Remember that this year registration closes on 31/10/25.
NLCS is one of the hardest schools for girls to get into.
Even our most brightest, highly academically gifted girls have struggled with being offered a place at this school. Be aware of this. Be mindful of it and go into this 4+ Assessment with the knowledge and understanding that for your daughter to be offered a place is something incredible.
So let’s have a look at each round at this school and gain a better understanding about why it is so hard to pass for the 4+ Assessments.
Many parents go into the Assessment at this school very naively. They don’t know how hard it is to pass the 4+ Assessments at this school. Of course, it isn’t their fault if it’s their first experience with this school. We all want the absolute best for our children.
This is what the school’s website tells us about Round 1:
Play activities testing school readiness which lasts about an hour. Children are grouped by age and there are about 12-16 children per group. Activities usually include pre-school tasks such as colouring, cutting and sticking.
School readiness is exactly what the two words tell you. How ready your child is for school.
And it really is not just ‘colouring, cutting and sticking!’ They will be assessing at least 20 different things and looking to see if your daughter can do things such as:
Listen well
Follow instructions
Complete tasks with enthusiasm
Show excellent focus and concentration
These are just a few.
The Assessors will be observing the girls and simply choosing the girls who are able to demonstrate these traits. If your daughter is unable to show these, they will not pass the first round at NLCS.
So the first round is a group activity. Your daughter will be with a big group of girls (up to 16) and she will take part in a variety of different eyfs activities in a classroom most likely.
This is what the school’s website tells us about Round 2:
A smaller group are recalled for the second round, which includes a group activity followed by one to one puzzles and games with a member of our teaching staff.
We are looking for children with a curiosity for learning and the confidence to have a go at something they haven’t seen before. They need to be able to listen to and follow simple instructions as part of a group or one to one with an adult.
In the second round your daughter will be in a smaller group (5-6 girls) and the Assessment will then become 1:1. Don’t be surprised if there will be a group of Assessors in the room with the girls.
‘Curiosity for learning’ is the most important part of the Round 2 Assessment at NLCS and perhaps where certain girls didn’t quite show what they needed to show in order to pass the Assessment.
A curiosity for learning can be taught.
It can be practised.
It can be refined.
Encourage your daughter to be curious. Supporting her to ask more questions and to want to know more is 100% something that you can practise with your daughter.
That's what we do in our lessons. And especially if our students are preparing for NLCS.
So if you are preparing for NLCS at 4+. Be prepared. It’s not easy to get into. But with the right preparation, you will definitely increase your chances for success.
