Established 1850 Headmistress Bernice McCabe DfE number 310/6075 Motto in spe laboramus Founded 1850 | Chairman of the Governors Tim Suter Phone +44 20 8952 0912 Number of students 1,066 (2008) | |
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Location Canons DriveEdgwareMiddlesexHA8 7RJEngland Address Canons Dr, Stan HA8 7RJ, UK Profiles | ||
North London Collegiate School is an independent day school for girls in London. Founded in Camden Town, it is now located in Edgware, in the London Borough of Harrow. It is a member of the Girls' Schools Association.
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A line of lime trees runs down the grounds at NLCS and is known to insiders as "Lime Avenue".
History
The North London Collegiate School was founded by Frances Mary Buss, a pioneer in girls' education. She was listed by The Times as one of the top ten greatest women of all time. It is generally recognised as the first girls' school in the United Kingdom to offer girls the same educational opportunities as boys, and Miss Buss was the first person to use(/coin) the term 'Headmistress'.
The small school opened in 1850 at No.46 (later renumbered No.12) Camden Street, London. She believed in the importance of home life and it remained a day school.
In 1929, the school bought Canons, a modest villa built by William Hallett Esq, on the site of a palatial residence originally built in the early 18th century by the Duke of Chandos, and relocated to the property (designed by Sir Albert Richardson) in 1940.
George Bernard Shaw's mother was a director of music at the school, followed in 1908 by J.B. Manson's wife, Lilian, whose ambitious revival of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas in 1910 gained coverage in The Times.
Today the school caters to girls from ages 4 to 18. It comprises a Junior School (Reception to Year 6) and Senior School (Year 7-13). Former pupils are known as ONLs, short for Old North Londoners.
The school also introduced a house system in 2014, with the houses being named after noted past pupils. The houses have colours, and each house has two house captains amongst the pupils, and a staff head of house.
The uniform of North London Collegiate School is light blue and dark brown in colour.
The co-ed boarding North London Collegiate School Jeju opened in Seogwipo, South Korea in 2011.
Curriculum
North London Collegiate is the one of the most academically successful schools in England, having been placed in the top twenty in the Daily Telegraph exam league tables every year for over a decade. It has been an International Baccalaureate World School since October 2003 . Girls may choose to take the traditional A Levels or the Pre-U or the IB curriculum.
The girls are also encouraged to participate in non-academic pursuits. The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is available similarly to all independent schools. They may also take part in activities such as World Challenge Expeditions, Young Enterprise, Model United Nations and various community service projects.