North London Collegiate School Junior School

Our View

Shares the glorious site with its big sister but has a bright one-storey modern (1995) building of its own, divided into first and lower schools. Good stable staff – 16 have been at the school for more than 10 years – retain their enthusiasm and clear enjoyment of their bright and bubbly charges. Two form entry – first school class size of 20, and 24 in the lower school, each class having its own teacher and TA. Rooms are spacious and airy – room to move, not found in more central London preps.

Our tour was full of pleasures – inside and out. We liked the bright displays everywhere, the sense of orderliness and the little loos – so important! – with their fish motifs. We loved the Montgolfier balloons, an imaginative undersea montage with fishing nets, lobster pots and portholes and some lively nascent DT sculptures – thank heaven for kitchen roll tubes and egg boxes! We watched reception miming seed planting to a tape and saw that not all were fully engaged in this – perhaps still learning to listen? We did wonder whether artistic endeavours might not be over-directed, but the vivid year 2 Kandinsky-influenced houses seemed more relaxed. We applaud the garden club, Friday's Golden Time and the Three Bears' Cottage with bed, kitchen and mirror.

Overall, facilities are good – designated science, IT and artrooms plus a good sized hall and libraries for both parts of the school, the lower school one being particularly inviting, with a lovely display of 'antique book covers' when we visited. The girls also enjoy the senior school's sports facilities as well as the senior girls themselves – several come down to help. Specialist subject teaching from year 5 and we were impressed by the school's introductory courses to languages: Spanish in year 3, German in year 4, Chinese in year 5 and French in year 6 – good fun and sensible. No children currently with statements but around 5 per cent with mild SEN – catered for by school SENCo; most leave for the senior school no longer needing much support.

Parents enthuse – 'It's a lovely school and Mrs Newman and the staff are very kind'. The ethos – of discipline, a non-competitive striving for one's personal best and stimulation which is also fun – is very much that of the senior school, and the junior branch, in every way, equips its young alumnae to seize the opportunities they will be offered in the next exciting stage.

Head

Since 2003, Mrs Jo Newman BEd (fiftyish). Came from Fairseat, Channing's junior school – parents there still mourn their loss. 'They've got our lovely Mrs Newman,' we were told. Hmph! She is bustling, bright-eyed, thrilled with her school and proud of her charges, who smile sweetly and confidently at her. Popular with parents and just about everyone.

Entrance

Vastly over-subscribed at 4+, when group and individual assessments (no reading/writing, mercifully!) result in the allocation of 40 places. At 7+, maths and English tested, but only 8-10 places for the armies who turn up. Most continue from first school through to lower school until they are 11.

Exit

All but a very few continue into the senior school, though NB this is not guaranteed. Parents of those who the school perceives might not make the grade are alerted early and helped to look elsewhere.