NLCS Annual Review - 2022-2023

Annual Review 2022-2023

Welcome I am delighted to have joined NLCS as the 10th Headmistress of this outstanding school. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few months, and I have witnessed the warmth and kindness of our community.

As you will read throughout the pages of this annual review, 2022-2023 was a vibrant and successful year. The School’s continuing success is built on the strength of its long-standing and deeply-rooted educational values, which are embedded within the school culture and shared by our community of passionate subject teachers and academically curious students. This annual review wonderfully articulates what an inspiring and nurturing place NLCS is for the young people we educate.

Our pupils’ personal development and pastoral care are at the heart of everything we do and remain a key priority for the School. Building on the outstanding work of the pastoral team and alongside the opening of ‘The Cedar Space’, our new wellbeing centre, we want to continue to make the development of emotional intelligence and of character as important to us as the fulfilment of our pupils’ academic potential.

Our students celebrated fantastic achievements in their International Baccalaureate, A Level and GCSE examinations. The students achieved one of the highest scores in the 20 years NLCS has offered the International Baccalaureate, with an average score of 41.5 points out of a possible 45, comfortably maintaining our position as one of the top-performing IB schools worldwide (and, we believe, top in the UK). A Level and GCSE marking returned to the normal pre-pandemic grading standard this year: at GCSE 75% of grades were a 9, the highest possible grade, and at A Level 77% of grades were an A* or an A. These outcomes place NLCS in the highest echelon of UK schools.

I am delighted that 88% of our Year 13 leavers secured their first-choice university and have started their undergraduate studies in prestigious institutes in the UK and overseas, studying a wonderful breadth of subjects, including Aerospace Engineering, Experimental Psychology, International Media and Law.

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This review points to the School’s exceptional commitment to wider intellectual enrichment. Highlighted in this review are the myriad opportunities offered to our students through our rich and varied programme of extracurricular enrichment. Central to the ethos of NLCS is our provision of opportunities for students to explore and develop their interests and leadership skills outside the classroom. I have been impressed by the many examples of scholarship and subject passion within the student body, demonstrated through the wide variety of speakers invited to senior societies lectures, the dedicated subject weeks, student-produced journals and student-led events.

This is an exciting time for the School as we prepare to open our innovation hub next year, a space designed to facilitate creative thinking, pioneering use of technology and interdisciplinary learning. At NLCS, we are inspired by our heritage of inspirational and intellectual teaching but empowered by modernity. We want NLCS to be a school of influence and impact, and I am very much looking forward to continuing to understand the heartbeat of this special centre of learning. I feel privileged to lead this community into the next chapter of its history.

Finally, I would like to pay tribute to Dr Bagworth-Mann for her stewardship of NLCS last academic year. I am sure you will agree that the many achievements of our pupils and the opportunities offered by the School in 2022-2023 are a credit to her leadership and to the work and talents of my colleagues.

Vicky Bingham Headmistress

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Academic Highlights Extra-Curricular Trips Pastoral Highlights Sports Partnerships Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Careers and Charity Examination Results University Destinations Junior School The IDEAS Hub Development & Alumnae Letter from the Chairman of Governors

Academic Highlights Enrichment Stretching our students beyond the prescribed curriculum and embedding subject scholarship and academic challenge has enabled students to achieve excellence across many areas, and there have been many examples of success across departments this year.

Our rich programme of extracurricular enrichment underpins our ambitious education. It provides myriad opportunities for students to explore their interests inside and outside the classroom and develop essential leadership skills. The many subject weeks, competitions, visiting speakers and publications created are a testament to the scholarship and subject passion within the student body. It has been wonderful to see our students develop the confidence to embrace challenges and flourish both academically and personally.

• Five students participated in the National Translation Bee Final at Cambridge University following their selection from 13,000 entries.

They secured first place in French and the top four in Spanish and German.

• Team

Blitz made it to the F1 in Schools National Finals after finishing second in the UK Regional Finals.

• Year 11 students competed in the Intermediate Physics Challenge competition run by Oxford University, which challenges the very best young physicists to solve unfamiliar problems.

All students achieved an award, with one student securing Gold.

• Two students received prestigious awards from The Royal Geographical Society. One student was awarded a ‘highly commended’ award after being nominated for ‘Young Geographer of the Year’, which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers and one student, one of only five students nationwide, achieved the 2022 Award for Excellence in Geography.

• Students achieved a school record number of certificates in the Junior Mathematical Challenge (117 Gold, 85 Silver and 52 Bronze) and an impressive set of results in Kangaroo, with 27 students achieving Merit. In the Junior Mathematical Olympiad, five students achieved Distinction, one was awarded Silver, two were awarded Bronze Medals, and two students achieved Merit.

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• Year 12 IB and A Level Economists competed in the finals of the IEA Budget Challenge. They engaged in extensive research into the UK economy and confidently presented their proposed government spending and taxation budget. They came runner-up and were awarded a place on the competitive IEA internship programme over the summer.

• Our

Maths department was awarded the prestigious Prince’s Teaching Institute Subject Leadership Mark for outstanding teaching. Launched in 2007, the Schools Programme recognises and rewards school departments that develop inspirational ideas and activities and commit to increasing the challenge of their subject provision.

SUBJECT PASSION Across the year, students have taken the lead in creating more than 25 journals, publications, blogs and podcasts. Exploring a vast subject area, including drama, science, literature, languages, philosophy, engineering, and many others, these outstanding publications demonstrate our students’ curiosity and passion to expand their subject knowledge beyond the classroom.

You can read a selection of them here

SPEAKERS PROGRAMME Throughout the year, we welcomed more than 250 visiting speakers for a range of events, from lunchtime and after-school meetings to Senior Societies, Science Café, and Evening Talks.

Highlights include: • Gina Miller, Political Activist and Founder of the True & Fair Party, who rose to prominence after enacting the 2016 court case against the British Government over its authority to implement Brexit without approval from Parliament, gave an empowering talk entitled ‘Daring Greatly.’

• Baroness Hale, retired British Judge who served as President of the Supreme Court of

the United Kingdom from 2017 and formerly Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, the only woman to have ever been appointed to the position. She spoke passionately about her legal career and the challenges she has overcome.

• Professor Chris MacManus, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Medical Education at UCL, gave a talk entitled ‘Right hand, left hand: The origins of asymmetry in brains, bodies, atoms, and cultures’.

• Georgette Oni, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, one of only a small number in the UK who is dual-qualified in breast surgical oncology, inspired our future medics with her talk ‘What’s the best job in the world and why is it being a Plastic Surgeon.’

SUBJECT FOCUS WEEKS In addition to our celebration and commemoration of annual events, including Holocaust Memorial Day, Pride Month, Neurodiversity Week and International Women’s Day, several subject-focus weeks have taken place, alongside our annual Summer Festival which this year was on the theme ‘Regeneration’. During these weeks, students ran events, invited speakers, held seminars, and produced outstanding journals. Subject weeks have included History and Politics, Modern Foreign Languages, Science, Classics and Philosophy, all providing fascinating opportunities for students to explore topics and their passions beyond the current curriculum.

In addition to external speakers, our teaching staff have continued to present an insightful and thought-provoking series of talks in our Nicholson lecture programme. Topics have included: • ‘Finding

Your Other Half’- an exploration of Love in the Ancient World • ‘What

Power Art Thou?’ - Henry Purcell’s King Arthur and Political Culture in the 1690s • ‘Spanish:

A Language for All?’ - Approaches to gender neutrality • ‘Imaging

in the Sciences’ - exploring different techniques to image and detect various phenomena across science

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Extra-curricular Drama Throughout the year students have embraced the opportunities to perform on stage, including three full-scale productions which captivated audiences. The Middle School cast delivered outstanding performances with their rendition of Saint George and the Dragon and our talented Year 7 and 8 students transported us to the dramatic realm of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, showcasing their impressive talents and dedication.

Our annual performance of Glimmers enchanted the audience with a medley of songs, engaging duologues, and compelling group acts drawn from beloved classics such as Matilda and Mary Poppins.

In Crouch End to Brisbane, the drama studio was transformed into a football changing room.

This captivating original production, written by Mr. Hennelly, Teacher of Drama, delved deep into the rich history of women’s football in England, delivering a compelling narrative that resonated with audiences.

In the Spring term, our Senior School students unleashed a dazzling spectacle with their musical Legally Blonde. The high-energy performances, combined with an array of talents on display, left a long-lasting memory for all those who were fortunate enough to see it.

It was impressive to see two Sixth form students devise and direct their own production, Seven Minutes and a Dolphin. This comedy play, set aboard a cruise ship, brought together actors from various year groups in a collaborative effort that extended not only to the stage but also behind the scenes.

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Music Throughout the year, our music program catered to all musicians, offering an abundance of concerts and performance opportunities. The Performing Arts Centre stage came alive during the Winter, Spring, and Summer concerts, where students from all year groups showcased their talents. These events featured performances by small ensembles, vocal groups, and the full school orchestra, creating a harmonious and vibrant musical tapestry.

Our musical offerings extended beyond the stage, with our lunchtime, jazz, and Drummond concerts providing an intimate setting for students from all year groups to showcase their talents. Notably, the student rock band Radio Silence added an extra dose of excitement by delivering impromptu gigs around the school during the Summer Festival, further enhancing the musical experiences on offer.

St. James’s Church in Sussex Gardens played host to the NLCS annual Christmas Carol Service, where our choirs delivered a mesmerising performance, enchanting an external audience with their beautiful rendition of traditional carols.

Chess

NLCS proudly clinched the prestigious title of English Chess Federation Under 19 Girls National Champions. Following an intense battle among eight schools, the NLCS U19 chess team emerged as the triumphant victors.

In addition to the collective accomplishments, an individual student received a coveted invitation to participate in the prestigious She Plays to Win tournament, held at the historic Edinburgh Chess Club. After engaging in intense competition against nine other skilled players, she emerged victorious, a truly remarkable and exceptional achievement.

NLCS triumphed at the South-East Schools Chamber Music Competition, held at St George’s Church in Hanover Square. This outstanding accomplishment stands as a testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of our students.

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Trips During the school year, our students engaged in a variety of captivating journeys and cultural exchanges.

Year 9 German students had a glorious time meeting their pen friends at the Goethe Gymnasium in Ludwigsburg. Students heard stories from our historical exchange, the second oldest of its kind, going back to 1948. Year 9 embraced physical and mental challenges during their Adventure Week to the Peak District.

Spanish students in Year 10 and 11 took a trip to Salamanca where they had the chance to practice and improve their Spanish skills, learn about the Spanish culture and enjoy getting to know their host families. The students had a salsa dancing class, cooking demonstration and dinner, visits to museums such as Casa de Lis and Palace Monterrey, tour of Salamanca, excursions to Segovia and Zamora, visit to a ‘churrería’ to eat churros with hot chocolate, and explorations to the shops to practice their vocabulary on shopping.

Linguists and Lacrosse players united for a trip to Canada where they took part in matches and coaching sessions against Canadian teams. There were also opportunities to explore Canada with excursions to Fort York, Quebec City, Niagara Falls and Musee des beaux-arts in Montréal.

Model United Nations took a trip across the Atlantic to the Change the World Model United Nations conference in New York providing a fantastic chance for students to engage in thought-provoking debates on the pressing issues of the international political agenda.

Geography students from Year 10 to Year 13 embarked on an unforgettable journey to Iceland. They not only had the privilege of visiting the Blue Lagoon but also experienced the phenomenon of the Northern Lights.

Year 7 students enjoyed their annual trip to Phasels Wood, where they built lasting friendships and honed their team-building skills, providing a fantastic start to their academic journey.

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THE CEDAR SPACE At the end of the Summer term, we were delighted to open our Wellbeing Centre, ‘The Cedar Space,’ which is now ready for the school community to use. This centre will help us support and promote the wellbeing and mental health of our community, including pupils, staff and parents.

THEMED WEEKS

Pastoral Highlights Developing our excellent pastoral provision across the School has continued to be a key priority, with a specific focus this year on intervention pastoral strategies that enable our students to be successful. Using CPOMs (safeguarding, pastoral and wellbeing software) to monitor students closely has allowed for early intervention work to be developed and strategies to be put in place for individual students or a cohort. Additionally, the AS Steer programme is enabling tutors to have a greater understanding of the needs of their tutees to ensure they are well known by the tutor team and ensures early intervention for those in need of support.

PSHE This year, a key priority has also been training for staff in PSHE and RSE teaching, supported by the appointment of a new Head of PSHE. Much has been achieved in this area, developing staff confidence and improving the provision. Staff have also worked with parents in empowering them to support their daughters in navigating social interactions.

We held three successful pastoral-focused weeks throughout the year including a Feel Good Week, Kindness Week and our first Celebration Week.

This new event emphasised the importance of praise and recognition, and we celebrated individual success and the unique talents of our students inside and outside school.

PASTORAL CONFERENCE Our first Pastoral Conference was held in the Summer term, focussing on early intervention strategies. Colleagues from local state and independent schools joined us for an afternoon of talks and workshops. Speakers included Nicola Morgan, The Teenage Brain Woman, discussing how we can hep young people become active agents of their own wellbeing and resilience.

Additionally Neil Moggan from RISE up explored trauma informed practice and Dr Kathy Weston, Founder of Tooled Up Education, led workshops on supporting parents and carers with early help and support for children. There was also a groundbreaking theatre in education piece presented by Year 7 students.

There has been a clear focus on exploring the impact of technology and social media with students.

Childnet presented their E-Safety session to Year 7 parents and their daughters. This was also backed up by sessions led by the pastoral team on social media and guidance for parents on monitoring social media usage and apps.

We have also supported students in managing friendships and navigating social interactions. A parental talk was given

by Dr Kathy Weston from ‘Tooled-Up’, and our pastoral team created a guide for parents offering support to empower their children to deal with friendship concerns. A workshop for Year 7 students by Theatre in Education encouraged them to consider kindness and positive behaviour amongst peers. The Self-Esteem Team also led a session on building esteem and confidence to Year 10.

PEER MENTORS A new initiative was introduced for students called ‘Pause with the Peer Mentors’ Inspired by an initiative launched by the mental health charity Mind, students can take part in a creative and mindful activity over lunch. Activities have included origami, flower pressing, scrapbooking, and mindful colouring. Our Peer Mentors have also visited Upper School Forms for their popular ‘Tea & Chat’.

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Sports The vision for Physical Education and Sports at NLCS is firmly rooted in the core principles of our educational approach, with physical activity playing a vital role in our mental health and wellbeing strategy.

By fostering a supportive and non-judgmental environment, students are encouraged to challenge themselves and strive for personal excellence. We believe in the value of exploring new activities, discovering areas of proficiency, and deriving joy from the experience, all while maintaining a strong emphasis on enjoyment and fun.

It has been another excellent year with plenty of success in both team and individual sports.

• The minor and junior Cross-Country teams gained first place in the Harrow Cross Country Championships with six students medalling.

• In tennis, four pairs entered the National Schoolgirls’ Doubles tournament with the U14 1st pair winning the plate competition.

• Thirteen students competed in the British Schoolgirl’s Indoor Ski Races in Milton Keynes, with 8 students being selected to compete in the British Schoolgirls’ Races in Flaine.

• Two students represented NLCS in the Public Schools Fencing competition placing 5th and 6th respectively.

• The Senior Netball squad had an outstanding run in the Independent Schools National Cup (ISNC) finishing runner up, they also qualified for the Middlesex finals after finishing unbeaten in the qualifying tournament at Lady Eleanor Holles.

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• Artistic sports flourished with a particular highlight seeing the U13 gymnastics squad qualifying for the National Finals. Following a beautifully executed group routine and some wonderful individual performances the students came away with 3rd place overall. The annual Year 7 Dance Display was a real highlight of the sporting calendar, bringing together our entire Year 7 cohort to perform in the PAC.

• The Senior Lacrosse squad attended the National Lacrosse Championships full of confidence and were delighted to be crowned U19A Division 3 Champions.

• Three students were selected into the South-East Super Counties Lacrosse squads with a further two progressing through to represent the South-East in the National finals tournament.

• Year

7 students had the opportunity to engage in two partnership days, one with Queen Elizabeth’s School and the other with Sacred Heart Language College. During the QE partnership event, students delved into discussions about climate change and climate action, culminating in compelling presentations delivered in various creative formats, including impassioned speeches, evocative poems, and thought-provoking sketches. Meanwhile, NLCS and Sacred Heart students explored the world of classical music, particularly focusing on Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture, before presenting their findings at the end of the day.

Partnerships Our Partnership work with students and teachers has re-embedded us in the community as a school with exceptional standards for teaching and learning. Our significant focus over the year on re-establishing our partnership programme resulted in a diverse range of activities enriching over 600 students from local state schools.

We introduced a new events programme to support the development of skills in oracy, literacy and soft skills such as performance.

This programme includes Public Speaking, Model United Nations, Music, and Problem Solving. Additionally, we continued with our existing departmental partnership events

such as Philosophy and English Literature and an International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge conference. Our plans are to expand community partnership activities to include Ancient and Modern Languages, Drama, and Sports.

• The NLCS Mini-Mun, expertly hosted by NLCS Sixth Form students, invited Year 5 students from Glendower Prep, Bute House, and Pembridge Hall School to join NLCS Junior School pupils for a day of negotiation and debate.

We have also held a number of conferences for our own staff and for colleagues from local state and independent schools. The inaugural Medieval Teaching Conference, held at NLCS, was a great success, and our first Pastoral Conference, focussing on early intervention strategies, provided colleagues with the opportunity to hear from specialists in the field, as well as share best practice.

• We hosted a public speaking competition welcoming students from Bentley Wood High School and Park High School, where students spoke on subjects including ‘Bad laws should be broken’ and ‘Money has ruined sport’.

• Staff members also benefited from our partnerships, exemplified by the Medieval History CPD day, a pioneering initiative led by our History department. This event drew educators from over 10 different schools and universities, with a particular focus on Teaching Women in Medieval History at various educational levels.

• The MFL department welcomed schools from across the local area to enjoy a symposium on the theme of ‘Modernism’ as part of MFL Week.

• NLCS hosted a choral day for Junior School students, welcoming local primary schools for a morning of musical performance and collaborative singing.

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In March, we hosted a programme of talks and events for students, parents and staff for Neurodiversity Celebration Week.

• P rofessor Siân Gronlie, Lecturer Laura Seymour and two current students from Neurodiversity Oxford, founded by St Anne’s College, Oxford University, spoke about what is possible by way of the gifts and achievements recognised in their Neurodivergent student and staff population, and the support available for students.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

• O ccupational Therapist Helga Abernethy presented three different sessions on Sensory Sensitivities.

Embedded in the ethos of NLCS is our commitment to developing an outward-looking, internationally minded community that promotes respect and compassion, service to others, and active, positive participation in society and the wider world.

Our teaching reflects the diverse nature of our modern world, and through our extracurricular activities, partnerships, and societies, we seek to challenge inequality, promote fairness and equality for all and celebrate the differences that make us all valuable members of society.

Our enrichment programme provides many opportunities for students to lead events, assemblies and themed weeks to raise awareness of current issues alongside celebrating and acknowledging the richness of our diverse community.

Afro-Caribbean Society’s leadership of Black History Month and its collaboration with other societies was a superb example of the potential the Senior Societies programme has to impact the school’s cultural life. The Society organised an excellent programme of activities. A highlight was their talk from Florence Kollie Raja, founder of Ethical Era and former professional ballerina, who spoke about her life and experience as a refugee, having lived through two civil wars and living across the cultural divide of the Russo-Ukraine war. Economics Society hosted a talk by the Urban Economist, Astrid Hass, who discussed ‘Urbanisation as one of the major potential drivers of economic opportunity for developing countries’, and various events for Classics, History and Politics and Art History societies were held. The society presented its own Black History Month assembly on the history and importance of Black hair, discussing political and social issues associated with traditional braids and natural and straightened hair.

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• D r Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation, the largest patient-led ADHD agency in Europe, hosted an online session exploring ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia through the lens of Neurodiversity.

One of the most anticipated events of the school year is the Canons Follies revue show, which is written and performed by our Sixth Form students. This fun, creative, humorous show celebrates the NLCS community of dedicated staff and talented students. It reminds us of the unique and special place that NLCS is.

Our LGBTQIA+ Society and Pride Club, for younger members of the Senior School, met throughout the year, providing a space for all students to discuss a wide range of topics and issues. In the Pride Club, sessions are run by the Chair and Secretary of the LGBTQIA+ Society and have included discussions around the representation of queerness in literature and media. Additionally, as part of our Nicholson Lecture series, Ms Ortiz gave a presentation on different sexualities in modern times. In the Spring, the society welcomed filmmaker and Academic Ed Webb-Ingall to give a talk on his video project about Section 28. As part of the celebrations for Pride Month in June, Dr Ibba gave a Nicholson Lecture entitled ‘For a possible queerer future: E.M. Forster’s Maurice and Posthumous Queer Writing’.

Careers

Charity

We held several Careers Evenings throughout the year, welcoming esteemed ONLs from an array of industries, including Lauren O’Donnell, Founder of Oatsu, a plant-based breakfast business and Sinead Newman, Director of Internal Communications at PepsiCo. The events provided excellent networking opportunities, with the panel imparting helpful advice on overcoming hurdles and working and living abroad.

We held our first-ever Giving Day in the Spring.

The 36-hour fundraising campaign engaged the whole NLCS community through a fun programme of activities, including a Bake Off and Fun Run. We thank everyone for their wonderful enthusiasm and generous support.

Our Big Six hosted a Would I Lie to You style event to raise money for the Syria and Turkey earthquakes. The event saw two groups of teachers reveal secrets, fun facts and embarrassing stories about themselves, but were they all true?

In February, Year 9 students had the opportunity to shadow their parents at work for the day. These included placements in doctors’ surgeries, literary agents, schools and voluntary organisations.

This is an opportunity to experience the day-to-day activities in a workplace and to develop an understanding of the inner workings of their industry.

Sessions with external career advisers gave our students the opportunity to discuss the importance of work experience, university options and career paths, supporting them in making decisions on their future beyond NLCS. This was enhanced by the introduction of Unifrog, an online careers and university information portal accessible by all year groups alongside the updated careers website, full of useful resources, including interviews with ONLs offering advice to current pupils.

Additionally, we welcomed professionals from a wide range of industries to our Senior Societies talks, including artists, actors, doctors, scientists and engineers.

Other charitable highlights include the 26th edition of Fantasy Fashion, our annual studentled charity fashion show founded by ONL Stephanie Lee to fundraise for the Karenni Student Development Programme (KSDP). Following Stephanie’s tragic death in 2001, Stephanie’s parents have continued the work of the charity, offering support to the communities of Myanmar, ensuring Stephanie’s legacy lives on.

A staple of each academic year is the Y.O.U (your own uniform) days organised by the school’s charity committee, Canonaid. In addition to supporting Young Minds, they held a special coronation-themed day for The Prince’s Trust. During Harvest Festival, we were also delighted to share the generous donations of food and toiletries from students and staff to support Foodbank Aid.

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Examination Results

We are proud of all our Year 11 and Year 13 students who sat public exams in 2023. This year, national grading standards in GCSE returned to normal pre-pandemic levels, so the students’ achievements are all the more impressive and puts our students in an excellent position as they begin their Sixth Form studies. Our stellar A Level, Pre-U and IB grades have ensured that 88% of students were accepted by their first choice or insurance choice of university.

GCSE Results 2023

GCSE 94% of grades were awarded 8/9, with 99% of all grades awarded 7/8/9.

A LEVEL AND PRE-U 77% of all grades awarded at A*/A or equivalent and an impressive 38% A*. Almost half the year group (49%) were awarded A*/A in all subjects.

A Level/Pre-U Results Summer 2023

SUBJECT

TOTAL ENTRY

9

8

7

6

5

SUBJECT

3D DESIGN

5

1

2

2

0

0

ART & DESIGN

TOTAL ENTRY

A*

A

B

C

D

8

2

1

4

1

0

ART & DESIGN

19

6

7

2

3

1

BIOLOGY

37

11

14

10

2

0

BIOLOGY

108

82

22

4

0

0

CHEMISTRY

38

21

11

4

1

1

CHEMISTRY

108

71

29

7

1

0

CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

4

2

2

0

0

0

COMPUTER SCIENCE

27

18

5

4

0

0

COMPUTER SCIENCE

2

0

1

1

0

0

DRAMA

49

33

13

3

0

0

DRAMA

7

3

4

0

0

0

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

108

100

8

0

0

0

ECONOMICS

23

5

10

7

1

0

ENGLISH LITERATURE

108

101

6

1

0

0

ENGLISH

17

9

8

0

0

0

FRENCH

42

26

13

2

1

0

FRENCH

7

2

3

1

1

0

GEOGRAPHY

65

51

12

2

0

0

FURTHER MATHEMATICS

14

7

6

0

0

1

GERMAN

10

7

3

0

0

0

GEOGRAPHY

9

1

7

1

0

0

GREEK

6

4

1

1

0

0

HISTORY

20

5

7

6

2

0

HISTORY

56

42

8

6

0

0

ITALIAN

2

0

2

0

0

0

ITALIAN

10

7

3

0

0

0

LATIN

3

1

1

1

0

0

LATIN

26

21

3

2

0

0

MANDARIN

5

4

1

0

0

0

MATHEMATICS

108

84

17

7

0

0

MATHEMATICS

60

18

22

15

2

3

MUSIC

18

11

6

1

0

0

MUSIC

2

2

0

0

0

0

PHYSICS

108

77

22

9

0

0

PHILOSOPHY

14

4

7

2

1

0

RELIGIOUS STUDIES

47

36

6

5

0

0

PHYSICS

14

9

3

2

0

0

RUSSIAN

5

4

1

0

0

0

POLITICS

15

8

5

2

0

0

SPANISH

54

37

11

6

0

0

RUSSIAN

1

0

1

0

0

0

SPANISH

6

5

1

0

0

0

Mandarin Chinese = 14 A* Grade 9 = 75% Grade 8 or 9 = 94% Grade 7 or above = 99%

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Grade A* = 38% Grade A*-A = 77%

Extended Project Qualification Grade A* = 59% Grade A*-A = 89%

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

IB Diploma Results 2023

Students once again achieved highly in this challenging and enriching qualification, achieving an average Diploma score of 41.5 points, placing them within the top range of marks available and securing the school’s status as one of the leading IB schools not only in the UK but globally.

SUBJECT

Standard Level Subjects

NO. 7

6

5

4

3

2

1

%7

%7/6 *

%7/6/5 **

14

9

4

1

0

0

0

0

64

93

100

Group 1 English & World Literature ENGLISH SL

IB Diploma Results 2023

Higher Level Subjects

SUBJECT

%7 *

Group 2 Modern & Classical Languages

%7/6/5 ***

CHINESE – MANDARIN AB INITIO

2

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

50

100

100

FRENCH SL

4

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

75

75

100

Group 1 English & World Literature

GERMAN SL

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

ENGLISH HL

100

LATIN SL

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

Group 2 Modern & Classical Languages

SPANISH SL

5

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

80

100

100

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

NO. 7

3

2

6

1

5

4

0

3

0

2

0

1

0

0

%7/6 **

67

100

CLASSICAL GREEK HL

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

Group 3 Humanities & Social Sciences

LATIN HL

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

ECONOMICS SL

SPANISH HL

3

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

33

100

100

Group 3 Humanities & Social Sciences ECONOMICS HL

5

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

80

100

1

ENV & SOC SL

4

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

GEOGRAPHY SL

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

100

GLOBAL POLITICS SL

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

HISTORY SL

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

GLOBAL POLITICS HL

6

4

2

0

0

0

0

0

67

100

100

HISTORY (EUROPE) HL

7

6

1

0

0

0

0

0

86

100

100

PHILOSOPHY SL

100

Group 4 Experimental Sciences

Group 4 Experimental Sciences

BIOLOGY SL

2

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

50

100

100

BIOLOGY HL

3

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

67

100

100

CHEMISTRY SL

4

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

CHEMISTRY HL

5

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

40

100

100

COMPUTER SCIENCE SL

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

100

100

Group 5 Mathematics MATHEMATICS AA SL

6

0

5

1

0

0

0

0

0

83

100

TOTAL STANDARD LEVEL

51

30

18

3

0

0

0

0

59

94

100

PHILOSOPHY HL

PHYSICS HL

3

3

3

1

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

100

0

100

33

100

Group 5 Mathematics MATHEMATICS AA HL

11

2

8

1

0

0

0

0

18

91

100

TOTAL HIGHER LEVEL

51

28

22

1

0

0

0

0

55

98

100

Average IB points per candidate per Higher Level subject

IB Diploma Results 2023

Average IB points per candidate per Standard Level subject

6.53

6.53

Diploma Points Total

45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31

Number of Students

0

1

3

5

Average Diploma Points Total per candidate

5

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Core Points Totals

Points

3

2

1

0

Number of candidates achieving the total

7

9

1

0

41.53

* Equivalent to A-level Grade A* ** Equivalent to A-level Grade A or A* *** Equivalent to A-level Grade B or A or A*

* Equivalent to AS-level Grade A ** Equivalent to AS-level Grade A or Grade B

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Destination of our 2023 Leavers

TOP

100 96% 5 STUDENTS STUDYING AT UNIVERSITIES IN THE UK AND OVERSEAS

Anglia Ruskin University ���������������������������������������������������� 1 Durham University ��������������������������������������������������������������� 6 Imperial College London ������������������������������������������������ 2 King’s College London, University of London ������� 2 London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London �������������������������������������� 6 Royal Academy of Music �������������������������������������������������� 1 Royal Veterinary College �������������������������������������������������� 1 UCL (University College London) �������������������������������� 16 University of Birmingham ������������������������������������������������ 4 University of Bristol ����������������������������������������������������������� 9 University of Cambridge ������������������������������������������������� 8 University of Edinburgh �������������������������������������������������� 5 University of Exeter ������������������������������������������������������������ 4 University of Leeds ������������������������������������������������������������ 3 University of Manchester ���������������������������������������������� 3 University of Nottingham ����������������������������������������������� 9 University of Oxford ��������������������������������������������������������� 9 University of Southampton �������������������������������������������� 1 University of Warwick ������������������������������������������������������� 9 Yale ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1

16

ATTENDING

RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES

88

%

OF STUDENTS SECURED THEIR FIRST CHOICE UNIVERSITY

9

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS

OXBRIDGE 17 UCL (UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON) 16 UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL 9 UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM 9 UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK 9

17

9 9

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The impressively wide range of disciplines taken up at Higher Education by the class of 2023 include: Aerospace Engineering, Ancient History and History, Anthropology, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biology, Biomedical Science, Bioveterinary Sciences, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Chemistry, Chinese and History, Classics with Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Computer Science, Economic History, Economics, Engineering, English, Experimental Psychology, Finance, Fine Art, Geography, History of Art, History, International Media , International Social and Public Policy with Politics, Law with French Law, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Modern European Languages and History, Molecular Bioengineering, Natural Sciences, Optometry, Philosophy & Theology, Physics with Astrophysics, Politics and Modern History, PPE, Psychology, Social Anthropology, Social Policy, Sociology, Spanish and Portuguese, Spanish and Politics, Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion.

Throughout the year, we celebrated cultural diversity and inclusivity through workshops and visits. During Black History Month, we held an African drumming workshop, and Year 6 students had the privilege of visiting the Black Cultural Archive. To foster a love for literature, we invited authors such as Robin Stevens, Dinah Orji, and Karl Nova to share their passion for storytelling.

In the Lower School, the curriculum continued to adapt to reflect diversity within its topics. New units on Early Islamic Civilisation and the Benin Kingdom were introduced in Year 6, and the Year 3 curriculum has introduced an inspiring and challenging text, which has incorporated crosscurricular links with Geography and STEAM, with pupils understanding the impact of global warming and how human actions are affecting the planet.

In the Primary Maths Challenge, over 50% of the year group were successful in getting to the bonus round and achieving 9 Gold awards, 6 Silver awards and 6 Bronze awards. This year, we also introduced a new competition for Year 3 pupils, the Herts Mathematics Challenge, providing opportunities for all lower school pupils to participate.

Junior School The Junior School year was filled with joyful learning and outstanding achievements. At the start of the academic year, we launched our renewed focus on education, particularly in Oracy. Pupils have been encouraged to speak confidently and eloquently and to demonstrate their learning through verbal presentations. This has been further supported through activities supporting their public speaking skills, including drama productions, class assemblies and participation in Model United Nations.

DRAMA AND MUSIC Students from Reception through to Year 6 have embraced many opportunities to perform on stage.

Girls immersed themselves in a diverse array of captivating theatrical productions, showcasing their creativity and dedication. The students were able to contribute beyond their acting roles with choreography, costume ideas, technical support, stage management, and music composition.

‘Zones of Regulation’ have been our pastoral focus and have encouraged pupils from Reception to Year 6 to be respectful of each other and ensure they listen to the views of others, respectfully commenting and building on each other’s responses.

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TRIPS Reception enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the history of the canals as they spent a lovely day cruising on a Jenny Wren canal boat from Camden to Little Venice, Year 1 students explored the National Gallery, and Year 2 enjoyed an exciting visit to the Roald Dahl Museum.

The year was also filled with fantastic musical achievements. The Lower School Festive Concert featured enchanting performances, and the Summer Concert, “Rock Around the Clock,” transported audiences through decades of pop and rock. Canons Choir secured three national titles, including “Junior Choir of the Year” at the Barnardo’s National Choral Competition and “GSA Junior Choir of the Year, while NLCS Young Singers delivered a thrilling performance at the Young Voices Concert. It has also been wonderful to see many pupils excelling in instrumental music, with several students reaching Grade 8.

PARTNERSHIPS We have been delighted to develop our partnership work with the local community, with events including a singing festival for 145 students from local schools and an author visit promoting reading. The Music Department in the Junior School worked with Rachel Staunton, artistic director of the London Youth Choir, to create choral partnerships with the London Youth Choir, NLCS Junior School and Aylward Primary School. We also initiated a Primary School Music Teachers Choral Training Course, led

by Dr Douglas Coombes, one of the best British choral composers and conductors, with twelve music teachers from local primary schools. These events supported the wider community and provided an excellent opportunity for staff to share good practice.

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The Summer term saw the return of our everpopular residential trips.

Year 4 enjoyed a twoday bushcraft adventure in Oxfordshire, while Year 5 explored the wonders of Preston Montford Field Studies Centre in Shropshire.

Year 6 immersed themselves in a French cultural experience during their trip to Maison Clare Fontaine, enjoying activities including a cookery competition.

CHARITY

SPORT

In support of Canonaid, the Junior School backed Apart of Me, a unique charity providing an app-based approach to help children with unresolved grief. To raise funds, a charm design competition was organised. Their thoughtful and creative designs impressed the judging panel, and 21 entries were shortlisted for a design workshop with the charity’s designers.

A total of £1,079.22 was donated to this meaningful cause.

Year 4,5 & 6 swimmers participated in several competitive swimming galas, coming away with an array of medals and personal bests.

The Lower School netball squads celebrated an exciting year of match play with some fantastic results, with the Year 6 A team achieving silver in the Berkhamsted Netball Tournament.

The Dance Squad has had a fabulous year. Eleven dancers took to the stage to perform their “Fight Song” piece at the Great British Dance Off competition, getting through to the national finals, where they placed in the top 20. Our gymnasts also showcased their talents and dazzled audiences in our annual Gym and Dance display.

Junior School students participated in an animalthemed non-uniform day, raising funds for Pets as Therapy. They also showcased their animal knowledge through activities like face painting and recognising dog breeds. The Lower School pupils’ passionate efforts raised £1,062 for the charity.

It was lovely to welcome so many parents and supporters to the Lower School and Rainbow Sports Days. The competition was fierce, but it was great to see the First and Lower School communities come together to celebrate each other’s successes.

Other fundraising initiatives included supporting the Salvation Army Christmas Present Appeal, donation of 507kg of food and toiletries to Harrow Foodbank for Harvest Festival and support for The Red Cross Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal, World Wildlife Fund, Spread a Smile, Railway Children and Guide Dogs.

STEAM Lower School year groups had a thrilling STEAM Day, blending science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths into hands-on tasks. They tackled unique challenges tied to their curriculum learning, such as building rafts and bridges, inventing clever gadgets for daily tasks, and creating eco-friendly classrooms with the assistance of micro:bit coding devices. The First School enjoyed Mixer Days with activities ranging from ocean zones and oil spill cleanup to erosion prevention.

Their Royal Mixer Day featured girls creating eco-friendly outfits for King Charles and designing 3D post boxes in a fun STEAM project.

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The IDEAS Hub We are thrilled that the construction of our IDEAS Hub is progressing well. The building contractors have battled the challenges presented by the ever-changing weather conditions throughout the year, but the main structure is now in place, the roof is almost complete, and windows have been installed.

We are all extremely excited about the final stages of the project’s development over the coming months.

The IDEAS Hub represents an ambitious new vision for the School, centred on a new state-ofthe-art facility that will further enhance the outstanding education we provide. It will transform the school’s physical presence, enhance our curriculum, and dramatically improve the educational experience we offer to our students, teachers, and the community.

This impressive new building will feature collaborative study spaces, ideal for facilitating small, creative group work, along with a green screen and video and audio recording equipment for students to produce podcasts, movies, and shows. Design suites and workshops will enable students to design and manufacture prototypes that bring learning to life – for example, to design and build a prosthetic limb for an amputee or a water filtration system for a rural village in a developing country. Multimedia art installations throughout the IDEAS Hub will bring attention to fun events happening at NLCS or raise awareness about a societal issue taking place in the community, across the UK, or throughout the world.

Giving back to the local community is fundamental to the ethos of NLCS. The IDEAS Hub will allow us to run partnership events for students in local state primary and secondary schools, such as workshops exploring music, languages, and problem-solving.

Senior School and Sixth Form students will benefit from planning and delivering partnership events, developing further the leadership experiences they gain from leading Senior Societies.

The Innovation Centre, housed within the IDEAS Hub, will empower NLCS to approach teaching in a new way. Through the centre, NLCS will act as a bridge between tech companies and schools to explore how new technologies like artificial intelligence can be deployed more effectively within the classroom to enhance learning experiences, support teachers, and offer more personalised learning opportunities for students.

20

Additionally, the IDEAS Hub will facilitate collaboration between teachers from different departments and different schools; we will host conferences for teacher training and enrichment and become a hub for London teachers who wish to develop their practice in a number of areas. In the long term, community engagement will be expanded to include adult educational opportunities, and, in the holidays, the IDEAS Hub will host clubs for local children.

The IDEAS Hub will position NLCS at the forefront of innovative education, with a focus on nurturing our students’ ambitions and our teachers’ passions for their subjects.

Reflecting the importance of the coherence between subjects, as well as the value gained from the differences between them, our students will become confident architects of their own education, building a foundation to become life-long learners with an innate appreciation for their position in the world academically, culturally, and ethically.

Development & Alumnae We kickstarted the new term with our telephone campaign, the first in eight years. Twelve young ONLs rang over 700 parents and fellow alumnae to raise funds for bursaries and reconnect with the ONL community. We were overwhelmed by the support of our call recipients. It was a great opportunity to learn about some of our extraordinary ONLs, their lives and reminiscences of bygone school days.

We heard some very touching stories highlighting how important it is to stay connected. We are also pleased to report that of those individuals called, 37% donated and we raised £132,956 for the Bernice McCabe Bursary Fund and IDEAS Hub capital campaign. We want to express our gratitude to all those who kindly supported this campaign.

We held many reunion events, which gave ONLs a chance to rediscover their old hangouts and reconnect with old friends. We held several stewardship events such as the Frances Mary Buss Fellowship Lunch, to thank those who have told us they will be leaving a gift in their Will. We also held our first event for The 1850 Club, a way to thank our regular donors. During the 2022-23 academic year, we reinstated the Neighbourhood Drinks events after a two-year hiatus. Once a term, parents volunteer to host an event in their home, which offers a chance for local families to connect and to meet with the Headmistress and the School’s senior leadership.

In the Spring term, we held our first-ever Giving Day. This was an opportunity for the whole school to get involved with raising funds for bursaries and the IDEAS Hub. Events included a Cake Sale, staff Lip-Sync Battle, Fun Runs, and an Instagram Selfie Frame. It was a fabulous event, with 344 people donating through our dedicated online portal. We are so grateful for the generous support of students, staff, parents, ONLs, former staff and friends, as together we raised £178,091.

Our recent issue of ONLine magazine was themed around innovation and collaboration and featured a wonderful collection of stories and articles written by our alumnae community. You can read the latest edition, along with previous issues here We also want to say thank you to the outgoing Year 13 parents who donated their school fee deposits to the Bernice McCabe Bursary Fund and to all mentors who took the time to support students and young ONLs for the next phase of their educational or career journeys.

We continue to reach out to more and more ONLs to strengthen our network. However, if you are aware of any ONLs who are not receiving communications directly from the Alumnae Relations Team, please do ask them to contact us at onla@nlcs.org.uk

21

Letter from the Chairman of Governors I am delighted, as Chairman of Governors at NLCS, to contribute to this year’s Annual Review, which brings to life the breadth and variety of activities that take place throughout the school each year.

NLCS aims to provide an ambitious academic education to enable every student to make the most of her intellect and abilities. I am sure you will agree that this review demonstrates this in action. The tradition of producing independent-minded young women with the drive to make the most of opportunities and make a difference in the world makes me proud to be part of this school.

NLCS remains consistently one of the most successful girls’ schools in the country, providing a rich educational experience that stretches and challenges students beyond the curriculum and enables our students to continue to achieve excellent outcomes in their examination results.

However, there is equally an unrelenting commitment to supporting students’ wellbeing and pastoral care. In addition to the initiatives for students, staff and parents that have taken place this year, the new wellbeing centre, ‘The Cedar Space,’ is now ready for the school community to use and I am sure that the enhanced programme of activities will further support all our students.

Each year, as I write this letter, I am struck by the diverse range of intellectual enrichment and extracurricular activities offered throughout the school, which provide students with many opportunities to explore and develop their intellectual curiosity, leadership, and confidence skills. It is truly outstanding.

22

It has been pleasing to see the continued development of community partnerships. The Governors have been delighted to see such a comprehensive programme of activities in which our students and staff have worked alongside their colleagues from other schools to promote subject excellence.

We now embark on a new chapter in the history of NLCS as we welcome our 10th Headmistress, Vicky Bingham. As we approach our 175th anniversary, I am confident that Vicky will bring a truly pioneering spirit and continue to shape our excellent school, empowering and inspiring our students to be leaders of the future.

Thank you for your continued support of our School.

ROBERT HINGLEY Chairman of Governors