At NLCS, every student is known, supported, and valued. Form tutors play a key role in this daily care, offering individual guidance and acting as the first point of contact for parents.

Tutor groups are kept deliberately small (typically 8–12 students) to ensure that each girl receives the attention she needs to thrive—both academically and personally. In the Sixth Form, groups include a mix of Year 12 and 13 students, building a strong sense of community and peer support.

Our wider pastoral team includes Heads of Year, Heads of Section, a Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, the School Nurse, a Healthcare Professional, and two Counsellors. Every member of staff contributes to creating an environment where students feel safe, supported, and able to flourish.

We value strong partnerships with families, and parents are always encouraged to contact tutors with any concerns. Regular meetings across the year give space to reflect on each student’s progress and wellbeing.

“It’s nice to have two tutors, with different personalities and ideas – you can talk to them about different things.” – Year 10 student

“We definitely have a close and trusting relationship with our tutors. Apart from helping us with day to day things, they offer support and care far beyond the form room.” – Year 11 student

At NLCS, we are committed to creating a community where every student feels seen, heard, and valued. We believe that diversity enriches school life, and we actively celebrate the different backgrounds, identities, and perspectives that shape our community.

A strong sense of belonging is central to our pastoral approach. We encourage open conversations, educate students and staff on equity and inclusion, and provide tailored support to meet individual needs. Students are also given opportunities to lead—whether through workshops, discussions, or initiatives that promote understanding, respect, and kindness across the school.

PEER SUPPORT
At NLCS, we foster a culture of kindness, respect, and connection. Building meaningful relationships across year groups helps to boost confidence, encourage empathy, and create a genuine sense of community. Over time, we’ve developed several successful peer support systems that help students feel welcome and supported.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BUDDIES
All Year 7 students are paired with a Year 8 buddy who offers friendly guidance and support as they settle into Senior School life. We arrange informal activities—like buddy lunches and meet-ups—so these connections form naturally. Many of these friendships continue well beyond the first year.

New students joining the Sixth Form are also matched with a buddy to help them find their feet, offering reassurance, advice and a friendly face from day one.

“My buddy takes time to find me and always asks if I have any problems and if I am ok.” – Year 7 student

“My buddy came from the same school as me and so had gone through the same experiences as me. This was really helpful. She tells me about new clubs and encourages me to attend.” – Year 7 student

“I have learnt a lot from being a Buddy, leadership and being responsible are really important skills for future life.” – Year 8 student

PEER MENTORS
We understand that sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone closer in age. That’s why we have a team of trained Sixth Form Peer Mentors available to listen and offer support when students need it. Our weekly Tea & Chat sessions, led by the Peer Mentors, are a relaxed space where students from across the school can meet, talk, and share experiences.

FORM ASSISTANTS
Older students play an important role as Form Assistants in Year 7 and in the Junior School. They help with registration, support form time activities, and act as friendly, familiar faces to younger pupils. This encourages a sense of belonging across year groups and offers valuable leadership experience for the older students.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT
It’s common to see students offering academic mentoring around the school. Whether it’s help with homework or explaining a tricky concept, these peer-led moments of support benefit everyone involved—boosting confidence and understanding for both mentor and mentee.

Peer support is phenomenal at North London and started when my daughter joined the school aged 4 with the coach buddy system. In the transition to Senior School, the buddy system helped enormously. My daughter had lunch with her buddy in the first week of term and her buddy provided her with a homemade information pack detailing what she could expect in Year 7. Now in the Sixth Form, my daughter still has fond memories of her time with her buddy.” – NLCS Parent

Our Personal, Social and Health Education programme aims to enable our students to lead responsible and healthy lives. They develop skills and knowledge which will equip them with ways to deal with a range of spiritual, moral, cultural and political issues.

The PSHE programme will help our students understand the importance of tolerance and respect for diversity in today’s modern society. It will develop their confidence in their ability to achieve their aspirations, and encourage them to make informed choices about future life decisions.

As well as weekly lessons, students across the school benefit from a number of talks by visiting speakers on subjects which are very topical for young people today. These have included body image and self-esteem, consent, making safe choices about drugs and navigating social media.

Our Medical Centre and Cedar Space teams provide vital support for the physical and emotional wellbeing of every student at NLCS. The team includes our Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, School Nurse, part-time Health Care Professional, and two part-time Counsellors who offer coverage across seven days of the school week.

The Medical Centre is a warm, welcoming space available to all students who may need care, advice or simply a moment to pause—whether for physical health, mental health, or both. The staff are a key part of our wider Pastoral and Safeguarding teams, and are also available to offer advice and guidance to parents when needed.

Next to the Medical Centre, you’ll find the Cedar Space—a dedicated wellbeing hub at the heart of the school. This is where the Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing and our School Counsellors are based. It’s also home to a range of lunchtime and co-curricular activities, from Mindfulness and Relaxation Clubs to board games and Mental Health & Wellbeing Society sessions. It’s a calm, friendly space where students can unwind and connect.

COUNSELLING AT NLCS

We understand that school life can bring challenges, and that sometimes, students need someone to talk to. We offer a confidential counselling service to support students in a safe, non-judgemental environment, alongside weekly drop-in sessions for more informal support.

Our experienced School Counsellors, April and Beatrice, have both worked with young people and families for over a decade. Their role is to provide a safe space for students to explore their feelings, develop self-understanding, and build emotional resilience through a supportive, therapeutic relationship.

To learn more about our counselling service or to speak with the team, please contact: counselling@nlcs.org.uk

“The Medical Centre to me is somewhere to go and feel taken care of whether it’s from medicine or camomile tea and a biscuit or a listening ear.” – Year 8 student

“It is great that the Medical Centre is open all day and there is always a friendly face there.” – Year 7 student

We believe that strong relationships and open communication with parents are key to supporting each student’s journey. Regular meetings between parents, tutors and teachers help keep those connections strong, and we always encourage parents to reach out to their child’s tutor if they have any concerns—no matter how small.

At NLCS, we see pastoral care as a shared responsibility. That’s why we work closely with parents to support the challenges young people may face as they grow. Alongside the PSHE programme delivered to students, we offer a series of talks and workshops for parents on topics such as study skills, supporting healthy routines, and managing screen time. We’ve also welcomed organisations like Childnet to deliver practical guidance on online safety.

Each autumn, we host welcome receptions for every year group—an opportunity for parents to meet tutors, connect with each other, and hear key information in an informal setting. In Year 7, we also hold tutor dinners for parents, offering a relaxed space to get to know staff and fellow families over dinner and drinks.

THE PARENTS’ GUILD

The Parents’ Guild plays a valued role in school life. From helping with 11+ interview days and form picnics to supporting school trips and library activities, their contribution helps bring the wider school community together. The Guild also organises social events, manages ‘good as new’ uniform sales, facilitates musical instrument exchanges and even babysitter lists.

We’re proud to work in partnership with such an engaged parent body, all working towards the same goal: helping every girl at NLCS thrive.

“I feel that whenever there is a concern, it is always addressed and someone will always pick up the phone and discuss it with me.” – Year 11 parent

“The school welcomes interaction and feedback from parents. They encourage us to work with them to feel part of our daughters’ education and to celebrate their success. Each student has a form tutor who is our first point of contact regarding illness or absence from school. Parents have the opportunity to meet with individual subject tutors several times a year to discuss aspects of our daughters’ academic progress.” – Year 10 parent

TOOLED UP EDUCATION

At NLCS, we believe in supporting not just our students, but the families who care for them. That’s why we subscribe to Tooled Up Education, giving all our parents access to a rich, regularly updated digital library of expert advice, research-backed tips, and practical tools for family life.

Curated by Dr Kathy Weston—one of the UK’s leading voices in parental engagement—Tooled Up covers everything from screen time and sleep to resilience, revision, and relationships. As a parent and academic, Dr Weston understands the real pressures families face and offers guidance that’s both thoughtful and practical.

Our goal is to help every student thrive—and that includes equipping families with the knowledge and confidence to support their child’s wellbeing, learning and personal growth at every stage.

Making sure our students are well fuelled for a busy day at school is key and food is very important at North London.
Thomas Franks, our contracted caterer, ensures that students enjoy good quality, healthy and balanced meals every day. They also cater for all types of diets and allergens.

Menus are based on a three-week rotational plan, changing each term to reflect seasonal variations in produce. Click here for sample menus.

The majority of the dishes served are home-made by our Head Chef and his team and most are made from fresh ingredients. The children are encouraged to choose a balanced meal from the dishes on offer and are welcome to sample any of the dish before choosing it as a way of expanding young palates.

Our Catering Manager ensures that all the food available is of a high standard and its nutritional content is carefully monitored. Special meals, using specific ingredients, are prepared for those children who have medically prescribed dietary requirements and one member of staff in our dining room is dedicated solely to managing dietary needs such as intolerances and allergies.

Breakfast is available to purchase from 07:30 – 08:30 each morning and is a popular start to the day. Many parents enjoy a relaxed breakfast with their children and our dining room is a buzz as parents often use the time to catch up or to get to know other parents as well.

Social Responsibility is a key priority for Thomas Franks and they are working closely with us in helping to improve our overall greenhouse gas emissions, through the monitoring of food production, reduction of waste and the removal of high GHG impact foods. For a number of years, Thomas Franks have supported FareShare who deliver vital foods to charities across the UK. The Thomas Franks nutrition and chefs also support Kitchen Social who run holiday programmes across London for groups of children who have food insecurity, by providing hot meals during holiday periods, when they would not otherwise have one.

Within the school we work with a number of companies to ensure everything we order is removed responsibly. Our food waste is collected to generate green fuels and thus not end up on landfill. Our waste oil is recycled and used for low carbon biodiesel. Should we have food items that we cannot use, but are still suitable for consumption, we donate these to a local charity who circulate these to families in need.

Food education is another key priority and Thomas Franks are continuously looking to introduce new flavours, textures and ingredients into the school menus. An after-school cookery club provides students with the opportunity to learn anything from essential knife skills, to making sushi or baking bread.

We understand the transition from Junior to Senior School can be a difficult time for students and we work hard to help students settle into the school. In the Summer term before starting, all new Year 7 students are invited to an induction afternoon where they meet the rest of their form and their new tutors. This is a chance for the students to meet their new classmates in a relaxed, fun afternoon. Just before term starts the new students are invited to another afternoon where just a few other year groups are present to help them gradually orientate themselves.

There are at least two form tutors per form class who are focused on providing individual support for every pupil. There is also Year 13 form assistants and every Year 7 student has a Year 8 buddy who can answer questions and offer support. Trained Sixth Form Peer Mentors are also available to support our students when they would like someone nearer their own age to talk to.

Of course, taking part in the extra-curricular activities also help the students with their burgeoning friendship groups.

We are keen to work with parents and there are many chances for parents, tutors and teachers to meet. Even before the students start Year 7 we invite parents into school to meet the tutors and other parents. Welcome receptions, parents’ evenings, parent talks, plays and concerts also provide opportunities for the staff and parents to get to know each other. In Year 7 we also organise tutor dinners for the parents in the Autumn term, where the parents and tutors meet over dinner and drinks for a relaxed getting to know you evening. Parents and tutors are encouraged to stay in regular contact.

All students are encouraged to show courtesy and kindness towards everyone within our school community. At the start of each year each tutor groups drafts a Code of Conduct which is based around courtesy, care, consideration and community. These are displayed on form notice boards and serve as a reminder throughout the year. Kindness and tolerance are themes within our PSHE programme and such themes are regularly discussed with tutors in form time.

We are fortunate to have two well qualified and experienced school counsellors based in our dedicated wellbeing hub The Cedar Space which is located in a building next to the medical centre. Students in the senior school can contact the counselling team directly and weekly drop-in sessions are available for all students. If a member of staff or parent feels that a pupil would benefit from more regular support from a counsellor then one of the pastoral team can support a referral.

Achievement is celebrated through positive comments to the students both informally and formally such as verbal comments, marking, reports and one to one meetings with students. Staff are encouraged to develop a culture of sharing success stories by informing Form Tutors, so this information can be passed on. Student achievement is also recognised in the Colours system for Upper School and Sixth Formstudents, Prizes in the Valedictory assembly, the Headmistresses’ Commendation System and in weekly assemblies.

It is vital to keep the needs of the individual student at the heart of the support we provide. Make sure that the relevant Form Tutor, Head of Year and Section Head are aware of any situations. Liaison with home will ascertain how we should respond to an individual situation and relevant staff will be informed. Students will be made aware of the support they can access and can be referred to the School Counsellor. Regular review and partnership between the student, home and school will continue.

The importance of knowing each individual student is woven into the ethos of the school. Individual, regular meetings with tutors provide an opportunity to freely discuss achievements and hurdles and allow a distinctive understanding of each pupil. A comprehensive and coveted colours system recognises varied sorts of success and commitment with regular recognition at school assemblies. Section Heads, Heads of Year, tutors, teachers, and the school counsellor listen, take care, and reassure students to enable them to thrive.