North London Grammar School: Entry Procedure for 8 Plus (8+)/Year 4

Introduction

Located in Barnet, North London Grammar School is an independent school for boys and girls aged 7-18, offering day and boarding places. NLGS started as Wisdom School in Tottenham before relocating to larger premises in Barnet. It is worth pointing out that NLGS does not have a Sixth Form; the 16-18-year-old pupils are international students taking a university foundation programme.

NLGS is proud of its academic achievements, which are a testament to the commitment of the staff and pupils. In 2024, 54% of GCSE grades were in the 9-7 range, which is significantly higher than the national average. 

The school is also proud to be a not-for-profit school, meaning its fees are very reasonable. In fact, The Telegraph recently recognised NLGS as offering very good value for money in terms of its fees and exam results. 

A broad enrichment programme at NLGS means all pupils can develop their talents and discover new interests while having fun and making new friends. Available activities include karate, sailing, archery and computing. Getting involved helps students grow in confidence and develop holistically.

If you are interested in a place at North London Grammar School in Year 4 for your child, please read on to learn about the admissions process.

The admissions procedure for North London Grammar School Year 4 entry is as follows:

1. You should contact the school to express your interest and arrange a visit.
2. You should complete the form to enter your child for the 8+ entrance exam, which you can do throughout the school year. There is a £90 fee for this.
3. Your child will be invited to sit the CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test) and paper-based maths and English assessments.
4. If your child does well in the entrance tests, they will be invited for an interview, which can be at NLGS or via video conferencing. At this point, you must pay a registration fee of £330 if you are based in the UK and £600 if you are not. NLGS will also review a copy of your child’s most recent school report.
5. If your child’s interview is successful and their school report is good, they will be in a great position to be offered a place.
6. If your child is offered a place, you must pay the acceptance deposit and complete the paperwork to secure the place.

North London Grammar School: 8 Plus (8+)/Year 4 Entrance Exam Information

The Year 4 entrance exam comprises three tests:

1. The CAT4

Your child will sit the CAT4 for entry to Year 4 at NLGS. They will likely take Level Y of the test because this is the recommended level for Year 4 entry. 

The CAT4 comprises verbal, quantitative, non-verbal and spatial reasoning.

The verbal reasoning questions will use word-based problems to assess your child’s problem-solving skills.

The quantitative reasoning questions will use number-based problems to evaluate your child’s mathematical reasoning abilities. 

The non-verbal reasoning questions will look at how well your child can interpret visual information and apply it to solve problems.

The spatial reasoning questions will use shapes and space to determine if your child can visualise and manipulate objects in their mind.

2. A Maths paper

The maths paper will be appropriate for your child’s age when they sit the test, covering topics they have learnt at school. You can expect them to be asked questions involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, measurement and shapes.

3. An English paper

The English paper will also be an age-appropriate test. It is likely to include a comprehension, testing your child’s ability to read and understand a given passage. It is also likely to have a writing section, enabling NLGS to review the standard of your child’s writing skills.

Please don’t worry about the entrance exam; there is plenty you can do to help your child prepare for their 8+ North London Grammar School entrance exam so that they can perform to the best of their ability.

Preparing for the Year 4 Entrance Exam to North London Grammar School 

It can be challenging to know how to go about helping your child with their preparation for a competitive entrance exam, which is why we have compiled some top tips for you. We hope you find them helpful.

1. Start study sessions early so that you and your child can take a measured approach and don’t have to have any last-minute cramming sessions.
2. Keep study sessions short because most young children can only maintain their focus for around 20 minutes at a time. Also, you don’t want your child to feel overwhelmed. 
3. Encourage a growth mindset, which is the belief that putting time and effort into developing skills does pay off. Teach your child that making mistakes is an opportunity to learn and improve and praise them for their efforts.
4. Review your child’s schoolwork to ensure they understand all the topics they have covered and can recall the information they need to know. You can allocate additional study time to any areas they find challenging. 
5. Talk to your child’s teacher, who will know your child well and be able to advise you on topics they feel your child would benefit from spending time on. 
6. Maintain a balanced approach by having days off from study sessions and having time for fun. Study sessions will be more productive if your child feels happy and relaxed. 
7. Use practice tests so your child knows what to expect in the entrance exam. Familiarity with the types of questions they will encounter will reduce nerves, leading to a more polished performance on the day. They will also get used to working quickly and accurately while under time pressure.   

We have produced resources and practice tests that your child can work through to build their confidence and help them excel in NLGS’s 8+ entrance exam.  

North London Grammar School: 8 Plus (8+)/Year 4 Entrance Exam Practice Materials

CAT4 Practice Tests

The following practice tests are specifically designed for CAT4 Level Y, which is taken in Year 3 for 8+ entry. Each module is marked automatically and is then available for review with answers and explanations provided for every question. We also provide comparative ranking statistics on a per module basis so you can quickly identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 1

CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 2

CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 3

CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 4

CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 5

✂️ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4 Level Y Practice Test bundle, including all five tests. Click the button below to learn more:

If you don’t buy a bundle, don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200!

Mathematics

We highly recommend the use of the following packs to help develop your child’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the North London Grammar School 8 Plus maths test:

English

We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the North London Grammar School 8 Plus English assessment. They will help improve your child’s comprehension and writing skills:

Comprehension Guide

This guide covers all the key comprehension question types in a clear, step-by-step manner so that both you and your child know exactly what to expect on exam day.

The Complete Guide to 8+ Comprehension

Writing Guide

Starting from the foundational basics, this guide works its way through all the key skills your child needs to develop to become an excellent writer within the framework of what’s expected at the 8 Plus level.

The Complete Guide to 8+ Writing

If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.

Don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250 if you don’t buy a bundle.

Please do contact us if you have any questions about our resources. We will do our best to help you. We want to take this opportunity to wish your child all the best in their entrance exam and at junior school.

The information provided about North London Grammar School was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of possible future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.

Please note that Pretest Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the CAT4 or any other test publisher and North London Grammar School.