International School of London - Chiswick vs Southbank International School - Kensington Campus
International School of London - Chiswick and Southbank International School - Kensington Campus are both in London, about 6 km apart. Both schools offer IB programmes. International School of London - Chiswick also offers IBCP, and Southbank International School - Kensington Campus also offers EYFS. Published annual fees are close, at £23,690 - 38,120 for International School of London - Chiswick and £20,172 - 38,613 for Southbank International School - Kensington Campus. International School of London - Chiswick takes pupils from 3 to 18, and Southbank International School - Kensington Campus from 2 to 11. International School of London - Chiswick is the larger school, with around 435 pupils to Southbank International School - Kensington Campus's 160. Both keep typical class sizes around 16.
Southbank International School operates across three Central London campuses located in Hampstead, Kensington and Westminster. The Westminster campuses include Conway Street and Cleveland Street sites. The MYP is taught at 63–65 Portland Place, London W1B 1QJ and the Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme at 377–381 Euston Road, London NW1 3AU. Early Childhood and Primary are taught at the Kensington and Hampstead campuses.
Stages
Stages
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Stages
Early Childhood Years (2*-5), Primary Years Programme (5-11), Middle Years Programme (11-16), Diploma Programme (16-18), IB Career-related Programme (16-18).
School type
School type
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School type
Independent international school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
70 nationalities are represented in the student body; Westminster has over 20 languages taught.
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
The school provides Learning Support and English as an Additional Language (EAL); staff differentiate instruction and provide accommodations in teaching and assessments; supports include developing Student Support Plans and collaboration with parents and external specialists.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
United Kingdom
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
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Fee details
Application fee
- A non-refundable application fee is charged for each child. The standard application fee is GBP 300 per application.
One-time and enrolment charges (first year only)
- Refundable tuition deposit (one-off): GBP 2,000. - Capital development / facilities fee (one-off, first year): GBP 3,000.
Tuition fees by year group (per term and per year)
Fees are shown in full-year and per-term amounts (three terms per school year). Amounts are in GBP.
- Early Childhood / Nursery (Nurs.2, age 2): Per term GBP 6,724 — Per year GBP 20,172. - Kindergarten / Kindg.1 (age 3): Per term GBP 6,724 — Per year GBP 20,172. - Kindergarten / Kindg.2 (age 4): Per term GBP 8,934 — Per year GBP 26,802. - Kindergarten / Kindg.3 (age 5): Per term GBP 10,752 — Per year GBP 32,256. - Grade 1 (age 6): Per term GBP 10,752 — Per year GBP 32,256. - Grade 2 (age 7): Per term GBP 10,752 — Per year GBP 32,256. - Grade 3 (age 8): Per term GBP 11,071 — Per year GBP 33,213. - Grade 4 (age 9): Per term GBP 11,071 — Per year GBP 33,213. - Grade 5 (age 10): Per term GBP 11,071 — Per year GBP 33,213. - Grades 6–10 (ages 11–15): Per term GBP 12,363 — Per year GBP 37,089. - Grades 11–12 / Sixth Form (ages 16–17): Per term GBP 12,871 — Per year GBP 38,613.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition is invoiced on a termly basis. To secure an offered place, the tuition deposit and the first term's fees must be paid within the school's required period (typically within seven days of an offer). Failure to meet payment terms can affect enrolment status.
Boarding fees
- Southbank operates as a day school; boarding services are not provided and there are no boarding fees.
Other costs and additional fees
- School bus / shuttle services: charges apply for door-to-door bus services and inter-campus shuttles; these are invoiced in addition to tuition. Example historical/standard figures for transport services include two-way door-to-door and shuttle charges invoiced per term. - PTA / parent association fee: an annual PTA charge is applied. - Examination fees (IB), external exam entries, residential trip costs, optional extra-curricular activities, specialist equipment (such as calculators for some years) and occasional consumables are charged in addition to tuition as appropriate to the year group and activities. - Uniform and personal school equipment: uniform and personal items are charged separately and vary by campus and age group.
Refund information
- The tuition deposit is refundable in accordance with the school's published financial terms and conditions. Specific conditions for refunds (timing and circumstances) are set out in the school's financial terms.
Fee payment options
- Bank transfer / BACS is accepted for application and tuition payments; the school provides bank details for payments. Credit card payments can be processed by the finance office on request. Some specific application payments may require bank transfer rather than card payment; parents should use the school's published payment instructions for the relevant fee.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
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Curriculum details
The school has three campuses in central London delivering an IB continuum. Hampstead and Kensington offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 3–11. Westminster hosts the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP). Conway Street hosts the Diploma Programme and MYP, Portland Place hosts MYP, and Cleveland Street hosts DP and MYP. The three campuses are located in Hampstead, Kensington and Westminster, across five sites. The language of instruction is English, with English as an Additonal Language (EAL) support available.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
Average class sizes vary by stage. Typically, PYP classes have 12–18 students, while Lower Senior classes are typically 11–16 students.
Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
The Diploma Programme (DP) results for the Class of 2023 show a 97.3% pass rate, with an overall average score of 35.1 points. 21% of students achieved 40 points or more, and 25.3% of DP graduates earned a bilingual Diploma. 79% of the cohort scored above the world average of 30.24. Most of Southbank's Diploma students passed the programme in 2023 and gained places at their first-choice universities.
Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
The school provides Higher Education and Careers support, including one-to-one meetings with HE/Careers Advisors and guidance through the university application process. Students have access to a Global University Fair and a Careers Fair, and the school hosts dedicated university guidance events. In 2024, graduates are studying at a wide range of universities in the UK, Europe and North America, including institutions such as University College London, King's College London, and other world-class universities.
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
The school identifies able, gifted and talented students and provides opportunities to extend learning, including the possibility of joining higher-grade classes in primary and participating in extension groups or one-to-one support. Resources for identifying and teaching able, gifted and talented learners include access to specialist guidance, external organisations such as NACE, and IB publications on gifted and talented education. The Language & EAL policies also acknowledge that some EAL students may be gifted or talented.
Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
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Admissions
Southbank is a non-selective school with rolling admissions. Applications are accepted year-round, subject to availability, and submitted online via our application system. Our admissions process is a five-step path designed for simplicity: 1. Start by reviewing the Admissions Policy and using the age placement chart to determine the correct grade (the school uses the American grading system); 2) Prepare the documents required for the online application for the relevant programme (PYP, MYP, DP/CP); 3) Begin and submit your online application; 4) Pay a non-refundable application fee of £300 (inc. VAT); debit or credit cards are not accepted; 5) The Admissions Committee reviews completed applications in 7–10 working days. If a place is available, you will receive a formal offer and the first term's invoice; if not, your child will be placed on the waiting list and we will notify you when a place becomes available.
Scholarships
Scholarships
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Scholarships
Milton Toubkin Scholarship: a two-year award for new Diploma Programme entrants (Grade 11 to Grade 12) that covers 100% of tuition fees and 50% of capital development fees for the duration of the scholarship. The family remains responsible for the £2,000 refundable deposit, PTA fees, residential events, and IB Diploma exam fees. Eligibility: new students only; must have immigration status to enroll and a reasonable daily commute; must meet criteria including above-average academic achievement and potential; evidence of extracurricular interests; commitment to Southbank and the IB curriculum; commitment to the IB Learner Profile; high standard of English (online English test required).
Waitlist
Waitlist
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Waitlist
Waitlist: If a place is not immediately available after a successful application, the student is placed on the waiting list and we will notify you when a place becomes available.