Notes / London
Best IB Schools in London
London's International Baccalaureate landscape: American-style anchors, central international schools, and UK independents that pair A-Levels with the IB Diploma.
The brief
- Eleven schools in greater London offer the IB Diploma. Four also run the full PYP-MYP-DP continuum. Most of London's independent sector still leads with A-Levels.
- ACS Cobham and ACS Hillingdon are the American-style anchors at the top of the market, both publishing 35+ DP averages.
- Southbank International is the only central London full-continuum IB World School, with a 2025 DP average of 35.4 across two campuses.
- Marymount delivers the highest published DP score in this set, 36.82 in 2025, on a small all-girls campus in Kingston.
- Ecole Jeannine Manuel runs a bilingual French-English IB pathway that placed in the top 2% of UK IB schools in 2025.
London's IB market is a deliberate minority. The independent sector here is dominated by GCSEs and A-Levels, with the IB Diploma carried by a smaller cluster of international schools plus a handful of UK independents that offer both.
The shape follows. The American-style ACS group sits on the M25 fringe (Cobham, Hillingdon, Egham) where space and commute favour large day-and-boarding campuses. Southbank, Halcyon, ICS, Ecole Jeannine Manuel and Marymount sit inside the city. Dwight covers North London, ISL covers Chiswick, TASIS England runs IB and AP from Surrey.
The dual-offer pattern is the other feature. KCS Wimbledon, Whitgift, NLCS and others run A-Levels and the IB Diploma side by side, letting Year 11 leavers choose breadth or depth at 16. That choice does not exist at the same scale in most other cities.
The top tier
ACS Cobham International School
ACS Cobham is the flagship of the ACS group, founded 1967 on a 128-acre Surrey campus 19 miles south-west of central London. About 1,400 students from over 70 nationalities. American-style through to Grade 10, then the IB Diploma alongside the US High School Diploma. The 2023 DP average sat at 35, well above the 30.32 global mean. Fees top out at GBP 69,060 for senior boarders. CIS, NEASC.
TASIS England
TASIS England is the English campus of The American School in Switzerland, founded 1976 on a 46-acre Surrey estate. Around 650 students. One of the few UK schools that runs both the IB Diploma and AP, giving students either pathway in Grades 11-12. The 2024 IB pass rate sat at 91% and AP at 94%, both well above global means. Boarding from age 13. CIS, NEASC.
Marymount International School London
Marymount is a Catholic all-girls IB school in Kingston, founded 1955 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. About 240 students aged 11-18. The 2025 DP average of 36.82 with a 100% pass rate is the strongest published result in this set. MYP and DP only (no PYP, school starts at 11). Boarding available. CIS, ISI.
Southbank International School
Southbank International is central London's full-continuum IB World School, with campuses in Kensington, Hampstead, and Westminster. Founded 1979, around 600 students. PYP, MYP, DP across all three campuses, the only school in this list to do so. The 2025 DP average of 35.4 with a 100% pass rate sits in the strongest band of London IB results. Inspired Education acquired the school in 2018; governance now sits inside a larger group. CIS.
Halcyon London International School
Halcyon opened in Marylebone in 2013. MYP and DP only, no primary. Around 190 students aged 11-18, deliberately small. The 2023 DP average of 34 sits above the global figure but below the top of this set. Positioning is central, small, and IB-purist: no A-Levels, no AP. Strong staff-student ratio. ISI, NEASC.
Strong mid-tier
ACS Hillingdon International School
ACS Hillingdon is the smaller, more central ACS campus, founded 1967 in West London. About 600 students, day only. Runs the IB Diploma alongside the US High School Diploma. The 2025 DP average of 35.4 matches Southbank. Hillingdon is the natural comparator to Cobham for families who want the ACS model without the Surrey commute. CIS, NEASC.
International School of London (ISL)
ISL is one of London's longest-running full-continuum IB schools, founded 1972 in Chiswick. About 500 students. PYP, MYP, DP, and CP (the only four-programme IB offer in this list). The 2025 DP average of 33 sits a fraction above the global mean. ISL's distinctive feature is its home-language programme: mother-tongue instruction in over 20 languages. CIS.
Dwight School London
Dwight London is the London campus of New York's Dwight Schools, established 1972 in Barnet. Around 400 students aged 2-18. Full PYP-MYP-DP continuum; the only North London entry in this set. The 2025 DP average of 33 with a 95% pass rate sits in the mid-tier band. Dwight's SEN-friendly admissions stance is distinctive in a market where many IB schools select against learning differences. ISI.
Ecole Jeannine Manuel London
Ecole Jeannine Manuel London opened in Bloomsbury in 2015 as the London arm of the established Paris school. Bilingual French-English throughout, with the IB Diploma at sixth form and Cambridge A-Levels alongside. About 700 students. The school placed in the top 2% of UK IB schools in 2025. One of very few schools where a child can pursue the full IB Diploma in two working languages. CIS, COBIS Patron.
ICS London (International Community School)
ICS London is a small central full-continuum IB school, founded 1979 in Marylebone. About 150 students aged 3-18. PYP, MYP, DP end to end. ICS does not publish recent DP averages, a gap to press on at admissions. Positioning is small, central, and EAL-led for genuinely mobile families on shorter London postings. CIS, NEASC.
UK independents offering IB alongside A-Levels
A separate cluster of London-area UK independents runs A-Levels as the default sixth-form pathway but offers the IB Diploma alongside. British schools first, IB second.
- King's College School Wimbledon (KCS): strong dual offer; sixth formers choose A-Levels or IB. KCS sits at the top of the UK boys' league tables on both measures.
- Sevenoaks School: now IB-only at sixth form since 2018. Co-ed boarding and day in Kent, easily commutable from south-east London. The largest IB cohort in the country.
- Whitgift School: boys' day and boarding in South Croydon. A-Levels, IB Diploma, and BTEC at sixth form.
- North London Collegiate (NLCS): highly selective girls' school in Edgware. Offers A-Levels and the IB Diploma; the IB cohort is small but performs strongly.
- DLD College London: central sixth-form college offering A-Levels, IB Diploma, IGCSE and BTEC. Positioning is flexibility, not IB specialism.
DLD is the only one covered here; the others feature in the London pillar.
Best for full IB continuum (PYP + MYP + DP)
For a single school from age 3 through Year 13, the field narrows to four:
- Southbank International (central, three campuses; strongest published DP result at 35.4)
- International School of London (Chiswick; adds the CP at sixth form; deepest home-language programme)
- Dwight School London (Barnet; only North London entry)
- ICS London (Marylebone; the smallest)
Geography often decides as much as programme quality.
At a glance
| School | Area | Fees range | IB programmes | A-Level option | Latest DP average | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACS Cobham | Cobham, Surrey | GBP 9,950-69,060 (USD 12,600-87,700) | DP | No | 35 (2023) | M25 flagship, 128-acre campus |
| TASIS England | Thorpe, Surrey | GBP 15,600-69,650 (USD 19,800-88,400) | DP | No | 91% pass (2024) | IB and AP both offered |
| Marymount | Kingston | GBP 39,540-66,990 (USD 50,200-85,000) | MYP, DP | No | 36.82 (2025) | All-girls; highest score in set |
| Southbank International | Central London | GBP 20,172-46,338 (USD 25,600-58,800) | PYP, MYP, DP | No | 35.4 (2025) | Central full continuum |
| Halcyon | Marylebone | GBP 41,040-42,912 (USD 52,100-54,500) | MYP, DP | No | 34.0 (2023) | Small, IB-purist |
| ACS Hillingdon | West London | GBP 14,700-34,800 (USD 18,700-44,200) | DP | No | 35.4 (2025) | Day-only ACS campus |
| ISL London | Chiswick | GBP 24,630-39,640 (USD 31,300-50,300) | PYP, MYP, DP, CP | No | 33.0 (2025) | All four IB programmes |
| Dwight London | Barnet | GBP 13,695-37,470 (USD 17,400-47,500) | PYP, MYP, DP | No | 33.0 (2025) | SEN-friendly |
| Ecole Jeannine Manuel | Bloomsbury | GBP 24,780-35,208 (USD 31,500-44,700) | DP, Cambridge | Yes | Top 2% UK (2025) | Bilingual French-English |
| ICS London | Marylebone | GBP 22,890-34,200 (USD 29,100-43,400) | PYP, MYP, DP | No | Not published | Small, EAL-led |
| DLD College London | Central London | GBP 18,900-31,390 (USD 24,000-39,900) | DP | Yes | Not published (A-Level: 52% A*-B) | Sixth-form college, multi-pathway |
Fees converted to USD at indicative 2026 rates (GBP 1 = USD 1.27). Verify current figures with each school.
The IB in a city built around A-Levels
In London the IB Diploma runs in parallel to a much larger A-Level market. About 5,000 students sit the Diploma each year in the UK, against over 250,000 A-Level candidates. The IB cluster here is a deliberate minority, and most families considering it weigh it against A-Levels rather than against a thin alternative.
The Diploma itself is unchanged: six subjects (three HL, three SL), plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and CAS. Graded out of 45. 2024 global average: 30.32; London IB schools published 33-37 in 2025. Full structure: What is the IB Diploma?.
Three London-specific points shape the choice:
- Inspection. Independent London schools are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. A school may also hold international accreditation (CIS, NEASC, BSO) on top.
- A-Levels vs IB is sharper here than in most cities because both are credible local routes. UK universities understand both. The question is structural: depth (three or four subjects studied intensively) or breadth (six subjects plus core, no early specialisation)? See IB vs A-Levels.
- Dual-offer schools (KCS Wimbledon, Whitgift, NLCS) defer that decision to 16. A-Levels remain the default cohort, so the IB stream is smaller and the support infrastructure varies.
How to choose between them
Geography. ACS Cobham, ACS Hillingdon and TASIS sit outside central London on the M25 fringe. Southbank, Halcyon, ICS, Jeannine Manuel, Marymount and DLD are inside the city. Dwight is North London. The daily commute decides which are realistic.
Continuity. A single school from age 3 to 18 means the full PYP-MYP-DP continuum at Southbank, ISL, Dwight, or ICS. Marymount and Halcyon start at 11. ACS and TASIS run American models through to the Diploma at 16.
Cohort size. ACS Cobham (1,400) and TASIS (650) run the largest IB cohorts. ICS (150) and Halcyon (190) run the smallest. Larger schools support more HL options; smaller ones offer more attention per student.
Published results. Marymount 36.82, Southbank and ACS Hillingdon 35.4, ACS Cobham 35, Halcyon 34, ISL and Dwight 33. ICS and DLD do not publish DP averages. A school that cannot quote a recent average has told you something.
Accreditation. CIS, NEASC, and ISI cover the field. See What is CIS accreditation? for what each inspects.
Dual-offer. Families undecided between A-Levels and IB get scale at DLD and Ecole Jeannine Manuel in this set, plus KCS Wimbledon, Whitgift, NLCS and the broader UK independents.
Related reading
- Best international schools in London, the city pillar
- What is the IB Diploma?
- IB HL vs SL
- IB vs A-Levels
- British vs IB vs American curriculum
- What is CIS accreditation?
FAQs
Which London school posts the highest IB Diploma average? Marymount, with a 2025 average of 36.82 and a 100% pass rate. Southbank and ACS Hillingdon follow at 35.4; ACS Cobham at 35.
Are there any free or state-funded IB schools in London? Effectively no. A handful of state sixth-form colleges offered it historically; most phased it out since 2015 under funding pressure.
Can my child do the IB in the final two years only? Yes. The Diploma is a two-year programme for ages 16-18. Marymount, Halcyon, ACS Cobham, ACS Hillingdon and TASIS all admit Diploma students directly into Year 12.
How does the London IB market compare globally? The 2024 global average was 30.32. Top-tier London schools publish 35-37, comparable to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Geneva.
Does an IB Diploma open the same UK universities as A-Levels? Yes. UK universities understand both and make conditional offers in either currency. A typical Oxbridge offer is 40-42 IB points with specific HL grades, equivalent to AAA at A-Level.
Is there a difference between a "full continuum" IB school and a DP-only school? A philosophy difference, not consistently a results difference. Full-continuum schools (Southbank, ISL, Dwight, ICS) build on a decade of IB pedagogy. DP-only schools (ACS, Marymount, TASIS, Halcyon) deliver the Diploma without that earlier scaffolding. Published results do not show full-continuum schools systematically outperforming DP-only.
Sources: school websites and 2025 published exam-results pages, accessed June 2026. IB global average (30.32, 2024) from the International Baccalaureate Organization annual statistical bulletin. UK A-Level entry figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) 2024 results report. Fees converted to USD at indicative 2026 rates (GBP 1 = USD 1.27). Verify current figures with each school's admissions office.