We pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive international school, where students and staff respect all cultures and religions.
Currently, our student and staff body is made up of over 70 nationalities from around the world. To support Southbank’s international mindedness, we offer a comprehensive languages programme to all our students.
At each of our campuses, English is the language of instruction. In addition, we offer over 20 other languages at Diploma level. Our Middle Years students can study French and Spanish, as well as maintain and develop their native language. And our primary school children learn Spanish as a part of their curriculum.
Non-English speakers
Although we do not enrol beginners in English in our MYP (secondary) school, we do offer English as an additional language (EAL) lessons to students who need some support to speak and write English.
At our Primary Years campuses, we do accept students aged under nine (Grade 4) who speak little or no English, as we can support them to attain the standard of English needed to graduate to Grade 6.
Primary school students who attend EAL lessons do not normally study Spanish too.
We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 38 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
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Number of students
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800
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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70
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Most common nationality
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USA
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Ratio of local students to international students
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10:100
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Native English speaking teachers
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Yes
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Language support for students not fluent in English
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English as an additional language
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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20 other languages at Diploma level. Middle Years students can study French and Spanish, as well as maintain and develop their native language. Primary school children learn Spanish as a part of their curriculum.
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Max. number of students per class
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Maximum 16 in PYP. In MYP/DP advisory groups we have around 14-15 students max per group (5 advisory groups per grade) and then for teaching subjects we have 17-18 max for MYP (there are 4 teaching groups per grade). For DP 16 is the max for teaching groups
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Average number of students per class
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15
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Yes
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Use of technology in the classroom
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- An IT lab featuring high-performance Mac
- Interactive smartboards feature in all classrooms
- 1:1 device programme with all students given their own mac airbook/iPad depending on their age
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Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)
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Yes, we have an extensive remote learning programme ready for in times of emergencies. More info about this can be found here https://www.southbank.org/remote-learning-at-southbank/
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Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?
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No
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External examinations or assessments available
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IB Diploma
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Results in these examinations
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35 average score in 2023
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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Yes
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Approximate hours of homework given
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For PYP, the school has agreed averages for the amount of homework set each night:
Kindergarten up to 15 minutes per night - typically reading
Grade 1 up to 15 minutes per night
Grade 2 up to 30 minutes per night
Grade 3 up to 30 minutes per night
Grade 4 up to 35 minutes per night
Grade 5 up to 45 minutes per night
Generally, homework will not be set over the weekend but occasionally families may request to hand it in on Monday. Grade 1 to Grade 4 mostly give out homework on a Monday for completion by Friday/the following Monday. Grade 5 give out most homework nightly as required in preparation for expectations in Middle School.
For MYP/DP it’s slowly built over over the MYP so that when they reach DP they should be doing around 3 hours of independent study/homework every night.
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Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation
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100%
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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Yes
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Learning support offered
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Specialised staff offer support
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The school supports gifted, able and talented students
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All of our students are given relevant support based on their individual abilities/needs.
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Student access to education psychologist
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Yes
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Entry evaluation for students
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No
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Waiting list
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Yes
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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No deadline
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Students can join after academic year begins
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Yes
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School start time
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8:40
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School finish time
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Hampstead and Kensington Campus: 15:20
Westminster: 16:10
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Supervised care before/after school
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Yes
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School bus service available
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Yes
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School provided lunches
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Yes
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Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)
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Yes
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Uniform required
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No
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Sports facilities at the school
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Kensington Campus:
- Students have access to a garden featuring a climbing frame, sandpit and wide range of educational toys and equipment.
- A dedicated sports centre, which is a 15-minute bus ride away. It features a large sports hall, climbing wall and dance studio.
Hampstead Campus:
- Early Childhood students (aged 3 to 5) have access to a dedicated play space featuring a climbing frame and sandpit.
- A dedicated sports centre, which is a 15-minute bus ride away. The centre features a large sports hall, climbing wall and dance studio.
Westminster Campus:
- Students have access to a wide range of sports facilities and venues in London. These include the large green spaces of Regent’s Park and a sports centre in Kilburn, purchased and refurbished by Southbank in 2012 (bus transport provided).
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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Southbank International School is a leading International Baccalaureate school for 2 - 18 year olds with campuses in Westminster, Kensington and Hampstead.
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Our curriculum
For 40 years, Southbank has stood at the forefront of providing a world-class education to children and young people from London’s international community and the UK.
At the heart of the school are the programmes of the International Baccalaureate. These are challenging curricula that have been carefully developed to encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
Enter one of our classrooms and we’re sure you’ll be impressed by the enthusiasm, confidence and creativity of our students. Thanks to our exceptional teaching staff and the IB curriculum, we help children and young people to become inquisitive learners who love to broaden their minds, always think critically, and do not shy away from challenging assumptions.
Kensington Campus (2 to 11 years)
Our Kensington campus is located in the stunning Notting Hill area of London, between the famous Portobello Road and Kensington Park Road. The actual building consists of two adjoining Victorian villas.
The campus is attended by approximately 210 children aged 3 to 11, who are from almost 40 countries.
Students follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Year Programme, before transferring to our Westminster campus at age 11, where they begin to study the IB Middle Years Programme.
Hampstead Campus (2 to 11 years)
Our Hampstead campus is located on Netherhall Gardens in Hampstead, which is extremely convenient for public and private transport and nearby Hampstead Heath, one of London’s largest open spaces.
The campus is a purpose-built school located in one of London’s leafiest suburbs and attended by approximately 220 students.
Students follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Year Programme, before transferring to our Westminster campus at age 11, where they begin to study the IB Middle Years Programme.
Our Hampstead campus has been given Apple Distinguished School status by Apple. This means it’s an exemplary learning environment that meets criteria for innovation, leadership and educational excellence through the use of Apple hardware, apps and content.
Westminster Campus (11 to 18 years)
Our Westminster campus is located over three impressive sites in central London (Portland Place, Conway Street and Cleveland Street), all of which are just a five-minute walk from each other.
Students follow the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (ages 11–16) across all three sites, while our Diploma Programme students (ages 16–19) attend classes at Conway Street and Cleveland Street.
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