IB World Schools in the UK

Are you looking for an International Baccalaureate World School in the UK? Here you can find a list of UK schools that have a profile in the IB World Schools Yearbook.

The schools featured below offer at least one of the IB's four programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP). You can use the search filter below to look for schools that offer one programme in particular.

In total there are 139 IB World Schools in the UK, all of which teach in English, and you can see the list in full at www.ibo.org. Of these, 91 are authorised to teach the IB Diploma, and five, including International School of London (ISL) and St Leonards School, offer all three IB programmes.

The leading destination country for university students from around the world, the UK has attracted a growing contingent of high-flying international students to its independent schools over recent years, with the largest number coming from Hong Kong. In 2022, there were 25,079 overseas students – accounting for 4.6 per cent of the total student body – at the 1,388 member schools of the Independent Schools Council, which represents the vast majority of the sector.

International day schools have grown in number over the past decade in London, which also has French, German, Spanish and Japanese schools. The capital boasts the largest concentration of independent schools, which are mainly spread across Southern England and the Midlands. Most are selective and fees average about £31,000 per year. 

The Independent Schools Inspectorate monitors ISC schools and accrediting bodies include the Council of International Schools.  Education is compulsory for 14 years from age five to 18 inclusive. Most state schools follow the National Curriculum, with primary schools teaching Key Stage 1 and 2 up to age 11, and secondary schools following Key Stage 3 and 4 up to GCSE exams at age 16.

Children of foreign nationals can attend state schools, if they have UK residency or are from the EEA. Key Stage 5 involves two years of study at school or college towards academic A-levels or vocational qualifications such as NVQ and BTEC. The UK has more than 130 universities, which admitted 605,130 international students in 2020, the second largest number after the US.

IB World Schools are part of a thriving international school sector in the UK. For information on all UK international schools, you can visit: www.internationalschoolsearch.com