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International IB schools uk

68 replies

BBEA · 07/05/2016 19:03

Hello,
We are moving from Luxembourg to the UK. My child is 14; coming from the bilingual ( French/English) school. Previously at IB school.
I am looking for academic, challenging IB education, north London/Hertfordshire location.
I would appreciate any advices, I need to find something suitable before summer 2016.

OP posts:
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Hesa · 24/05/2018 01:13

thx all great info

user1499173618 · 23/05/2018 21:29

Tonbridge Grammar School in Kent does the IB.

BringOnTheScience · 22/05/2018 23:42

IBDP within an hour of London? How about Cambridge? Steven Perse (private), Parkside (state) and Impington (state, just N of city) all offer IB in their sixth forms.

My DC1 is at Parkside and loves it. We're Brits but the sixth is ~1/3 international students. I'm happy to talk on PM if you want to know more.

purplegreen99 · 22/05/2018 15:33

I've known three families with children at ACS Hillingdon over the last 5/6 years and all seemed very happy with the school and did well academically.

Hesa · 21/05/2018 20:35

I just checked the equivalent to G.11 in Us systems is Year 12
so there is no Gaps afterall. Thx

Hesa · 21/05/2018 13:27

Thanks, I will check the other schools u suggested. I am not familiar with the system in UK yet and from the initial search the order of matters seem to rent first then apply to a school which is very challenging specially with a limited choice of IB schools. It seems most may be full already. Adding to the mix that they'll take her for G.12&13 that leaves me with a G.11 Gap Where would we apply?
or we hold on to the following academic year?

I have a son going to G.7 next year would he be accepted in a GCSE school from the American system? and if we wait an additional year would they accept him in G.8 in a GCSE or IB School.

Complicated it is!!

Hesa · 21/05/2018 13:19

Thanks, it's a bit complicated we have been moving a lot & we are coming from the American system. She is currently in G.10 & will turn 16 next January. Her current American school offers IB in G.11&12
I am at loss here where would we apply for G.11 then?
I checked the IB website there is arounf 27 schools & I hv checked Hockerill Anglo-European College & Anglo European, Ingatestone & it seems that both maybe already full. I guess that will be the case with the other schools then where would she go for G.11

Mary19 · 21/05/2018 10:48

www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/?SearchFields.Region=ibaem&SearchFields.Country=GB&SearchFields.Keywords=&SearchFields.Language=&SearchFields.BoardingFacilities=&SearchFields.SchoolGender=&SearchFields.ProgrammeDP=true&SearchFields.TypePublic=true&page=2
Hockerill, Westminster Academy, Dartford Grammar, Rochester Grammar, Eltham Hill, probably fit 1 hour from London
Varndean and Steyning probably more like 1.5 hours.
Some will be full already, maybe not Westminster Academy and Varndean but you would need to ring around.
What country are you coming from. The Spanish school is free for Spanish nationals

MarchingFrogs · 21/05/2018 10:02

P.s. She will be applying to the DPIB

If by this, you mean that you are looking for a sixth form place (years 12 - 13 in our system, entry at age 16), does this help?

www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/?SearchFields.Region=ibaem&SearchFields.Country=GB&SearchFields.Keywords=&SearchFields.Language=English&SearchFields.BoardingFacilities=&SearchFields.SchoolGender=coeducational&SearchFields.ProgrammeDP=true&SearchFields.TypePublic=true

You would have to look at the website for each school you were interested in, as I'm not sure how up to date the info is (i think one of the schools listed dropped the IB a couple of years ago!) And be aware that most state schools will already have made their (conditional) offers for sixth form entry this September.

Hesa · 20/05/2018 22:58

P.s. She will be applying to the DPIB

Hesa · 20/05/2018 22:55

Hello, I know this is an old thread but I was hoping to find a similar answer. We too are moving to the UK and looking for good IB school, preferably a state one. We are looking to live within an hour from London.
I would appreciate any advises , I hope to find something suitable before the start of the next academic year.

Lico · 26/05/2016 20:51

Hi,
CFBL no longer feeds into the Charles De Gaulle French Lycee but into the newly opened Lycee Churchill in Wembley (AEFE politics).
EIFA in Marylebone will offer a French bilingual iB.
Ecole Jeanine Manuel in Bloomsbury will also offer the IB and the French Baccalaureate.

hertsandessex · 13/05/2016 11:09

Ah just read the posts in more detail and see you like Hockeril but full. Yes that is the problem and an option as a weekly boarder where places do come free. PM me if you want any more information.

hertsandessex · 13/05/2016 11:04

Anglo-European not of a high standard? Do you mean Hockerill Anglo-European in Bishops Stortford in Herts but near Essex? Not sure what you are after but that is a great school in many ways. Don't confuse it with Ingatestone Anglo-European in Essex which is much lower standard academically.

mary21 · 13/05/2016 10:09

Not an IB school but St Chris in Letchworth might meet your needs. No uniform, liberal attitude. Child centred. Has international boarders so used to welcoming from overseas and has coaches from North London.

UptheRhine · 13/05/2016 09:43

We had DC in the European School system, moved back to UK and looked to see of we could recreate the ES experience. Our conclusion was that it is not possible.

The nearest equivalent is Culham. But it is no longer a full ES as there were not enough CAt 1 students and it became an academy. And a teen who is happy in one of the big Brussels/Lux schools might find it small and restricting by comparison. Also it is in Culham so probably not great for a commute to Herts for your DH. They do have a big bus network though so there might be an option in the middle.

Don't give up on Hockerill. It is a state school so they have to accept your application and put you on the WL. You can always fudge your DD's exact whereabouts! Have you looked at a boarding place there? Probably not a lot of movement there but it is always possible that someone will leave. So keep it on the back burner. But again she may find it very small compared with Lux. Plus lots of petty restrictions when compared with ES.

I actually agree with the poster who suggested embracing a complete change. Classic UK school. That is what we ended up. Our DC who were younger than your DD - were really shocked by the restrictions at first - uniform, not being able to leave the school grounds when they did not have lessons, not being able to go out for lunch. Having to call the teachers Sir etc. But they did adapt. Make sure you have a boarding option if you might move again in the next four years.

Not sure why you want the middle years IB because that will be quite limiting. A child doing well in the ES system will do VERY well with GCSEs and can move to IB for 6th form if you prefer the breadth.

mummytime · 13/05/2016 07:45

I think the problem you and your DD have is trying to recreate what she has now. Rather than looking at what she would gain from such a move: new culture, flexibility, different style of learning, challenges in new areas, chances to try new subjects etc.
Is there anything she has always wanted to try? Does she have interests not taught at her school?

MrsSchadenfreude · 12/05/2016 23:13

Yes, kids in London get the tube or bus to school. Smile

But if you want what you have now, you will have to go for a school outside of London, I think.

BBEA · 12/05/2016 22:47

An other question- : do kids commute on the tube in London or this is just purely for work?

OP posts:
BBEA · 12/05/2016 22:24

Thank you so much everyone.
I agree with you needmoresleep. I think myself and my daughter we are both looking for the same school as we have now. She adores where she is now and it is so hard to give her something similar or better in the UK to make her excited about schooling again. I really don't want her to feel that be of our work she has to compromise on her education and style of life.
I realised I am looking everywhere for something which doesn't exist.
At the moment, she is at bilingual international school, no uniforms, mix, no Saturday school. Very relaxed and at the same time high academics. At the moment she does English and French as main languages ( native level) plus Spanish and Latin. She studies some subjects already in second and third language. Math department is at extremely high level too. 15 kids per class. No trouble kids at all. Everyone super well behave.
On the top of that she bikes to school 10 mins from home on secure school biking path.
How can I match this in the UK. Where to look? Is it even possible?

OP posts:
AStreetcarNamedBob · 11/05/2016 14:59

St leonards in Scotland is the IB CURRICULUM and also does boarding. It's a very international school. Would she consider boarding? No Saturday school and the day is 8:45-4pm

Aftershock15 · 11/05/2016 14:56

Have you looked at Stephen Perse in Cambridge? Does IB at 6th form but fairly small school and no lessons on Saturday (but maybe matches, but these are probably optional). Does have a uniform. Easy commute to Herts.

bojorojo · 11/05/2016 14:39

Newlands is in Bucks and that is a selective grammar school county. Therefore I would wonder what type of student will be attracted to Newlands? Maybe parents wanting something alternative who are not happy with the local secondary schools? I do not think many parents would prefer it to Dr Challoners High School though, which is just up the road.

I think most established independent schools have longish days but they are not all lessons. There are longer lunchbreaks, lots of clubs and sport and sometimes prep and more clubs in the evening. It is a way of making friends and joining in. You have to think of it as a way of life. Smaller schools with international students and ties with schools from different parts of the world have good pastoral care for international students and are good at integrating them. That is why I suggested Queenswood. They may also have spaces!

Needmoresleep · 10/05/2016 22:21

"But it is not for my child, she is used to 14-16 kids per class"

Reading between the lines, does your child really want to come to the UK. Moving countries requires a willingness to adapt, and it feels as if you are running around looking for something that is the same as what she has now.

Before looking further I would be tempted to discuss with her what it is about the UK she is most concerned about, and what she sees as the opportunites. Then base your search on that.

Advantages might include the chance to specialise at sixth form by taking A levels or the ability to access world ranked tertiary education, or to becuome used to a diverse student body.

CuntingDMjournos · 10/05/2016 22:20

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