The American School in London vs International School of London
🇬🇧 London · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Both carry a public inspection verdict: The American School in London is Ofsted "Outstanding" and International School of London is Ofsted "Good" — a rare pairing where an official quality rating can be compared head-to-head. Curriculum is the core differentiator: The American School in London offers American while International School of London offers IB — the choice should follow the family's target qualification system. On cost, International School of London has the noticeably lower entry fee — a material difference for budget-conscious families. See the table below for the figures, and verify against each school's own published fees.
Key Facts
| The American School in London | International School of London | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | American | IB |
| Ages | 4-18 (K1-Grade 12) | 3-18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English |
| Annual fees | £40,188-£46,428/year (2025-26, incl. VAT; Lower to High School) | £24,630–£39,640/year (2026/2027, ages 3–17; figures incl. VAT where applicable) |
| Enrollment | 1,400 | — |
| Boarding | Day only | Day only |
| Inspection rating | Ofsted: Outstanding | Ofsted: Good |
| Accreditations | Middle States Association (MSA), UK Department for Education (DfE), Council of International Schools (CIS), NAIS | Council of International Schools (CIS), International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) |
Strengths
- ✓Ofsted 'Outstanding' overall effectiveness (November 2023), the highest UK inspection grade
- ✓More than 20 Advanced Placement subjects within a coherent American college-prep curriculum
- ✓Multiple recognised accreditations and memberships (MSA, DfE, CIS, NAIS)
- ✓Large, genuinely international community of ~1,400 students from ~70 nationalities
- ✓Experienced, stable faculty with average tenure of about nine years
- ✓Exceptional mother-tongue programme — 24 home languages taught as part of the curriculum, a genuine sector outlier
- ✓Strong bilingual outcomes — about half of leavers earn the bilingual IB Diploma, well above the IB world average
- ✓Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) under one provider, giving age-3-to-18 curricular coherence
- ✓Long pedigree and accreditation — founded 1972, CIS-accredited, authorised IB World School (code 000057)
- ✓Genuinely international and non-selective — 54 student nationalities across the IB programmes, open admissions
Trade-offs
- !Among the most expensive day schools in London, with mandatory deposit and capital fees on top of tuition
- !No IB and no UK qualifications (GCSE/A level), narrowing exit pathways to the US/AP route
- !High community turnover (~10% leave annually; ~5-year average attendance) can affect peer continuity
- !Day-only: no boarding option for families needing residential places
- !Ofsted rating is 'Good', not 'Outstanding', so it is not in the top inspection band
- !High fees (up to £39,640/year) place it among the more expensive London options
- !Split-site model (Chiswick primary/middle, Ealing Diploma College) rather than a single campus
- !No British (A-level/GCSE) or American track for families wanting a non-IB pathway
Best Fit For
- • American and globally mobile families wanting a US-style college-prep pathway in London
- • Students targeting US university admission via AP and SAT
- • Families prioritising a top-rated, fully accredited international school
- • Households settling in northwest or west London near St John's Wood
- • Internationally mobile families wanting a globally portable IB pathway
- • Multilingual households wanting their child's mother tongue actively maintained
- • Students who will sit the bilingual IB Diploma
- • Families seeking a non-selective school with a strong EAL on-ramp into English
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: ASL describes itself as college-preparatory with students proceeding largely to US and international universities via the AP/SAT route; specific destination data was not located in public sources.
School-reported, unverified: published higher-education destinations (2012–2025 dataset) include King's College London, UCL, Imperial College London, Warwick, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol in the UK, plus international destinations such as Bocconi, Sciences Po, McGill, University of Toronto, University of Chicago and Keio University.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose The American School in London or International School of London?
The American School in London is best for: American and globally mobile families wanting a US-style college-prep pathway in London. International School of London is best for: Internationally mobile families wanting a globally portable IB pathway. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities — the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between The American School in London and International School of London?
The American School in London: £40,188-£46,428/year (2025-26, incl. VAT; Lower to High School). International School of London: £24,630–£39,640/year (2026/2027, ages 3–17; figures incl. VAT where applicable). Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do The American School in London and International School of London offer?
The American School in London: American. International School of London: IB. The American School in London inspection: Ofsted "Outstanding". International School of London inspection: Ofsted "Good".
Do The American School in London or International School of London offer boarding?
The American School in London: day school only. International School of London: day school only.
Questions parents ask
This comparison is BrightKey's independent assessment using verifiable public data only. University-placement figures are school-reported and not independently verified. BrightKey takes no payments from schools. Our method →