DLD College London vs International School of London
🇬🇧 London · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Both carry a public inspection verdict: DLD College London is Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) "Good (academic) / Excellent (personal development), 2019; fully compliant" 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: DLD College London offers British while International School of London offers IB — the choice should follow the family's target qualification system. One practical difference: DLD College London offers boarding while the other is day-only — decisive for families who need a residential option. Verify current fees against each school's own figures (see the table below).
Key Facts
| DLD College London | International School of London | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | British | IB |
| Ages | 13-19 | 3-18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English |
| Annual fees | 2026/27: UK day £29,850/yr (Yr9–A Level, excl. VAT); international (non-EEA) day £39,105/yr; boarding adds £24,710/yr (twin en suite) to £31,290/yr (single en suite), excl. VAT | £24,630–£39,640/year (2026/2027, ages 3–17; figures incl. VAT where applicable) |
| Enrollment | 500 | — |
| Boarding | Yes | Day only |
| Inspection rating | Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI): Good (academic) / Excellent (personal development), 2019; fully compliant | Ofsted: Good |
| Accreditations | Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), Abbey DLD Colleges Group member | Council of International Schools (CIS), International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) |
Strengths
- ✓Genuinely central-London campus on the South Bank, opposite Parliament and beside the London Eye, with purpose-built media, science, art and theatre facilities
- ✓Strong, structured EAL and international onboarding (IELTS-linked English support, Academic Preparation Course, International Foundation Programme) for a 60-plus-nationality intake
- ✓Flexible entry and pacing: one- and two-year GCSE, 18-month and two-year A Level routes, BTEC alternatives and a Year 9 start
- ✓ISI judged pupils' personal development 'Excellent' in its October 2019 inspection
- ✓Distinctive 'urban boarding' with around 250 en suite rooms in a residence directly above the school
- ✓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
- !ISI rated academic and other achievements only 'Good', below the 'Excellent' personal-development grade
- !Published exam-results figures readily available are from 2019 and not confirmed current, limiting visibility of recent academic outcomes
- !Vertical city campus means limited on-site sports fields and outdoor space compared with traditional boarding schools
- !Premium international fee tiers (up to £39,105/yr plus VAT and boarding) make it a high-cost option
- !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
- • Internationally mobile families wanting a central-London base for GCSE and sixth-form study
- • Students drawn to creative, media and digital pathways (BTEC media/music, art, photography, theatre)
- • International students needing structured English support and a foundation route into UK A Levels
- • Teenagers who prefer modern 'urban boarding' to a rural campus boarding-school setting
- • 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: 2019 figures cited in reviews indicate 50 percent of A Level entries at A*-A, 75 percent at A*-B and a 100 percent pass rate; more recent outcomes were not independently confirmed.
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 DLD College London or International School of London?
DLD College London is best for: Internationally mobile families wanting a central-London base for GCSE and sixth-form study. 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 DLD College London and International School of London?
DLD College London: 2026/27: UK day £29,850/yr (Yr9–A Level, excl. VAT); international (non-EEA) day £39,105/yr; boarding adds £24,710/yr (twin en suite) to £31,290/yr (single en suite), excl. VAT. 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 DLD College London and International School of London offer?
DLD College London: British. International School of London: IB. DLD College London inspection: Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) "Good (academic) / Excellent (personal development), 2019; fully compliant". International School of London inspection: Ofsted "Good".
Do DLD College London or International School of London offer boarding?
DLD College London: offers boarding. 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 →