DLD College London vs Marymount International School 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 Marymount International School London is Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) "Excellent" — 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 Marymount International School London offers IB — the choice should follow the family's target qualification system. On cost, DLD College 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
| DLD College London | Marymount International School London | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | British | IB |
| Ages | 13-19 | 11-18 |
| 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 | Day GBP 39,540/yr; full boarding GBP 66,990/yr (2026-27, incl. VAT) |
| Enrollment | 500 | 250 |
| Boarding | Yes | Yes |
| Inspection rating | Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI): Good (academic) / Excellent (personal development), 2019; fully compliant | Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI): Excellent |
| Accreditations | Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), Abbey DLD Colleges Group member | Council of International Schools (CIS), Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, International Baccalaureate Organisation (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
- ✓ISI 'Excellent' Educational Quality outcome (2022) plus CIS, Middle States and IBO accreditation
- ✓Pioneer IB credentials — adopted the IB as its main curriculum in 1979, among the first in England
- ✓Strong, consistent IB Diploma outcomes (37-point average, 100% pass rate, Class of 2025)
- ✓Small ~250-student, multi-nationality community giving high individual attention
- ✓Established girls' boarding option within a values-led Catholic RSHM ethos
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
- !No IB Primary Years Programme — provision starts at age 11, so no early-years or primary pathway
- !Very small enrolment limits breadth of co-curricular and peer cohort scale
- !Premium fees (GBP 39,540 day / up to GBP 66,990 full boarding for 2026-27)
- !Single-curriculum (IB only) with no A-level or alternative-pathway fallback
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
- • Families seeking an all-girls, values-led Catholic education
- • Internationally mobile families wanting a recognised full IB Diploma pathway
- • Students aged 11+ who thrive in a small, close-knit cohort
- • Families needing girls' boarding (full, weekly or flexi) near London
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: graduates are described as progressing to top-tier universities worldwide, with around a third earning a bilingual IB diploma (Class of 2025).
More Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose DLD College London or Marymount International School London?
DLD College London is best for: Internationally mobile families wanting a central-London base for GCSE and sixth-form study. Marymount International School London is best for: Families seeking an all-girls, values-led Catholic education. 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 Marymount International School 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. Marymount International School London: Day GBP 39,540/yr; full boarding GBP 66,990/yr (2026-27, incl. VAT). Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do DLD College London and Marymount International School London offer?
DLD College London: British. Marymount International School London: IB. DLD College London inspection: Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) "Good (academic) / Excellent (personal development), 2019; fully compliant". Marymount International School London inspection: Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) "Excellent".
Do DLD College London or Marymount International School London offer boarding?
DLD College London: offers boarding. Marymount International School London: offers boarding.
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 →