Halcyon London International School
🇬🇧 London · Founded 2013 · IB · Ages 11-18
A young, small-by-design IB secondary school in central London with a distinctively innovation-led, tech-forward ethos and an IB Diploma average above the world mean.
Curricula
IB
Age range
11-18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD £41,040-£42,912/year incl. VAT (2026/27)
Enrollment
172
Boarding
No (day school)
IB authorised
MYP, DP
Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) 2024
Met all standards (2024 routine, post-2023 framework)
Accreditations
IB World School, ISI-inspected (DfE-regulated)
Tier Profile
We only tier dimensions backed by a public inspection verdict or verifiable accreditation. Other dimensions show a data flag — never a guessed score.
BrightKey's Assessment
Halcyon London International School is a non-selective, co-educational International Baccalaureate day school in Marylebone, central London. Founded in 2013, it is a secondary-only school serving roughly 172 students aged 11 to 18, running the IB Middle Years Programme (Years 7-11) followed by the IB Diploma Programme (Years 12-13). It deliberately offers no GCSEs and no primary phase, positioning itself as a focused, continuous IB pathway. The school is run on a not-for-profit model and describes itself as the only not-for-profit IB school in London.
Academically, Halcyon performs above the global IB benchmark: the Class of 2025 achieved an average Diploma score of 35, ahead of both UK and world averages, with several students earning the maximum 45 in recent cohorts. Teaching is delivered by subject specialists and built around IB inquiry, with the school leaning into modern pedagogy, including the use of artificial intelligence in the curriculum as noted by inspectors. The student body is highly international and very largely bilingual, and a 'bilingual diploma' pathway is available.
Its October 2024 ISI inspection, conducted under the current 'Standards met / not met' framework, found that all regulatory Standards were met across leadership, quality of education, wellbeing, social and economic education, and safeguarding. Pastoral provision is a clear strength: small scale means staff and pupils work closely alongside each other in open shared areas, and inspectors highlighted a strong, inclusive, diversity-focused culture. Support for SEND and for pupils with early-stage English is well embedded.
The main trade-offs are structural rather than qualitative. Halcyon leases part of a shared central-London building from a religious community, so it has limited on-site sport and outdoor space, the chief area inspectors asked leaders to improve. It is also young and small relative to established London internationals, which means a more intimate community but a shorter track record and fewer of the facilities, alumni networks, and breadth that larger or older schools provide.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
Tiered 'A' rather than 'S' because the October 2024 ISI routine inspection used the current regulatory framework, which judges only whether 'Standards are met' and does not award a graded 'Excellent'; all Standards were met (strong, but not a verbatim top grade). The previous Ofsted inspection (March 2020) is not the current cycle and is not used for the tier.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- IB Diploma average of 35 for the Class of 2025, above both UK and world averages, with recent perfect scores of 45
- Continuous, focused IB pathway (MYP then DP) delivered by subject specialists with strong inquiry-led teaching
- Small, intimate community (around 172 pupils) enabling close staff-pupil relationships and individual learning mentors
- Genuinely international, largely bilingual student body with a strong inclusion, diversity and global-citizenship culture
- Innovation-led ethos, including documented integration of artificial intelligence into the curriculum
Trade-offs
- Limited on-site sport and outdoor space; inspectors asked leaders to extend outdoor and physical-skills opportunities
- Operates within a shared, leased central-London building rather than a self-contained campus
- Young school (opened 2013) with a comparatively short track record
- Small scale and secondary-only remit limit breadth of facilities, cohort size, and alumni network versus larger London internationals
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Internationally mobile families wanting an unbroken IB MYP-to-Diploma route in central London
- ✓Bilingual or multilingual students, including those targeting the IB bilingual diploma
- ✓Families who value a small, close-knit, innovation-led environment over a large traditional campus
- ✓Students who thrive on inquiry-based learning rather than a GCSE/A-level track
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families seeking a primary or early-years phase (secondary only, from age 11)
- ✕Families wanting GCSEs or A-levels rather than the full IB continuum
- ✕Students needing extensive on-site sports facilities and large outdoor grounds
- ✕Families prioritising a long-established institution with a deep alumni network
Curriculum
Secondary-only IB school: IB Middle Years Programme in Years 7-11 followed by the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12-13. No GCSEs, no A-levels, and no primary phase. A bilingual diploma option is available, and the curriculum is enriched by 'exploration' courses and personal projects. Authorized IB World School for MYP and DP (IB school code 050209).
Fees
Annual tuition for 2026/27 ranges from £41,040 (Grades 6-9) to £42,912 (Grades 11-12), inclusive of 20% VAT, payable in three installments. A non-refundable application fee of £375 and a refundable acceptance deposit of £1,800 apply, plus a one-time development fee for new students. Figures are from the school's published fees page (2026/27).
Admissions
Non-selective, co-educational, day-only admission for ages 11-18. Entry is managed via the school's admissions process with an application fee and acceptance deposit; the student body is highly international, with many pupils previously educated overseas.
Campus Life
The school occupies part of a shared building in Marylebone that it leases from a religious community, with open shared study areas where staff and pupils work side by side. Provision favours indoor sport and curriculum-enriching cultural visits across central London; outdoor and games facilities are limited and rely on nearby external venues. Student life features Model United Nations, an annual Global Issues conference, and an active student council.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: the Class of 2025 saw graduates progress to Russell Group universities and to specialist art, music and drama colleges in the UK and internationally.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- Halcyon official site (overview, history, age range, programmes) · 2026-06
- Halcyon fees page (2026/27 tuition, VAT) · 2026-06
- ISI school inspection report, 22-24 October 2024 (enrollment 172, day school, EAL, all Standards met) · 2026-06
- ISI institution profile · 2026-06
- IBO Find an IB School (MYP + DP authorization, school code 050209) · 2026-06
- Relocate/Think Global People - Class of 2025 IB results (avg 35, above world average) · 2026-06
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