5 Top Tips For Finding A School For Your Child

Choosing and finding a school for your child is a daunting task. Parents should develop an understanding of the school’s curriculum, it’s teaching methods, it’s ethos and it’s values… Read our tips on what to consider here and Why To Consider An International School In The Heart Of London.

Choosing The Right School For Your Child

In a fast-paced, ever-changing post-Covid world, parents are questioning which the most effective and fitting school curriculum is for their child. Reflecting on how to best prepare them for the modern world, a focus on cultural diversity, independent thinking and nurturing morals and values has come to the forefront.

Parents looking for an international school, with an international perspective in Kensington that combines a friendly, open-minded environment with academic excellence need look no further than the Southbank International School.

1. Consider IB

Southbank is one of the leading international schools in Central London with outstanding results. It offers best-in-class education based around the International Baccalaureate system for children and young people aged 3-19 years old, who come from over 70 different countries. Teaching does not revolve around a rigid written curriculum, but lessons are designed to encourage independent learning and an inquiring mind.

The IB is a comprehensive and international curriculum that takes a holistic approach to education, fostering intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills. It runs through the entire school, with the academic programmes being the Primary Years Programme for children aged 3 to 11; the Middle Years Programme for students aged between 11 and 16; and the Diploma Programme for students aged 16 to 19.

Executive Principal of the three campuses, Siobhan McGrath, holds the view that the IB is a curriculum for those who want to give their children the best possible start in life, both academically and personally. It is a curriculum that encourages its students to do more than blindly accept what is put in front of them. It is a curriculum that nurtures within its students their natural capacity to question, to inquire, to be inquisitive and to think independently, critically and creatively.

It encourages a positive attitude to learning by inspiring students to ask challenging questions, critically reflect on topics, develop research skills, learn how to learn, and participate in community service.

The result is unique young people who emerge to excel in what they choose to do, united by the ability to think independently, to engage with others and to give back to communities large and small, global and local.

2. Understand The Teaching Methods 

In addition, Southbank has always invested heavily in state-of-the-art technology software and systems, with devices being provided for each student being the norm. This meant the school is ready for anything and was well-prepared for when lockdown hit last year, way ahead of many national schools.

Southbank’s teaching accelerates individual growth alongside the ability to build healthy relationships. Southbank encourages an openness to the outside world and welcomes those from different cultures. It encourages a readiness to see other points of view and an acceptance of people who may be different from ourselves, offering a breadth of perspectives and opportunities that you won’t find in national schools. Southbank emphasises inquiry, challenge, creativity, risk taking and accountability, and offers valuable skills for life, whatever the future holds for your child.

3. Assess The School’s Values

At the heart of Southbank’s ethos is a focus on community service and giving back, which is embedded across every campus and every age group. Grade 5’s at Kensington worked as a team busking to raise money for refugees, for example, engaging members of the public in discussion about what they themselves can do to help those in need. The campus is also collecting books to be distributed to families via the charity ‘The London Children’s Book Project’.  Tackling the ‘book gap’, the charity expects to gift upwards of 70,000 books this year, loaned on rotation to a different primary schools each term. In addition, students and teachers have put their skipping skills to the test recently in order to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. Teachers and students alike participated to see how many skips they could do in a minute, with 4 school records broken and a whopping £588 raised for a very worthy cause.

4. Consider The Location

The Southbank International School Kensington Campus is located in Notting Hill between Portobello Road and Kensington Park Road. It is attended by approximately 210 children aged 3-11 who come from almost 40 countries.

Students follow the IB Primary Year Programme before transferring to the Westminster Campus at age 11, where they begin to study the IB Middle Years Programme.

Led by Siobhan McGrath as Principal, the Kensington Campus attracts very well-qualified teachers who encourage a global perspective and educational adventure. 

English is the language of instruction, with Spanish as the school’s second language. This is taught from the age of five (Kindergarten) upwards. English as an Additional Language (EAL) lessons are also offered from Kindergarten upwards to children with little or no English.

5. Review Facilities And Resources

The Southbank International School Kensington:

• An IT lab featuring high-performance Mac.
• Interactive smartboards in all classrooms.
• A music room with a range of instruments and digital recording equipment.
• Two sound-proofed rooms for music practice.
• A bespoke art room with a wide range of materials for hands-on creativity.
• A multi-purpose hall that is used for lunches, sport, school ‘town meetings’ and concerts.
• A well-stocked library, which is regularly attended by students to develop literacy and research skills.
• Individual access to digital devices to support student learning.
• Google Drive so students can easily collaborate on projects.
• A garden featuring a climbing frame, sandpit and wide range of educational toys and equipment.
• A dedicated sports centre, which is a 15-minute bus ride away. It features a large sports hall, climbing wall and dance studio.
• The “Suzuki Music Programme”, whereby the basic principles of language acquisition are applied to the learning of music. Children learn by listening to orchestrated pieces, memorization, and scheduled practices. Eventually, the children will learn to read sheet music, and their higher musical ability will help them become adept at more advanced playing techniques.

Other Campuses:

The Hampstead Campus is a purpose-built school located in one of London’s leafiest suburbs on Netherhall Gardens. It is attended by approximately 220 students who follow the IB Primary Year Programme, before transferring to the Westminster campus at age 11, where they begin to study the IB Middle Years Programme.

The Westminster Campus is located over three impressive sites in central London (Portland Place, Conway Street and Cleveland Street), all of which are just a five-minute walk from each other.

To request more information please contact admissions@southbank.org Tel +44 (0)20 7243 3803. Southbank International School, Southbank International School Kensington, IB, London International School and International Baccalaureate