Halcyon London International School

Since September 2025, Jeff Lippman, whose 30 years in education has taken him to international schools in Brazil, Spain, France and the US. He started out teaching history, later moving into leadership roles, most recently as founding head of the

The IB Diploma is an exacting programme, and the schools wants as many as possible to complete it, so entry is selective, but thoughtfully so. ‘We take the whole person into account.’ As well as considering school reports, teacher references and a

In 2024, 9 students (36 per cent of the cohort) headed to Russell Group universities, including LSE and University of Edinburgh. In total, 20 students went to universities in the UK, one to the US, one to Canada and three to Europe.

In 2024, IB results averaged 34 point. Number of bilingual diplomas 4 (20 per cent of the cohort).

Halcyon is one of the few schools in London to offer the IB middle years programme (MYP), which it does for the first five years. Most teachers have an IB background and are skilled in the delivery of its demanding curriculum. ‘Unlike GCSEs, which

Halcyon only accepts those they feel they can support effectively but are excellent at identifying and addressing mild learning difficulties. ‘When we lived abroad, my son’s dyslexia and dyscalculia were interpreted as lack of effort,’ said one

The IB middle years programme requires all students to study an art form. ‘One of the elements I am happiest about is that the programme allows you to continue with the core academic disciplines, while still enjoying the applied arts,’ said a father,

No outside space and no dedicated gym or other games facilities, so perhaps not the ideal location for future Olympians. (A search for ‘sport’ on the school website brings up zero results). Swimming, football, volleyball and basketball, however, take

Each student has a learning mentor, who stays with them throughout, and holds small-group mentoring sessions weekly. Mentoring groups contain one or two pupils from each grade, so the school becomes integrated across the age groups. ‘My kids have

There are 34 nationalities represented, but the pandemic and politics shifted the mix. ‘Brexit reduced our traditional clientele.’ Numbers, which dipped during Covid, have returned to about 180, but with an increasing proportion of locals or

Not London’s cheapest option, particularly given its restricted space and facilities, but fees are in line with other internationals schools and, as a not-for-profit, invested back into the school. Generous bursaries available for ‘deserving,

A friendly, happy, small school devoted to delivering the IB in the best possible way. Pupils are listened to and supported to strive and thrive, learning at their own pace, with no slipping through the net.