You’re moving to the UK and need an International Baccalaureate option that matches your child’s age, language needs and university goals. Read this once and you’ll have a repeatable shortlisting method, regional suggestions, realistic fee benchmarks and a step‑by‑step application checklist you can use today.
Quick reality-check: the UK has 130 IB World Schools. Roughly 89 run the Diploma Programme (DP), 33 offer the Middle Years Programme (MYP), 24 teach the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and 33 run the Career‑related Programme (CP). Use the IB’s official school finder (ibo.org) for live status, and speed the process with ExpatsUK’s curated school lists and community feedback when you want a vetted starting set.
IB in the UK — the programmes, what the numbers mean and how to pick by age
The IB is four programmes, each for a different stage. The Primary Years (PYP) covers early years and primary (roughly ages 3–11) and focuses on inquiry learning. The Middle Years (MYP) serves 11–16 and bridges to national exams. The Diploma Programme (DP) is the two‑year, academically rigorous route for 16–19 year‑olds preparing for university. The Career‑related Programme (CP) combines academic IB study with vocational pathways and is popular where schools link to local apprenticeships or vocational centres.
A “continuum” school runs more than one programme — some schools are authorised for PYP→MYP→DP; others offer only the DP because of cost, staffing or demand. The headline numbers above show availability: DP is the most common IB pathway in UK secondary settings (mainly independent schools), while PYP and MYP provision are rarer and more geographically concentrated.
How to pick by age: under 11, prioritise true PYP providers or schools that publish a clear transition plan from primary to secondary. For 11–16, check whether a school runs MYP alongside GCSEs or uses a mixed approach — the quality of MYP teaching and subject choice matters. For 16–18, the DP is the university‑ready route: focus on Higher Level subjects, university destinations and predicted point requirements.
Start searches at ibo.org and narrow with How UK Schools Work: A Complete Guide for Expat Parents 🇬🇧🎒 if you want fewer, vetted options to investigate.
State vs independent IB schools — availability, cost and the 2026 funding change
Practically speaking, independents charge tuition, have stable IB staffing and a predictable subject spread; state schools are free to families but can vary in which IB programmes they run and in the range of Higher Level options they can offer. Independents typically provide more consistent EAL (English as an Additional Language) support and extracurricular university preparation; state providers often excel at accessibility and local community ties.
A crucial policy change: England’s extra state funding for the IBDP is scheduled to end after the 2026–27 academic year. Expect two immediate implications: some state sixth forms may cease DP delivery unless they can self‑fund, and others will prioritise current cohorts while reviewing future intake. Examples of known state IB practitioners include Europa School UK (a unique state bilingual continuum) and Dartford Grammar School; both will be monitoring funding decisions closely.
The CP is relatively more common in state settings because it pairs academic study with vocational options. Bilingual IB state options are rare and therefore high value for multilingual families. If you’re relying on a state place, ask the school for its published plan for 2026–27 and a clear statement about continuity for current and incoming students.
How to shortlist IB schools — a concise, repeatable workflow
Make shortlisting a process not a guess. Start by defining non‑negotiables (programme, required Higher Level subjects, language provision), set a realistic commute and budget, then score and compare.
Score each school against five focused metrics:
- Programme fit (PYP/MYP/DP/CP and HL subjects available)
- DP results and university outcomes (recent averages, Oxbridge/competitive offers)
- Fees and extras (tuition, deposits, exam/EAL costs)
- Pastoral and EAL support (language programmes, safeguarding, wellbeing)
- Logistics (travel time, transport links, boarding if needed)
Use ibo.org’s finder, school prospectuses, Ofsted or ISI reports and university admissions pages for conversion guidance. League tables are a single data point — pair them with prospectus evidence and parent feedback. Raising Children in the UK as an Expat: An In-Depth, Practical Guide will be a useful source for up‑to‑date parent experience.
Fee benchmarks to expect: day fees for established IB sixth forms commonly range between about £22,000–£36,000/year for older pupils (London at the higher end). Full boarding adds roughly £20,000–£30,000/year. One‑off costs (registration, deposits, capital fees) typically sit between £750 and £8,000; EAL or intensive language support can be several thousand pounds a year more. Always ask each school for a full, itemised annual cost breakdown before shortlisting.
A simple weighting approach works: give programme fit and available HL subjects the highest weight, then DP outcomes/university destinations, then fees and logistics as tiebreakers.
Regional shortlists & exemplar school profiles — how to use “top picks”
Below are curated examples linked to common expat priorities. They’re starter ideas — always request the latest DP averages and destinations.
London: Southbank International — full IB continuum and a highly international cohort; Dwight School London — strong DP and global network; Halcyon London International School — modern campus with focused DP provision.
South East / commuter belt: Sevenoaks School — consistently top DP reputation and strong Oxbridge entry; ACS Cobham — broad international community and robust EAL support.
Bilingual/state option: Europa School UK — unique state‑funded bilingual continuum (English/continental languages) and a good choice if you value full bilingual pathways.
Independent boarding/academic focus: TASIS England — international boarding school with DP at its core; Bradfield College — boarding with a strong sixth‑form DP track. For a parent‑focused shortlist of boarding options see England’s Top Boarding Schools: A Parent’s Shortlist.
Which schools suit your family? A London‑based, university‑focused family will weight DP outcomes and HL subjects higher and favour Sevenoaks, Southbank or Dwight. A day‑school price‑conscious family will prefer strong local independents or state MYP/DP options and place fees and commute as priority filters. Bilingual families will prioritise Europa School UK and similar regional bilingual providers. For global mobility plus boarding, TASIS and Bradfield are natural fits.
Admissions, DP → UCAS conversion and finances explained
Admissions timelines: start 12–18 months ahead for competitive independents; follow local authority windows for state admission. Standard steps include an online application, submission of recent school reports, any standardised test results, an interview or entrance task, references and certified translations of international documents where required. For step‑by‑step guidance on applying for a place see How do I apply for a school place?
Scholarships and bursaries exist but are limited. Many independents run a small number of academic or means‑tested awards; request the school’s full policy and deadlines well before application dates.
On university conversion: UK universities use UCAS equivalences to compare IB to A‑levels. An IB pass at 24 points equates roughly to 260 UCAS points (about three C grades at A‑level). Highly competitive courses and Oxbridge generally specify 38–40 points with high Higher Level grades. Always check specific course pages — many require particular Higher Level subjects rather than relying on overall points.
Practical finance tip: always ask for an itemised annual cost sheet (tuition, exams, uniforms, trips, EAL) and whether payment plans, sibling discounts or bursary assessments are available. For broader expat finance planning see UK Expat Mortgages: A Practical Guide to Apply Abroad.
Practical application checklist — what you can do today
- Collect your child’s recent school reports, passport/ID and note language support needs.
- Use the IB school finder (ibo.org) plus ExpatsUK’s curated school lists to build an initial 8–12 school list by programme and region.
- Score those schools using the five‑metric matrix described above (programme fit, DP subjects, fees, pastoral/EAL, commute).
- Contact your top 3–5 schools: request the prospectus, the latest DP average and destinations, and a full fees breakdown with one‑off costs.
- Register for entrance tests/interviews and prepare certified translations/references if international documents are needed.
- Visit where possible (or join virtual open days) and speak to current parents — use ExpatsUK’s upcoming message boards to connect with other expat families in your area.
- Apply, pay deposits, confirm acceptance and then organise visas, guardianship (if needed) and boarding logistics.
Two short email lines you can copy when contacting schools: “Hello — we are relocating to the UK in [month/year] with a child aged [age]. Could you please send the prospectus, latest DP average and an itemised fees schedule? We’d also like to know EAL provision.” And: “Can you confirm application deadlines and whether you offer entrance testing or scholarships for international applicants?”
Start now: build your shortlist on ExpatsUK’s school guides, verify authorisations on ibo.org and use community feedback to test assumptions. With a focused checklist and a short, well‑scored list of schools, you’ll remove guesswork and give your child the best chance of a smooth transition into the UK IB system.