Southbank International School
Encyclopedia
Southbank International School is a selective, mixed independent school
located in the City of Westminster
, Kensington
and Hampstead
, London
, England
. It is an international school
for 3 to 18 year olds, from Early childhood
to Key Stage 5
. It has three campus
es serving the educational needs of the international community in central London
and surrounding areas.
It is an International Baccalaureate World School, authorised to deliver all three of the IB Programmes
.
Southbank Hampstead and Southbank Kensington are both International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme
(“IB PYP”, from Early Childhood
to grade 5) schools. Southbank Westminster offers the IB Middle Years Programme
(grade 6 to 10) and the IB Diploma Programme (grades 11 and 12). One of the peculiarities of the Primary Years Programme at Southbank International School is that the pupils are taught to play violin or cello using an adapted “Suzuki Music Programme”
from age five.
The Southbank Westminster campus occupies two sites at Portland Place
and Conway Street (by Fitzroy Square
).
near Waterloo station with 80 upper school students. In line with its founding principles, the school's name was changed to Southbank American International School, following staff and pupil suggestions.
In 1982 the school moved to Eccleston Square near Victoria Station and by 1985 a secondary section
was added, and the IB Diploma Programme
was eventually adopted. In 1987 the School's name changed again to Southbank International School.
In January 1989 the School moved to the present Kensington campus, and with an ever-growing demand for places the Hampstead campus opened in September 1996. In June 1996 MYP
authorisation was achieved and this was followed in June 2000 by PYP
authorisation. Southbank International School then became the first school in the UK, and one of the first twenty schools in the world, to be authorised to offer all three IB programmes.
Demand for places continued to grow, and in September 2003 the Westminster campus opened. In December 2006 the Milton Keynes
based private company
Cognita
became the major shareholder
s and Southbank International School became the first in Cognita's international division. Cognita has run into serious criticism of its management of Southbank International School with a parent group claiming it has "no serious interest in maximising the educational experience of... children if it impacts on their bottom line". Cognita denied the allegations, claiming that its profits were in line with others in the sector. Discussions with the parent group are ongoing.
In August 2007 grade 6, 7 and 8 were amalgamated at the Westminster campus and to cope with the extra numbers the Conway Street annexe of the Westminster campus was opened as an IB Diploma Programme centre for grades 11 and 12.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
located in the City of Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
and Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is an international school
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
for 3 to 18 year olds, from Early childhood
Early childhood education
Early childhood education is the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. 'Early childhood' is usually defined as before the age of normal schooling - five years in most nations, though the U.S...
to Key Stage 5
Key Stage 5
Key Stage 5 is an unofficial label used to describe the two years of post-compulsory education for students aged 16-18, or at sixth form, in the United Kingdom, to align with previous Key Stages as labelled for the National Curriculum....
. It has three campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
es serving the educational needs of the international community in central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
and surrounding areas.
It is an International Baccalaureate World School, authorised to deliver all three of the IB Programmes
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
.
Southbank Hampstead and Southbank Kensington are both International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme
IB Primary Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 11. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle Years Programme, it is not a prerequisite for it...
(“IB PYP”, from Early Childhood
Early childhood education
Early childhood education is the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. 'Early childhood' is usually defined as before the age of normal schooling - five years in most nations, though the U.S...
to grade 5) schools. Southbank Westminster offers the IB Middle Years Programme
IB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
(grade 6 to 10) and the IB Diploma Programme (grades 11 and 12). One of the peculiarities of the Primary Years Programme at Southbank International School is that the pupils are taught to play violin or cello using an adapted “Suzuki Music Programme”
Suzuki method
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music that emerged in the mid-20th century.-Background:The Suzuki Method was conceived in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist who desired to bring beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II...
from age five.
The Southbank Westminster campus occupies two sites at Portland Place
Portland Place
Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
and Conway Street (by Fitzroy Square
Fitzroy Square
Fitzroy Square is one of the Georgian squares in London and is the only one found in the central London area known as in Fitzrovia.The square, nearby Fitzroy Street and the Fitzroy Tavern in Charlotte Street have the family name of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, into whose ownership the land...
).
History
Southbank International School was founded on September 12th 1979 as the American International School. It opened in September 1980 in a disused primary school on the south bank of the River ThamesSouth Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
near Waterloo station with 80 upper school students. In line with its founding principles, the school's name was changed to Southbank American International School, following staff and pupil suggestions.
In 1982 the school moved to Eccleston Square near Victoria Station and by 1985 a secondary section
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
was added, and the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
was eventually adopted. In 1987 the School's name changed again to Southbank International School.
In January 1989 the School moved to the present Kensington campus, and with an ever-growing demand for places the Hampstead campus opened in September 1996. In June 1996 MYP
IB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
authorisation was achieved and this was followed in June 2000 by PYP
IB Primary Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 11. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle Years Programme, it is not a prerequisite for it...
authorisation. Southbank International School then became the first school in the UK, and one of the first twenty schools in the world, to be authorised to offer all three IB programmes.
Demand for places continued to grow, and in September 2003 the Westminster campus opened. In December 2006 the Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
based private company
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
Cognita
Cognita
Cognita is a private company which owns and operates independent schools throughout the United Kingdom. In addition, Cognita operates a number of international schools in Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam...
became the major shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
s and Southbank International School became the first in Cognita's international division. Cognita has run into serious criticism of its management of Southbank International School with a parent group claiming it has "no serious interest in maximising the educational experience of... children if it impacts on their bottom line". Cognita denied the allegations, claiming that its profits were in line with others in the sector. Discussions with the parent group are ongoing.
In August 2007 grade 6, 7 and 8 were amalgamated at the Westminster campus and to cope with the extra numbers the Conway Street annexe of the Westminster campus was opened as an IB Diploma Programme centre for grades 11 and 12.
See also
- International Baccalaureate OrganizationInternational Baccalaureate OrganizationThe International Baccalaureate , formerly the International Baccalaureate Organization , is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1968. IB offers three educational programmes for children ages 3–19.The organization's name and logo were changed...
- IB Primary Years ProgrammeIB Primary Years ProgrammeThe International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 11. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle Years Programme, it is not a prerequisite for it...
- IB Middle Years ProgrammeIB Middle Years ProgrammeThe International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
- IB Diploma ProgrammeIB Diploma ProgrammeThe International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...