For 40 years, Southbank has stood at the forefront of providing a world-class education to children and young people from London’s international community and the UK.

At the heart of the school are the programmes of the International Baccalaureate. These are challenging curricula that have been carefully developed to encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Enter one of our classrooms and we’re sure you’ll be impressed by the enthusiasm, confidence and creativity of our students. Thanks to our exceptional teaching staff and the International Baccalaureate curriculum, we help children and young people to become inquisitive learners who love to broaden their minds, always think critically, and do not shy away from challenging assumptions.

Leadership 

Executive Principal  –  Siobhan McGrath

Principal – Hampstead   Shirley Harwood

Principal – Kensington   Siobhan McGrath

Principal – Westminster   Paul Wood

Proprietor

Group Chief Executive Officer, Cognita Schools

Chris Jansen

Governor

Director of Education

James Carroll

We are committed to challenging our students academically, a liberal ethos and the values of the International Baccalaureate.

Southbank aims to be an international school that:

• has a broad curriculum featuring a global outlook and strong emphasis on inquiry
• promotes academic excellence and enthusiasm for learning
• provides opportunities for students to study other languages, as well as their own, and become good communicators
• celebrates intellectual scepticism and stresses the importance of remaining open-minded and reflective
• supports individual needs and develops individual strengths, so everyone can fulfil their potential
• uses London as a classroom.

Southbank is also an open, inclusive community that:

• offers a safe, caring and supportive environment
• has high expectations in all areas
• treats every individual with fairness and respect
• celebrates diversity and welcomes new students and parents to the school community
• encourages dialogue, and listens to and considers others people’s points of view
• has strong and effective leadership which makes clear decisions after appropriate consultation
• develops a culture of responsibility, service and accountability
• encourages a culture in which creativity and imagination are celebrated.

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of care, safety and wellbeing for all our students. This involves us encouraging our students and staff to talk openly about any concerns or worries they have and letting them know they will always be listened to.

At Southbank, our culture of care is uncompromising and an integral part of our community, and it guides the decisions and actions we take in the day-to-day running of our school.

We place huge importance on the comfort and security of our school environments, the pastoral care and emotional wellbeing of our students, the rigorous vetting of our staff, and having robust policies, procedures and training in all areas relating to the care and safety of children.

We also expect our staff members to be accountable for the care and safety of our students. And our strong governance structure includes regular safeguarding and health and safety checks and reviews.

Safety as part of the Cognita Group

Southbank is regularly monitored and assessed by Cognita to ensure the safety and security of our teaching and learning environments. Cognita’s safeguarding policies, procedures and governance are based upon statutory UK requirements, which are further enhanced with best practice.

This approach applies not only to Southbank but to all schools within the Cognita Group; and as a leader in education, Cognita aims to go above and beyond what regulators require in the countries it operates schools in.

Our policies

Southbank expects all staff, volunteers, parents and other third parties to share our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of child wellbeing and safety.

To find out more, please visit our school policies page to read Southbank’s policies and procedures relating to the care and wellbeing of students.

Hampstead campus (Early Childhood to Grade 5)

Designated Safeguarding Lead
Stuart Bain

Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Jason Horth

Designated Practitioner Early Childhood
Anna Blake

Kensington campus (Early Childhood to Grade 5)

Designated Safeguarding Lead
David MacMorran

Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Emma Netherton

Designated Practitioner Early Childhood
Paris Innes

Westminster campus (Grades 6 to 10)

Designated Safeguarding Lead
Salah Hajjaj

Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Laken Randhawa

Westminster campus (Grades 11 to 12     )

Designated Safeguarding Lead
Patricia Radoi

Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Amal Hirani