Choosing the right education for a child can feel exciting but also overwhelming. With so many paths available, the question often becomes very simple: What environment will help my child thrive?

The Middle Years Programme at Southbank

At Southbank, students aged 11 to 16 follow the Middle Years Programme (MYP). It sits at the centre of the International Baccalaureate (IB) journey, building on the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in primary school and leading smoothly to the Diploma Programme (DP) or the Career-related Programme (CP) for older students.

The MYP keeps the student firmly at the heart of the learning experience. Teaching is concept based, encouraging students to explore ideas, ask questions and think about the world beyond the classroom. Students focus not just on what they learn but how they learn, developing transferable skills that support them across all subjects.

The MYP curriculum framework comprises eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents. This approach differs from the GCSE pathway, which often narrows students’ choices earlier and places a strong emphasis on preparing for a series of final examinations. In the MYP, students are encouraged to think, collaborate and be independent learners rather than focusing on memorisation or test preparation.

How Students Are Assessed

Assessment in the MYP is designed to be meaningful and supportive to reflect genuine learning. Rather than relying on final examinations, teachers use a range of tasks to understand each student’s progress. These assessments follow the International Baccalaureate criteria, and teachers work together to standardise and moderate marking.

In Grade 10, the final year of the MYP, each student completes a Personal Project. This is an extensive personal, creative piece of work that reflects an area of personal interest. It is externally examined by the IB. Producing a truly personal and creative piece of work over an extended period stands as a summative review of their ability to conduct independent work.

What is the MYP eAssessment?

Alongside internal grading, we offer the option of MYP External Assessment (eAssessment) in Grade 10 for Mathematics, English Language and Literature and Interdisciplinary Learning. These are in addition to the internal standardised assessment marks that they also achieve at the end of the year. The Interdisciplinary Learning assessment is especially unique because it asks students to apply knowledge from more than one subject and show how ideas can link and merge in real and relevant ways.

Internal grades show a student’s achievement across the whole academic year. eAssessment grades provide an external benchmark based on a formal examination. Together, they give a full and balanced picture of each student’s abilities, strengths and areas of growth.

How Universities View These Results

When students eventually apply to universities, both in the UK and internationally, admissions teams consider a wide range of information:

For UCAS applications in the United Kingdom, we include Grade 10 internal grades, predicted Diploma or Career-related Programme results and any Middle Years Programme eAssessment grades that students have taken. Universities view these external results in a similar way to GCSE or IGCSE grades and appreciate having this additional evidence in core subjects.

International universities also value external grades because they offer a point of comparison across different education systems. They are always considered alongside internal grades, school reports and the wider application.

Carole Lewthwaite, Head of Middle Years