An academic and pastoral environment for students aged 15-18 years, that supports the increasing intellectual demands of the IB
The Upper Seniors community, based at Conway and Cleveland Streets, provides an academic and pastoral environment that supports the increasing intellectual demands of the IB and the need for age-appropriate programmes to encourage wellbeing and the transition to adulthood.
Students complete the final year of the MYP in their first year as a member of the Upper Seniors. This is an important stepping stone towards further education, whether that be the IB Diploma or an equivalent programme of study. In this year of transition, students begin to narrow their subject choices as they consider their interests in and aptitudes for future study.
The aim of the DP is to equip students with all the necessary skills and qualities to study at the world’s top universities and fulfil all their personal and academic potential.
Jump down to:
FINAL YEAR OF MYP
The final year of the Middle Years Programme - the culmination of a broad, challenging curriculum.
As members of the Upper Seniors community, final year MYP students benefit from working alongside Diploma students, with the opportunity to ask questions about the challenges of the Diploma and to learn from the example of more mature learners. The final year of the MYP allows students to begin to specialise according to their interests and aspirations, including preparation for the Bilingual Diploma award.
They complete the externally-assessed Personal Project, anticipating some of the skills required for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge in the Diploma Programme. At the end of the year, on successful completion of all requirements, they are awarded a certificate of completion by the school in a graduation ceremony attended by parents, siblings and staff.
Bespoke support for our students
At Southbank, we help to inform our students about their higher education and career options, and help them make the right choices for their futures.
Diploma Programme
The DP curriculum comprises of:
- Studying six courses from six subject areas - three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level
- Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) activities
- A critical thinking course entitled Theory of Knowledge
- An extended essay of around 4,000 words
- A requirement to commit to extensive independent study
Find out more about the Diploma Programme below:
NEASC accreditation
What is the NEASC accreditation and what does it mean for Southbank?
We are delighted to share that, as of Autumn 2024, Southbank has officially received NEASC accreditation, marking a proud milestone for our school.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is an independent, voluntary, nonprofit membership organisation that accredits 1,500+ schools globally, promoting excellence. For Southbank, it boosts standards, supports IB students, and fosters school growth.
Find out more about NEASC accreditation:
FACILITIES & LOCATION
Westminster Campus
Our Diploma Programme is taught at our Westminster campus across two impressive sites in Central London (Conway Street and Cleveland Street), both of which are just a five-minute walk from each other.
Take a Virtual Tour of each campus below:
Extra-Curricular
Much more than the classroom
Throughout the year, DP students have a wide range of extra-curricular activities to get involved in.
After every one of our three school terms, students can then change their choices if they want to. This is so they can sample as many of our free clubs as possible and mix with a wider range of students.
FAQs...
A normal school day for Upper Seniors starts with registration at 8.40am and typically finishes at 4.10pm, although some classes do run until 5pm. During this time, students have a lunch hour at either 12.50pm or 1.40pm. Typically, every day features six periods, with each one lasting 50 minutes. These periods are occupied with lessons, although a student may have some free periods during the week.
The size of our classes is typically between 5 to 16 students. We believe this small class size optimises the teaching and learning experience, and encourages students to speak more confidently and freely, and collaborate more.
We have recruited outstanding Diploma Programme teachers from around the world who encourage a global perspective and educational adventure. They also place great importance on assessing the individual needs of each student and providing the tailored academic and personal support they need.
Each of the six subjects studied in the Diploma Programme is marked out of seven, meaning a student can receive a maximum of 42 points for the subjects they study. Students can also earn up to three extra points for their extended essay and the Theory of Knowledge element of their studies. Overall, an IB diploma is awarded to students who score at least 24 points out of the 45 points available.
We offer Diploma Programme students many opportunities to practise and compete in a wide range of sports. These include:
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Athletics
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Badminton
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Basketball
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Climbing
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Football
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Golf
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Softball
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Tennis
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Volletball
We offer over 20 languages at Diploma level. These include Arabic, Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. We also may be able to offer other required languages.
Universities in the UK and around the world compare the IB Diploma Programme very favourably against A-levels.
This is because students study a holistic curriculum that helps them to be reflective, internationally minded, well-rounded and at ease with critical thinking.
In addition, the Diploma Programme is widely recognised as being harder than A-levels, and there’s much less evidence of grade inflation in its results.
As a result, many Southbank students have gone on to successfully apply for places at highly respected universities in the UK, North America and the rest of the world.
Begin your Southbank Journey
Enter one of our Central London classrooms at our Hampstead, Kensington or Westminster campuses, and we’re sure you’ll be impressed by the confidence and creativity of our students as well as our exceptional teaching staff.
2* - 5 yrs old (*Conditions apply)
5 - 11 yrs old
11-16 yrs old
15 - 18 yrs old
Straightforward and simple
Find out more