Upper Seniors

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.

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Jump down to:

Final Year of MYP
The Diploma Programme
Facilities & Location
Extra-Curricular
FAQs
Your Child's Journey

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.

MYP Personal Project

Explore the MYP

“At Southbank Upper Senior school, we focus on building a safe environment for our students and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect. Southbank’s Upper Seniors are empowered to grow as lB learners and have the confidence to make key decisions for their futures after they leave school.”

– Salah Hajjaj, Head of school – Upper Seniors G10-G12

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:

Diploma Programme

NEASC High School Diploma

How will the NEASC accreditation impact our students?

Southbank will be able to provide students with an internationally recognised High School Diploma starting in 2025, as per our own internal requirements for accreditation which are yet to be articulated.

While the IB Diploma Programme will remain the main accreditation to access higher education for the vast majority of students, the High School Diploma is likely to prove more directly beneficial to applicants to United States institutions, and a few other countries (such as the Netherlands and Denmark).

However, since it is internationally recognised, it may also provide a “safety net” for students who don’t meet the requirements for the Diploma, enriching university applications which would mostly be based on IB Courses that do not amount to the full DP. This enrichment will not be meaningful for all tertiary education institutions, and a well thought out choice of DP subjects is likely to continue to be the most relevant asset (for example in the UK).

Find out more about the NEASC High School Diploma:

NEASC High School Diploma

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:

Cleveland Street

Conway Street - Westminster Campus

Cleveland Street - Westminster Campus

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.

Find out more about our Extra-Curricular Activities

Extra-Curricular Activities on offer (subject to availability)

Biomedical society
Environment Club Network
Open Choir
Student Newspaper

Concert Band
Global Issues
Physics Club
Wine Society

Debate Club
Model United Nations
School Production
Yearbook Club

FAQs...

What is a normal school day?

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.

What is the size of the classes?

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.

Who teaches the students?

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.

How are the students assessed?

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.

What Sports can a Diploma Programme Student participate in?

We offer Diploma Programme students many opportunities to practise and compete in a wide range of sports. These include:

Athletics
Badminton
Basketball
Climbing
Football
Golf
Softball
Tennis
Volletball

What languages can a Diploma Programme Student study?

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.

How do universities view the Diploma Programme compared to A-levels?

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 classrooms and we’re sure you’ll be impressed by the confidence and creativity of our students as well as our exceptional teaching staff.

Your child's learning journey

Early Childhood Years

2 - 5 yrs old

Primary Years Programme

5 - 11 yrs old

Lower Seniors

11-15 yrs old

Upper Seniors

15 - 18 yrs old

Admissions Process

Straightforward and simple

Find out more.

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