Halcyon London International School

Education Team 5 November 2024

Situated in the heart of Marylebone, London, Halcyon is an innovative International Baccalaureate (IB) school for students aged 11-18, and central London’s only not-for-profit IB international school. Our academically challenging curriculum is rewarding, culturally competent and student-centred.

We foster a sense of belonging for everyone through our unique approach to student voice and agency, and our inclusive and holistic curriculum, which includes personal learning and service opportunities, sports and creative arts opportunities, and our unique Explorations Programme. Each child’s unique potential is drawn out in this authentic and respectful learning environment, in which we learn and succeed together, with a sense of joy and wonder.

Our innovative use of technology complements our dynamic, research-led teaching methods. Our students are empowered digital citizens, who learn how to safely explore, and benefit from, the digital world, including AI. We are proudly recognised as both a Google Reference School and an Apple Regional Training Centre.

As a restorative school, we empower our students to become problem solvers and decision makers, with the skills to build and maintain meaningful relationships. All teachers are trained cognitive coaches and weekly coaching meetings foster reflection, critical thinking and student autonomy.

Halcyon students take ownership of their community, developing their appreciation and care for others: a core component of the IB’s mission to create “a more peaceful and better world.”We welcome students with a strong academic background, and a readiness to contribute to our community and extracurricular programmes. Applications are accepted year-round.

Open House (All Grades) – Monday 25 November,

10.00 – 11.30am

Register here

Our Middle Years Programme (MYP)

Our MYP students experience the joy of learning and develop the transferable academic skills that are necessary for their futures. Our curriculum develops academic skills through intellectual enquiry, grounded in real-world contexts. Our small class sizes (16, or fewer) allow us to foster students’ personal passions. Through our ‘Passion Projects,’ unique Explorations Programme, and intentional technology integration, students build their research skills, develop digital literacy, and have the opportunity to explore their creative thinking. Our annual Linked Learning Days allow for interdisciplinary learning and creative collaboration, while our Discovery Days open up London as a classroom for our community.

Our Diploma Programme (DP)

Our DP students benefit from a highly personal, tailored DP curriculum, delivered by richly skilled staff. We offer a broad choice of disciplines, proudly providing many different language options, and exceptionally small class sizes – an average of 6 students per class. This programme offers a wide range of educational and service opportunities in one the greatest cities in the world. Halcyon-science-lab

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Belonging

The state of ‘being well’ is fundamental to social, emotional and academic growth. Halcyon students develop new competencies and enjoy success because they feel they belong to a community that respects each other’s voices and develops student agency.

Our innovative, research-driven wellbeing programme develops such belonging. The programme includes our comprehensive student mentoring programme, in which students meet weekly with a teacher-mentor, trained in cognitive coaching. Our commitment to restorative practice is another key element, through which dialogue, self-reflection and the consideration of others are prioritised.

Our authentic and respectful learning environment is built around shared values, not rules, mirroring leading university and professional environments. This approach develops students’ self-management and collaboration skills: key to success and belonging in school and, later, at university and in the workplace.

Technology

We use technology intentionally and transformatively, creating a forward-looking and reflective approach to pedagogy. Our dedicated Digital Learning Coach supports our community to explore cutting-edge tools, and be responsible and reflective digital learners.All students work from an iPad or laptop, using Google Workspace as a collaborative learning platform. All school systems are Apple. Students benefit from a variety of educational technologies and our physical library is complemented by an extensive digital collection, curated by our dedicated Teacher-Librarian.

Co-Curricular Offer

Students benefit from a range of electives, clubs, trips, sporting and creative opportunities. Our unique Explorations Programme provides a suite of electives for Grades 6 – 9, which enrich and extend their learning. Extra-Curricular Activities (ECAs) provide additional opportunities such as Model United Nations (MUN), sports and creative arts, and Law and Medicine Societies. Our competitive sports programme, annual music and theatre shows, and public art exhibition are popular, inclusive and showcase our students’ varied talents.

University Destinations

Our University and Careers Counselling Director provides personalised support for each student, complementing a programme of university and business visits, and application preparation workshops.

Combined with this support, our students’ hard work earns them places at a range of prestigious Russell Group and UK Top 20 universities, including Cambridge, Oxford, and Imperial College London, as well as highly competitive international institutions such as Dartmouth College.

Students matriculate onto a range of competitive degree programmes such as Biomedical Sciences, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Psychology, as well as traditional academic subjects such as English Literature, Chemistry and Economics.