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Choosing a sixth form in London settles where your child sits their final two years and which qualification universities will read on the application. To see senior provision across the capital first, start with our international schools in London directory, which lists every school by curriculum and stage. The shortlist below covers London schools we could confirm run a genuine, externally examined Years 12 and 13 programme leading straight to university entry, and that admit by application rather than by residential catchment.
London is unusual in offering A Levels and the IB Diploma side by side across the city, so the first decision is usually the qualification itself. If deep specialism in three or four subjects suits your child, read our guide to A Levels and weigh the A Level colleges below; if a broader programme of six subjects fits better, look to the IB Diploma schools. Families focused on destinations should also read our shortlist of the best schools for university preparation in London.
The shortlist
DLD College London
DLD College London is a senior college on the South Bank opposite the Houses of Parliament, taking students from 13 to 19 with the great majority in the sixth form. It runs A Levels alongside BTEC routes and an International Foundation pathway, with small classes and subject specialist teaching aimed squarely at progression to a leading university. For a family that wants a mature, central London college rather than a through school, the focused sixth form environment is the draw.
Hampstead Fine Arts College
Founded in 1978, Hampstead Fine Arts College runs an examined A Level sixth form with an unusually strong creative and visual arts offer alongside academic subjects. Classes average around eight at A Level, which suits students who want close attention and a portfolio built for art, design or architecture courses. Its sixth formers have progressed to universities including King's College London, Bristol and Sussex, so it rewards a look from arts minded families.
Southbank International School
Southbank was the first school in the United Kingdom authorised to run all three International Baccalaureate programmes, and its senior years lead to the IB Diploma. The school reports students reaching the top band of Diploma results, and the continuous IB pathway from the early years means the sixth form is a natural continuation rather than a fresh start. It suits a family committed to the breadth of the Diploma in a central London setting.
ACS Hillingdon International School
ACS Hillingdon runs the IB Diploma and the IB Career related Programme in its upper school, paired with a dedicated university and careers counselling team that works with each student from around age 15. Students apply across the United Kingdom, United States and beyond, so the counselling depth is a real differentiator for a sixth form choice rather than a marketing line.
King's College School, Wimbledon
King's College School in Wimbledon offers a choice between A Levels and the IB Diploma in the sixth form, which lets a child specialise or keep breadth without changing school. It is academically selective with a strong record of university destinations, and the dual route in one school is the standout feature for families weighing both qualifications.
How we chose
We listed only London schools we could confirm run a real, externally examined sixth form leading to university entry, whether A Levels, the IB Diploma or a choice of both, and that enrol students through to the end of Year 13. We did not rank, score or rate them, because the right sixth form depends on your child's subjects, the qualification universities in your target country prefer, and the daily fit of the school. Provision changes, so confirm the current subject list and pathway directly with each school before you apply.
When you compare these schools, weigh location and the daily commute as seriously as the qualification, since two years of travel across London shapes a teenager's energy and study time. Look at class sizes, the range of subjects actually timetabled rather than merely listed, and how the sixth form is taught, whether in a separate senior centre or within the main school. Ask how each school supports university applications, what entry grades it asks for at Year 12, and whether it offers A Levels, the IB Diploma or both. These practical differences usually matter more to the final decision than any single headline.
Shortlist London sixth forms for your child
Tell us your child's stage, curriculum and priorities and the school finder returns a matched London shortlist.
Start the school finderFees and next steps
Sixth form sits at the top of each school's fee schedule and is usually the most expensive stage, and boarding adds a further charge where it is offered. Rather than quote figures that move every year, we keep the live bands in one place: see our guide to international school fees in London for current tuition by school and stage, and confirm the exact sixth form figure plus any examination and deposit costs with the school.
To build a shortlist around your child, use the school finder, browse the full London schools directory, or compare the related shortlists for university preparation and the most affordable international schools in London.
Common questions
DLD College London and Hampstead Fine Arts College run A Level sixth forms, Southbank International School and ACS Hillingdon run the IB Diploma, and King's College School Wimbledon offers a choice between A Levels and the IB Diploma. Confirm the current subject list with each school, as offerings change each year.
London offers both widely. Many independent and international schools run A Levels, several international schools run the IB Diploma, and a few offer a choice of the two in Years 12 and 13. If one route matters to you, confirm it directly with the school, since a school may add or retire a pathway.
Sixth form is usually the most expensive stage on each school's fee scale, and boarding adds more where offered. Figures change annually, so we maintain current tuition by school and stage in our international school fees in London guide rather than quote a number that dates quickly.
No. London independent and international schools admit by application, assessment and interview rather than by residential catchment, so where you live does not guarantee a place. Apply directly to each school and check its entry requirements for the sixth form.
Often yes. Schools assess prior attainment and English, and a strong set of IGCSE or GCSE results, or an equivalent record, is the usual basis for entry into Year 12. Speak to admissions early, as places in popular subject combinations fill quickly.