On this page
Finding the right learning support in London means looking past a glossy prospectus to the published provision a school actually runs. To see the full field first, start with our international schools in London directory, then use the shortlist below. These are mainstream London international schools we could confirm publish a structured learning support or special educational needs programme alongside English as an additional language, rather than specialist standalone settings. If your child needs a specialist placement, an educational psychologist's report and the local authority remain the right starting point.
The honest position is that an inclusive international school can suit many children with mild to moderate needs when the learning support team is properly staffed and the provision is named and funded. To match a school to your child's profile and stage, the school finder is the fastest route, and you should always discuss the specifics with each admissions and learning support team before applying.
The shortlist
International Community School
International Community School publishes a structured learning support programme for pupils with special educational needs alongside targeted English as an additional language teaching, charged as a separate, named provision. As a small, deliberately international and inclusive IB school in central London, it is a sensible first call for a family whose child needs identified support woven into mainstream classes rather than withdrawal to a separate setting.
International School of London (ISL)
ISL has long built its model around children who arrive from many countries and language backgrounds, with systems to identify and adapt teaching for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Its mother tongue and EAL programmes sit alongside learning support, which suits a child who needs both language scaffolding and academic adjustment at the same time.
Southbank International School
Southbank runs dedicated learning support and English as an additional language provision across its central London campuses, integrated into the IB framework from the early years upward. For a family already drawn to the continuity of an all through IB school, the in house support team means a child can stay in one setting as needs are reviewed.
ACS International Schools
The ACS schools, including the Hillingdon campus inside Greater London, publish learning support for students with learning differences alongside EAL, plus academic and college counselling. The larger campuses and resourced support departments suit families who want American and IB pathways with structured help built in rather than bolted on.
How we chose
We included only London international schools that publish a named learning support or special educational needs programme, usually alongside English as an additional language, and that we could confirm operate it as live provision. We did not rank or rate them, and we did not attach success claims, because the right match depends entirely on your child's specific needs, any professional assessment, and the staffing of the support team in the year your child would join. Always confirm current capacity and the exact support on offer directly with each school, as places in support programmes are limited.
When you visit, ask who leads the learning support team and what their qualifications are, how many specialist staff the school employs, and whether support is delivered inside the classroom, in small groups or through individual withdrawal sessions. Ask how the school identifies a need, how often a child's plan is reviewed, and how parents are kept informed between reviews. It is also worth asking how learning support and English as an additional language are coordinated, since a child who needs both should not be pulled in two directions. The quality of these answers, more than any published statement, tells you whether a school can genuinely meet your child.
Match a London school to your child's needs
Tell us your child's stage, curriculum and learning profile and the school finder returns a matched London shortlist to discuss with each support team.
Start the school finderFees and next steps
Learning support is usually charged on top of tuition as a separate fee, and the level depends on the hours and specialism your child needs. Because both tuition and support charges move each year, we keep the live picture in one place: see our guide to international school fees in London for current bands, and ask each school for a written breakdown of support costs before you commit.
To go further, use the school finder, browse the full London schools directory, or compare the related shortlists for the best sixth forms and the most affordable international schools in London.
Common questions
International Community School, the International School of London, Southbank International School and the ACS schools each publish a learning support or special educational needs programme alongside English as an additional language. These are inclusive mainstream international schools rather than specialist settings, so confirm the exact provision for your child's needs with each school.
No. They are mainstream international schools that run a learning support department for pupils with mild to moderate needs, usually charged as a separate provision. A child with more complex needs may require a specialist placement, which is normally arranged with an educational psychologist's report and the local authority.
Support is generally an additional charge on top of tuition and varies with the hours and specialism required. Because the figures change each year, we keep current tuition bands in our international school fees in London guide and recommend asking each school for a written support cost breakdown.
Yes. Each school on the shortlist runs English as an additional language teaching alongside learning support, which is useful for a child who needs both language and academic adjustment. Confirm whether EAL is included or charged separately when you apply.
Share any professional assessment with the school's learning support team early and ask precisely what they can provide, how many staff run the programme, and how progress is reviewed. Provision and capacity change each year, so a current conversation matters more than a published page.