Frequently Asked Questions | FAQ | Halcyon School

FAQ



FAQ: What makes Halcyon special?

Halcyon is an innovative, collaborative and community-oriented environment, in which everyone is supported and empowered to achieve their unique potential.
 
 
 

What is the ‘profile’ of a Halcyon student?

Halcyon seeks students who evidence the academic skills and competencies to thrive in an International Baccalaureate environment recognised for its academic rigour and diverse assessment methods. Find out more on our admissions page.
 
 
 

What curriculum is taught at Halcyon?

Halcyon is an English-speaking International Baccalaureate School. Between Grade 6 (or Year 7 or 11 years old) and Grade 10 (or Year 11 or 15 years old), Halcyon offers the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). In Grades 11 and 12 (or Year 12 and 13), students follow the IB Diploma Programme. You can learn more about the curriculum and subjects taught here.
 
 
 

At what age can my child begin to attend Halcyon?

Halcyon starts from Grade 6 (or Year 7 or 11 years of age).
 
 
 

What is the difference between the MYP and the GCSE?

The IB MYP is distinguished by the following features:
· a student centred approach which fosters development of the attributes of the Learner profile.
· an international curriculum that fosters learning in global contexts.
· an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and connection to real world issues and problems of
concern and interest to young people.
· an emphasis on community service and action.
· rigorous, criterion-related internal assessment along with externally marked onscreen
examinations and portfolio assessment at the end of the programme in Grade 10.

 
 
 

At what time does school start and end?

The school day commences at 0900 and concludes at 1600. Extra-curricular activities run from 0800-0900 and 1600-1700. Students have a morning break from 10.00-10.15, lunch from 12.15-13.00 and an afternoon snack as well.

 
 
 

What extracurricular activities do you offer?

A wide variety of extracurricular activities before, after school and during lunch breaks are offered. Please review our full list here.

 
 
 

What extra language classes do you offer?

We offer the following mother tongue classes to the level of advanced courses and as taught by the IB MYP with the expectations that students would continue their mother tongue language into the Diploma Programme: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish, Icelandic, Italian and Spanish. We have the provisions for offering other languages such as Finnish, Arabic, Danish, and others too. The cost of these extra classes can be found on our fees page.

 
 
 

What are the second language options at Halcyon?

We offer Spanish or Mandarin as part of the Language Acquisition programme.

 
 
 

Where do your students go after Halcyon?

Halcyon students go on to the world’s best universities, including Oxbridge, Ivy League, Russell Group, top Canadian universities, highly-competitive performance arts and medical school programmes, and a wide range of other international programmes.

 
 
 

When should I submit my application? Is there a deadline?

Halcyon offers a rolling admissions programme. Families can apply at any time in the year and applications will be reviewed as they come in. However, some grades can fill up quickly. Therefore, we encourage families to begin the application process as soon as possible. Once we have reached our maximum capacity in a particular grade, candidates who are approved for admission are placed on a waiting list.

 
 
 

What support do you offer for Special Educational Needs?

Our Learning Coach ensures that all our students have the chance to be equally equipped to approach the academically challenging IB curriculum, offering communication and learning support to students with Special Educational Needs. See our Admissions page for essential guidance on application requirements for students with Special Educational Needs.

 
 
 

What are the typical class sizes?

Our class sizes range from 8 to 16. Our maximum class size is 16.

 
 
 

Can you provide visa sponsorship for my child to study at Halcyon?

In accordance with our Admissions Policy, Halcyon London International School is a UKVI Child Student Route Sponsor and is able to sponsor visas for suitable applicants who meet the admissions criteria. Visa requirements can be found on the government website. As a day school, Halcyon requires that each student be living with his or her parent/s, or legal guardian, who must be legally resident in the UK throughout their course of study. All applicants must possess an appropriate visa which permits them to study in the UK. For more information, please contact: join@halcyonschool.com

Join us for an Open House

Read more about visit options at Halcyon, and our private tours, Taster Evenings, and Open Houses. We encourage you to contact our Admissions Director, Maria Rosengren, with any questions you may have. We accept applications all year round, and offer Open Events throughout the year in order to provide you with a variety of opportunities to explore our school. We also invite you to read more about the future-forward and academically rigorous nature of the IB curriculum: IB vs A Levels.