St Clare's, Oxford

St Clare's is Oxford's IB school. Founded in 1953 to promote international understanding, it offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma exclusively — no A-levels. The student body is international, with pupils from 40+ countries, and the school operates from a collection of Victorian houses along the Banbury Road in North Oxford. The atmosphere is cosmopolitan, informal, and intellectually curious — more like a small liberal arts college than a traditional English school.

What parents should know

If you want the IB rather than A-levels, St Clare's is one of the most established IB providers in the country. Results are consistently above the world average, and the school has deep experience with the programme's particular demands — the extended essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS requirements. Fees are approximately £20,000 for day pupils and £42,000 for boarders (check the school's website for current figures). The school takes students from 15, so this is a sixth-form-and-above proposition.

The international mix is the school's greatest strength and its main consideration. Your child will be studying alongside students from dozens of countries, which broadens perspectives. However, the social dynamics are different from a traditional British school — there's less of a settled community feel because students come from everywhere and many are boarding away from home for the first time. English-language support is available but the pace of academic work assumes a high level of English.

The reputation

St Clare's is a niche school serving a specific need. Among families who want the IB, it's highly regarded. Among families who've never considered the IB, it's often not on the radar. The school has a reputation for being liberal and international — which attracts some families and concerns others. It's particularly well-suited to students who are outward-looking, adaptable, and interested in studying alongside people from very different backgrounds. If your teenager has lived abroad or is heading for a US university, St Clare's makes a lot of sense.