United Kingdom · London
ASL is a co-educational American day school for ages 4–18 in St John’s Wood. It offers its own high-school diploma and AP courses, but no IB or British qualifications. Pupils must live with a parent who has an independent right to reside in the UK.
The American School in London (ASL) is an independent, co-educational day school at One Waverley Place, St John’s Wood, London NW8 0NP. It teaches K1 through Grade 12, usually ages 4–18.
Lower School covers K1–Grade 4, Middle School Grades 5–8, and High School Grades 9–12. The current admissions policy describes a school of about 1,400 pupils.
ASL is most relevant to families seeking continuity with an American education. Its senior route is an ASL high-school diploma with Advanced Placement options. It does not offer the IB, GCSEs or A levels.
The school has no boarding house or homestay programme. Every pupil must live full-time with a parent and have an independent right to live and study in the United Kingdom.
All academic divisions use the St John’s Wood campus. ASL also operates Canons Park, a separate sports and environmental-learning site of more than 20 acres in north-west London.
Canons Park is eleven Jubilee line stops from St John’s Wood. It is not a second academic campus or a boarding location. The school also rents a Thames boathouse for rowing.
The school’s MSA-CESS accreditation covers K1 through Grade 12 until 1 January 2032. The accreditation letter was issued on 15 November 2024.
ASL combines American and international standards. Its curriculum policy cites Common Core standards for English and mathematics, Next Generation Science Standards, AERO social-studies standards and ACTFL language standards.
K1 uses a Reggio Emilia-inspired approach. The school says this class is exempt from the learning and development requirements of England’s Early Years Foundation Stage.
Middle School pupils study English, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, arts, physical education and health. Classes follow an eight-day timetable cycle.
High School leads to ASL’s American high-school diploma. The requirements applying to classes from 2023 onward total 24.5 credits.
These comprise 19 core credits, two arts credits, two well-being credits, half a technology credit and one additional credit. Core minimums include four English and three social-studies credits.
They also include two mathematics, two science and three world-language credits. The remaining core credits come from those departments.
Pupils must maintain an annual GPA of at least 1.67, equivalent to C-, and pass every required course. A failed year-long English course can require the pupil to repeat the grade.
Advanced Placement courses are available from Grade 10, although most are taken in Grades 11 and 12. The 2025–26 academic profile lists more than 25 designated AP courses.
An AP pupil must sit the external examination. Otherwise, the school removes the AP designation from the transcript after an internal final assessment.
ASL does not weight GPA or publish class rank. Its academic profile also says a transfer pupil’s ASL GPA includes only grades earned at ASL.
A late High School applicant should request a written credit audit before accepting. The family should confirm remaining diploma requirements and whether the required AP or language courses have space.
Applications for 2027–28 are open as of 4 September 2026. ASL also continues to consider 2026–27 applications where a grade has space.
| Application point | Published date or response |
|---|---|
| Sibling priority and early notification | Complete application by 15 December 2026 |
| Most advantageous general round | Complete application by 15 January 2027 |
| First-round decision | By the end of February 2027 |
| Second published round | Complete application by 15 March 2027 |
| Second-round decision | By 15 April 2027 |
| Later applications | Rolling review after 15 March, subject to space |
The sibling date comes from the September 2025 admissions policy. A sibling receives priority consideration, but must meet the same academic and admission criteria as every other applicant.
ASL does not publish live vacancies by grade. Families considering a current-year or late application should ask Admissions about the relevant grade before paying the application fee.
K1 applicants must turn four by 31 August before entry. K2 applicants must turn five by the same date. Pupils entering either class must be fully toilet trained.
The school’s placement chart uses a 1 September age cut-off for its US, UK and IB equivalencies. Admissions makes the final placement decision.
Every applicant uses the online portal. The file includes 2.5 years of school records, including the current autumn term, with English translations where required.
Applicants also complete an age-appropriate questionnaire. Teacher forms and the applicant questionnaire for 2027–28 can be sent from 1 November 2026.
The confidential references differ by division:
Applicants to Grades 5–12 need an accepted standardised test taken within the previous 18 months. ASL accepts ISEE, SSAT, NWEA/MAP and ERB CTP results.
High School applicants may instead submit PSAT, SAT or ACT results. ASL does not accept UK SATs, ISEB, CAT or similar UK school tests for this requirement.
The published on-campus ISEE and SSAT dates are 14 November 2026, 12 December 2026 and 9 January 2027. Families can also arrange an accepted test elsewhere.
ASL may request a classroom visit, its own assessment or further information. A decision can be delayed or made conditional while the school evaluates a pupil’s academic or support needs.
The application fee is £360 including VAT and is non-refundable. It is waived when the family applies for financial aid.
ASL describes admission as academically selective and holistic. It considers academic ability, wider interests and alignment with school values. US citizenship does not create an admissions priority.
A qualified applicant may enter a waiting pool when the grade is full. The pool is unranked and not managed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sibling status and the composition of the class can affect later offers. The waiting pool does not carry into another entry year.
A waiting-pool applicant must refresh the file for the following cycle. ASL waives the application fee for one consecutive reapplication year.
The school’s decision is final. Its policy provides no appeal or individual feedback on an unsuccessful application.
Families must disclose complete educational, behavioural, health and support information. The policy permits ASL to refuse support, withdraw an offer or end enrolment when material information was incomplete or inaccurate.
All core teaching and assessment are in English. In the early Lower School years, ASL can consider applicants at any stage of English development.
After those years, an applicant needs enough English to access the curriculum with EAL support. From Grade 8, the published threshold is near academic fluency across speaking, listening, reading and writing.
The school may assess an EAL applicant before deciding. Families should obtain written confirmation that the applicant’s current level and the available support are compatible.
In K1–Grade 4, EAL support is mainly delivered in the classroom. In Middle and High School, an EAL class meets four times during each eight-day cycle.
Additional classroom support may be available in Middle School. ASL publishes no separate EAL charge for 2026–27.
The April 2026 Student Support Services policy describes provision for pupils who meet ASL’s selective academic criteria. It says suitable pupils are motivated, have at least high-average ability and have mild-to-moderate identified needs.
Published services include:
| Service | Published year range |
|---|---|
| Reading support | K2–Grade 1 |
| Short-term flex support | Grades 2–4 |
| Speech therapy | K1–Grade 2 |
| Language therapy | K1–Grade 8 |
| Specific Learning Differences programme | Grades 2–12 |
| Counselling and external referrals | K1–Grade 12 |
| EAL | All three divisions |
The Specific Learning Differences programme may support dyslexia, ADHD and other diagnosed learning needs. Pupils receive an annual individual education plan and documented accommodations.
Admission depends on available staff, the needs already present in the cohort and whether reasonable adjustments are practical. A listed service is therefore not a guarantee of capacity.
External diagnostic evaluations cost extra. Limited financial aid may be available for qualifying families. ASL states that its counselling is limited and gives no aid for private counselling or therapy.
The support landing page and detailed materials do not use identical age ranges for speech and language services. The table above follows the newer April 2026 policy.
The January 2026 accessibility plan records ramps, accessible toilets and Equality Act-compliant doors in several areas. It also identifies a main-entrance lift and an accessible lift at the Canons Park pavilion.
Other published adaptations include an accessible arrival stopping area, dining counters and pool access using a ramp and mobile hoist. This does not establish step-free access to every room.
Several further projects remain scheduled for 2027 or later. These include assessing another lift, adding an accessible toilet and considering hearing-loop provision.
A family with mobility, sensory or medical requirements should request an individual access review. It should cover classrooms, specialist spaces, evacuation, transport and Canons Park before accepting.
The latest published prices are for 2026–27. ASL has not yet published 2027–28 fees.
| Division | Tuition excluding VAT | VAT | Annual tuition including VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower School | £36,020 | £7,204 | £43,224 |
| Middle School | £39,990 | £7,998 | £47,988 |
| High School | £41,610 | £8,322 | £49,932 |
The non-refundable application fee is £360, including VAT. Every new pupil also pays a one-time £2,400 capital fee, including VAT.
An accepted pupil pays a non-refundable £3,000 tuition deposit, including VAT. For a full-year pupil, ASL credits it without interest against the second-semester tuition bill.
For a pupil enrolled for one semester only, ASL does not credit the deposit against tuition. The deposit is therefore an additional cost in that situation.
For a full-year new pupil, the deposit changes payment timing but should not be added again to annual tuition. Excluding optional services, the published first-year totals are:
The application fee is absent from these totals for an approved financial-aid applicant. Costs also rise when the pupil needs SLD support, transport, meals or separately billed travel.
Paid Semester I tuition is refundable only when ASL receives written withdrawal notice by 15 June 2026. Paid Semester II tuition is refundable only with written notice by 15 November 2026.
After the relevant date, no tuition refund or reduction applies for a mid-semester departure. The £3,000 deposit is non-refundable in every case.
| Published 2026–27 charge | Annual amount including VAT |
|---|---|
| Part-time SLD programme | £4,896 |
| Full-time SLD programme | £9,624 |
| Return school bus | £4,990 |
| One-way school bus | £3,250 |
The bus serves K1–Grade 12. Most service is door-to-door, although ASL can assign a nearby stop. A parent must accompany younger pupils at collection and drop-off.
Coverage is limited to parts of central, north and west London. The after-school network covers all Lower and Middle School activities and most High School activities.
ASL gives only a partial bus refund when service is cancelled within one week of starting. It publishes no refund after that point or for non-use and exceptional service interruptions.
Tuition includes textbooks, laboratory charges and required activities. The Ecology trip and Music Tour carry supplements, and some curricular travel in Middle and High School costs extra.
Athletics, Model UN and service-learning travel can also be billed separately. The school does not publish current prices for these items.
Voluntary parent-community association dues appear on the first invoice. ASL does not publish the current amount.
Pupils may bring a packed lunch. K1–Grade 4 and Middle School can use an optional meal plan. High School pupils can buy food as needed or choose a semester plan.
The school uses a cashless catering system. Current meal-plan and individual-item prices are not public.
ASL offers need-based aid and reviews it annually. Admission and aid decisions are separate, and every supported family is expected to make a contribution.
Aid may cover tuition and additional school charges. The school specifically lists SLD provision, trips, activities, assessments and support among potentially covered costs.
The £360 application fee is waived for an aid applicant. Families may also request ISEE and SSS fee waivers.
The detailed aid application page still displays the previous cycle’s dates. As of 4 September 2026, ASL has not published a dated 2027–28 financial-aid calendar.
Families needing aid for 2027 entry should ask for the new deadline before relying on the recurring dates in the general FAQ. They should also confirm the expected SSS documentation and family contribution.
ASL requires every pupil to hold the right to enter, live and study in the United Kingdom. The pupil must live full-time with a parent.
The school does not sponsor the Child Student visa and does not issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. Admission cannot therefore create that immigration route.
UK government guidance says a Child Student applicant needs a licensed sponsor and a CAS. ASL families must instead hold an independent qualifying status, often through a parent’s immigration position.
The school offers no boarding, homestay or guardian arrangement. Families moving internationally should resolve residence and custody arrangements before accepting a place or signing a London tenancy.
For other practical local options, use the London school search guide and the broader United Kingdom admissions guide.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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