British School of Milan: British curriculum, IB and full costs

The British School of Milan (BSM), also known as Sir James Henderson, is a co-educational, not-for-profit day school for ages 3–18. It offers a British curriculum followed by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in the final two years. It does not offer boarding or an A-level route.

Founded in 1969, BSM is a useful option for families who want continuity with a British school before age 16 and an IB qualification afterwards. The main practical questions are the child’s access to English-medium learning, the journey to north-east Milan and the full cost beyond tuition.

Location and daily travel

The campus is at Via Pisani Dossi 16, 20134 Milan, with another entrance on Via Rombon. The school’s official directions place it in the north-east of Milan, between the centre and Milano Due. They describe a walk of about ten minutes from Udine or Lambrate FS on Metro line M2. It is not in Niguarda.

Test the journey from the home you could realistically rent. Ask about arrival, collection and travel after activities. Bus and lunch services are handled and charged by external providers, so a school-fee quotation alone will not describe those arrangements.

Curriculum, languages and qualifications

BSM follows the English National Curriculum through age 16. Pupils take International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations in Year 11. Sixth Form means Years 12 and 13, when the school says all pupils pursue the IB.

The school reports a 39-point average IB Diploma score for 2026, compared with 37 in 2025 and 37.3 in 2024. Its 2026 IGCSE results page reports 98% of grades at 9–4. These are results from previous cohorts, not a prediction for an individual child. Use the dated results page, not an undated homepage counter, when comparing schools.

English is the main teaching language. Additional Italian is not simply a substitute for an Italian school curriculum. The school describes optional preparation for Italian state examinations for native speakers in Years 2–9, alongside support for non-native speakers. The financial regulations say the Italian year-end examinations are taken at an Italian school. Ask which examination and transfer route applies to your child.

If the family needs an Italian national leaving qualification, compare a suitable Italian school separately. If an American high-school diploma is preferred, the American School of Milan is a different curriculum option in Noverasco. Accreditation by an organisation such as the Middle States Association is not itself a diploma.

Admissions and support

BSM describes itself as academically non-selective, but this does not mean admission is automatic. The process considers:

1. an interview;
2. recent reports and a reference from the current school;
3. English and mathematics assessments for Senior School applicants; and
4. availability in the required year group.

The school says Primary School entry generally does not involve assessments. Senior assessments test whether a pupil can access teaching in English. Ask how language support or learning needs would affect admission and the support plan.

Admissions normally operate on a rolling basis. BSM does not publish a year-by-year waiting-list table because availability changes. Submit the enquiry for the particular child and intended start date.

There is a separate published timetable for Year 10 and Year 12 entry in September 2027:

Item	Year 10	Year 12
Birth-date range	1 September 2012–31 August 2013	1 September 2010–31 August 2011
Registration and subject-choice deadline	15 September 2026	15 September 2026
Entrance examination	1 October 2026	6 October 2026
Interview	October 2026	October 2026

Offers are sent by email, with two weeks to accept. These are the dates displayed on the admissions page for that particular intake.

The 2026–27 financial document lists entrance assessment and special educational needs (SEN) testing at €400, payable in advance. Applicable assessment payments are credited against the registration fee if a place is confirmed. Ask which tests are required and how the charge is applied.

Tuition and registration for 2026–27

These are 2026–27 prices, not a quotation for pupils starting in September 2027.

The official financial regulations distinguish private and corporate rates. Ask the school which column applies to the family’s payer arrangements; do not assume the lower price.

Year group	Private annual tuition	Corporate annual tuition
Nursery and Reception	€14,700	€16,150
Years 1–2	€17,100	€18,750
Years 3–4	€18,800	€20,650
Years 5–6	€19,750	€21,650
Years 7–9	€21,100	€23,200
Years 10–11	€22,600	€24,800
Years 12–13	€23,800	€26,150

Sibling discounts apply to tuition only: 12% for a third child and 65% for a fourth child, while those children attend alongside their siblings.

Registration is a separate, one-time, non-refundable charge:

New pupil	Registration
Nursery or Reception	€3,100
First child in Years 1–13	€5,700
New sibling in Years 1–13	€4,100

The registration payment is due within ten days of the offer letter. The school may refuse registration if it is not paid, so the place is not secured merely by receiving an offer.

Tuition is payable 40% by 31 May, 30% by 31 October and 30% by 31 January. The separate services have their own payment timetable.

As a labelled calculation, a new first-child Year 7 place at the private rate begins at €26,800 for annual tuition plus registration: €21,100 + €5,700. That is not an all-inclusive total. Any credited assessment payment is part of the registration amount, not an extra charge to add again.

Costs beyond tuition

The fee document excludes compulsory educational trips and lists separate charges for several services:

• Lunch and bus: external providers set and collect the charges. The fee PDF does not contain their current prices.
• Examinations: the document gives 2025–26 benchmarks of €1,000–€1,300 for IGCSE and €1,200 for IB. These are not confirmed 2026–27 prices.
• After-school clubs: €187 per club per term as general guidance; check the term’s activities brochure.
• Individual music lessons: €43 for 40 minutes or €64 for 60 minutes.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) is charged only when a pupil requires and receives extra provision beyond the normal curriculum. Senior levels A–E cost €3,000, €2,500, €1,950, €1,350 or €800 per term. Primary Gold, Silver and Bronze packages cost €3,000, €2,100 and €1,200 per term. The document also lists a €400 academic-writing course.

Additional primary Italian costs €285 per term for one weekly session or €475 for two. Senior Italian and mathematics cost €820 per term in Years 7–8 and €900 in Year 9.

Withdrawal and late payment

The notice deadline depends on when the child will leave:

Notice must be received by	Withdrawal effective from
31 August	First day of the following Spring Term
31 December	First day of the following Summer Term
31 March	First day of the following Autumn Term

Late withdrawal notice incurs a €3,000 penalty. Overdue payments attract 3% annual interest. If payment is at least 15 days late, the regulations permit exclusion until the fees and interest are settled.

Our view

The caution is financial and educational, not just geographical. A child needing substantial English support may face a materially higher annual cost. A family expecting A levels or an Italian national diploma needs a different qualification plan.

Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.