Which documents are required at the initial application stage?
It varies by school, but typically the documents required are: Students Passport, any visa pages, latest school reports and subject choices. Some schools will also want a personal statement
What it the typical month of enrollment?
There are 3 terms in a typical school year in the UK: Autumn, Spring and Summer. All schools will have September admissions for all courses and some may accept enrollment in January and April
My child will prefer living with a host family, would Gateway be able to accommodate this?
Yes, we have two types of schools, Day and Boarding. For Day schools, Gateway will have host families to accommodate the student during term time.
Will my child be able to experience a host family if we decide on attending a boarding school?
Staying in a boarding school is an amazing experience for student but they can also have a feel of the host family environment too. Boarding schools would have half terms and exeat weekends when the boarding houses would be closed and in these instances, Gateway will arrange homestay accommodation
Can we visit the school before applying?
Of course, Gateway Admission Officers can assist with school tour bookings and you can make your decision after seeing the school. Some schools however would need the student to send the initial application documents to assess suitability before confirming a school visit
What other documents may be needed?
Other documents that some schools may ask for include: Personal Statement, Birth Certificate, School reference, IELTS certificate and registration fee
What assessments would my child need to take?
All students would need to sit an entrance test, which would encompass English, Mathematics and Science. Those students applying to do A Levels may be asked to sit subject-specific tests. Some of our schools use the Gateway Entrance Test which consists of English, Mathematics and Physics
Would my child need to be interviewed?
Most of the schools will only require the student to be interviewed through Skype or WeChat if applicable and only a few will require the student to be interviewed in person
Which year group should my child be applying for?
According to the UK National Curriculum:
Year 1-6 is ages 4-11
Year 7-9 is ages 11-14
GCSE are for ages 14-16
A Levels are for ages 16-18
How long are the courses in the UK?
GCSE are typically for 2 years, however some schools offer a 1-year course where the student may focus on English Language as well as the subject they are studying. A Levels are over 2 years, but again some schools will offer 1-year or 18-month courses if the students English level is sufficient
Which subjects would my child choose for GCSE?
For a typical 2-year course, students would need to choose 3-4 subjects on top of the compulsory subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, Language
What subjects are available for A Level?
Students are required to choose 3-4 subjects for A Level. Subjects offered vary between schools but the most common subjects chosen are Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business Studies, Economics, Art and Design