Frequently Asked Questions
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Boarding Questions
Our boarding facilities provide you with a home-from-home, with over 220 single en-suite rooms ensuring that you are comfortable, safe and secure. We also offer catered or self-catered accommodation for over 18s – allowing you to be more independent and preparing you for life at university.
All meals are served on campus for catered students, cooked by our team of onsite Chefs. As we look after students from all over the world, we know the importance of enjoying a taste of home as well as trying food from different cultures. Recent meals include – lamb tagine, stir-fried noodles, risotto and vegetable stew.
All students living in residence take breakfast, lunch and evening meals in the dining room at the following times:
Monday – Friday
Breakfast: 7.30 – 8.30
Lunch: 11.30 – 14.00
Dinner: 17.00 – 18.30
Weekends
Brunch: 11.30 – 13.00
Supper: 17.00 – 18.00
Drinks and snacks are available from The Worthgate School Cafe and local shops. There are also small kitchen areas to make snacks for yourselves in residences during the evenings and weekends.
If a students wishes to leave the campus overnight or leave the city they can apply for an exeat – this will allow them to explore other amazing parts of the UK such as nearby London, or visit university open days.
We encourage our students to live independently, preparing them well for life at university. Personal laundry is the student’s responsibility and washers and dryers are available in the residences where House Parent will help students use them.
Arrival Questions
You should bring your passport, and certificates showing any previous qualifications (especially GCSE/O level or equivalent). If you are a non-EU student please also bring your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card or visa letter to show which address your BRP card will arrive. If you are in independent accommodation, please bring your full address details.
Please see our Pre-Arrival Guide for full details of everything students should bring when they arrive at The Worthgate School.
During your induction we ensure that you have everything you need to make Canterbury your second home. We will register you with a Doctor’s Surgery, show you the local banks, shopping areas, bus routes and bookstores so that you can settle in easily, as well as introducing you to clubs so that you can make friends.
Wellbeing Questions
Our fully trained onsite medical staff manage the Wellness Centre and provide support including – medicine and health advice, information on diet and healthy living, assessing and providing treatment if required, making referrals to doctors, dentists and other specialists.
We pride ourselves on growing a community of excited and happy students – from helping you settle into your residence, to creating a caring home for you to feel comfortable in. Our team of live-in House Parents within the boarding community are always on hand to provide you with the highest standard of safety, pastoral care and support. Our Night Houseparents are also available to support you every night. A House Parent is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Your House Parent will also make teachers aware of issues that happen outside of the classroom such as homesickness or trouble with homework, so that you are fully supported at every step of your Worthgate School journey.
Our Welfare Team will also ensure that you have everything you need – offering advice on travel, culture shock, personal support and counselling. We are here to provide a supportive, caring and safe environment so that you can have confidence in yourself, respect for others and feel confident settling into your new home.
Every student at The Worthgate School is assigned a Personal Tutor (PT) to make sure that you are happy and able to fulfil your potential. Your PT will guide and assist you in all areas of life at the college, and will meet with you each week to discuss your personal development – from personal wellbeing to aims and targets, challenges and accomplishments.
Our Director of Personal Development oversees Assistant Principal Pastoral, House Pastoral Director and Personal Tutor for IB, A level and UFP, whilst our Senior Tutor does the same for Pre and GCSE programmes. So you can be confident that you are getting the best teaching and support possible, and can contact someone every day if needed.
Activities Questions
Students at The Worthgate School can take part in a range of activities. The full list of current activities can be found on our activities page.
Times that students should be back in their residence depend on age, residence, and time of year, and are communicated to students pre-arrival. Evenings can then be spent doing homework or private study, or socialising with your friends. Lights out Sunday to Thursday is at 23.00.
Religion Questions
The Worthgate School is a non-denominational organisation. We respect your right to practise your religion and a quiet room is available for prayer and reflection at the school. We can help you attend places of worship and can try to put you in touch with a member of your faith who lives locally. There is also a Prayer Room with books in 14 different languages in. It is a quiet and relaxing place to be and you do not have to be at all religious to use it.
Students at The Worthgate School do not take part in any compulsory religious traditions or events. We are not a religious school, but we do support students who wish to go to a church or Friday prayers or undertake religious observance. We celebrate Christmas in the Cathedral, but this is not a religious occasion and it is welcoming to those who have any faith or for those with no faith at all. It is a great cultural event and all our students really enjoy the privilege of being welcomed into one of the oldest places in the UK as special guests.
