The British Schools senior education system is divided into two distinct two year programmes:

GCSE  years 10 and 11 (Entry age 14+)

And

A Level  AS year 12  and A2 year13 (Entry age 16+)

It does not  easily align with most foreign educational systems, including the Chinese educational system ,where students graduate from Junior Middle School after 3 years in year 9, before proceeding to their final three years in High School years10, 11 and 12.

To enter A Level studies in a British Boarding school students are expected to have completed the equivalent of  the GCSE  in their home country. In China this is the Junior Middle School Graduation (year 9). If they have not done so they will be expected to complete  the two Year GCSE programme before starting their A level most boarding schools do not accept students directly into Year 11.

Because the GCSE programme contains many more subjects than the more refined A Level curriculum students are required to have a relatively high level of English to cope with the course. Pre-sessional programmes which run all year are available for such students at selective schools and study centre. These programmes are also designed to provide an academic bridge for students coming from overseas countries which follow a different syllabus thus making it easier for students from these countries to settle into their GCSE or A level programme.
 

Similarly students who may have completed their Junior Middle School , do not need to do a two year GCSE programme, but are generally inadequately prepared either academically or linguistically for the challenges of direct entry into year 12,  A Level studies. Pre-sessional programmes which run all year are also available for such students at selective schools and study centre.

If a student needs to undertake a pre-sessional programme at a Study Centre, he/she will need a seperate visa for that programme. The Consortium Schools therefore have partnered with the Moreton Hall Study Centre (MHSC) which can provide the necessary pre-sessional programme on their behalf under the one visa which will cover both the pre-sessional programme at MHSC and the mainstream course at their chosen Consortium School.

In particular for those students wanting to apply for entrance to the more highly selective schools, pre-sessional programmes are often their best route. Most of the more highly selective schools hold their entrance exams in Novembe or December the year prior to entry. Students applying to such schools need to be fully prepared both academically and linguistically prior to Application.