Adcote School Shanghai

The school is in Songjiang District, on the western edge of Shanghai close to Sheshan National Forest Park — a suburban, campus-style setting rather than central Shanghai. The campus address is listed on Waiqingsong (Waiqingsong/外青松公路) in Songjiang; travel from central districts can be a significant commute, so families often consider driving or school transport.

Adcote Shanghai runs upper-secondary programmes: it offers IGCSE and A‑level pathways and is listed as an IB World School (Diploma Programme authorised July 11, 2025). The school's public listings indicate it primarily serves secondary/high‑school age students (typical entry from about age 13+).

The school is co‑educational and operates as a private international school. Boarding places are available for some year groups (the school is described in listings as mixed day and boarding).

Publicly available information does not clearly list a formal, detailed SEN/Additional Learning Needs policy online. The school's campus listings note on‑site medical/nursing staff and standard pastoral provisions, but for specific learning‑support services, assessments or adjustments you should ask admissions directly. The IB coordinator or the school admissions office can provide up‑to‑date details.

Adcote Shanghai is presented as the Chinese/overseas campus associated with the historic Adcote School in the United Kingdom (an international branch relationship is noted in public directories).

The school is listed as a private, non‑religious institution in public directories; no specific religious affiliation is indicated.

Published local listings show normal day‑school hours around 08:00–18:10 Monday–Friday for day students; boarding students have extended on‑campus schedules into the evening. For term dates, daily timetables and exact start/finish times by year group, confirm with admissions.

Multiple listings note that school transport (校车) is provided and that school‑bus fees are charged separately rather than included in tuition; specific routes and the provider are not published in a single public source. Parents should request current route maps, pick‑up points and costs from admissions before relocating.

Adcote School Shanghai follows a UK-style international programme with IGCSE and A‑Level as its academic core.
The school structures study into stages often described as IGCSE‑1/IGCSE‑2 and Pre‑A/AS/A2 entry points, with multi‑year IGCSE pathways and subsequent Pre‑A/AS/A2 A‑Level progression depending on students' entry year.
External examinations are delivered through recognised exam boards (CAIE, Edexcel and AQA), and instruction is primarily English‑medium with Chinese language classes included.
The full curriculum scope combines the academic core with quality‑development courses (languages, music, art, physical education), scientific practice courses, and school‑based student‑development programmes.
Students may also choose from a range of elective and enrichment options across sciences, arts, sports and university‑preparation activities, supported by on‑site labs, studios and sports facilities.

Adcote School Shanghai describes a “school‑based student development curriculum” that explicitly focuses on critical thinking, teamwork and leadership as part of its broader academic and enrichment offer. The school also uses a house/college-style system and a range of extracurricular and boarding activities, which public materials identify as part of students' non‑academic development. These elements are cited in the school's public descriptions and recruitment/prospectus listings.

The International Baccalaureate listing for Adcote School Shanghai states the languages of instruction are English and Chinese. Public prospectus material and recruitment pages reference English‑language delivery of IGCSE/A‑Level/IB programmes. I did not find a published, named EAL programme, EAL team or EAL admissions policy on the school's public pages. Therefore, the school does not publicly disclose specific EAL provision beyond its stated languages of instruction; please request details from the school if you need formal EAL support information.

1. Initial enquiry & visit — Contact the school to register for an Open Day or campus visit and to request the application pack. Open Days are used by the school to explain programme options (IGCSE/Pre‑A/A‑Level/IB), show boarding and facilities, and to let you meet admissions staff; parents should bring passports/IDs and a list of questions about boarding, transport and academic pathways. Plan visits well ahead of the intake you are targeting because the school publishes specific open‑day and test dates in advance.

2. Online application submission — Complete the school's online application and upload required documents (clear 2‑inch student photo and ID such as passport or national ID are explicitly requested in admissions notices). The notices also say applicants should check grade/age eligibility (IGCSE‑1 / Pre‑A / AS / A2 levels) before applying. Parents should allow time to collect school reports and any proof of extracurricular achievements before starting the form.

3. Application/exam fee & scheduling — After submitting the online form you will be asked to pay an application/entrance‑exam fee (reports of RMB 300 for the entrance assessment appear in the school's published application guidance). Make sure you confirm the exact fee, payment method and the test date you will attend; the school's notices warn that if you miss your scheduled test without prior notice the fee is usually not refunded.

4. Entrance assessments — Adcote's published entry assessments for its secondary intake typically include a written test in English and Mathematics and an interview (English); for lower secondary stages there may be Chinese/English options for the math paper. Admissions guidance shared publicly sets out the assessment focus (reading, writing and grammar in English; standard junior‑secondary mathematics topics), and some pages note an expected English vocabulary breadth for candidates sitting for advanced tracks. Parents should prepare reports, previous school transcripts and be ready for both a paper test and an oral interview component.

5. Interview & specialist checks — After the written assessment candidates normally take part in an interview (recent announcements show the format has included one‑to‑one and small‑group interviews). If the student is applying for talent‑based scholarships or specific programmes (music, sport, equestrian, etc.), expect additional auditions or evidence requests. Ask admissions in advance whether any portfolio, exam certificates or videos are required for those special‑talent assessments.

6. Offer, scholarship consideration & communication — Successful candidates receive an offer letter or conditional offer; the school's published admissions material also describes an established scholarship programme and special awards that the school may apply at offer stage. Read any offer carefully for the deadline to accept, required deposit or fee schedule and conditions (scholarship conditions, if awarded). If anything in the offer is unclear (amounts, refund rules, boarding places), request written clarification from admissions before you accept.

7. Acceptance, enrolment steps & practical arrangements — On accepting an offer you will be given instructions about contract signing, tuition payment schedule and boarding arrangements (the school operates boarding). Parents should confirm payment deadlines, the school's refund/cancellation policy and the paperwork needed for residency/boarding well before the start date. If your child is an international student, confirm visa/ticketing timelines and whether the school assists with residence‑permit procedures.

8. After enrolment — The school will publish start‑of‑term information (timetable, uniform, medical checks) and the calendar of term dates; make sure immunisations, health forms and any required medical certificates are completed before arrival. Keep copies of all submitted documents and receipts for fees; if you rely on a scholarship or conditional place, keep written confirmation of those arrangements. If you need a later entry or year‑level placement, contact admissions early to discuss assessment and bridging support.

Adcote publishes and is reported by multiple admissions notices to operate a structured scholarship programme. Publicly available school material and third‑party admissions summaries reference a multi‑million‑RMB scholarship fund (reports cite a three‑year RMB 9,000,000 scholarship plan) and a tiered scholarship system that has included awards described as a President's (full‑tuition) scholarship, first‑class (50% tuition), second‑class (30%) and third‑class (10%) awards; there are also specific awards reported for students who secure offers from top‑ranked global universities (a separate cash award is referenced in some admissions documents). These scholarship amounts, eligibility criteria, quotas and application deadlines are set by the school each year and are applied at offer/selection stage; parents should request the current scholarship policy and the formal application form from admissions (scholarships are competitive and often require separate application materials or auditions).

Adcote does not appear to publish a formal, detailed public policy about a year‑round waitlist or pool on its public admissions notices; the school's recruitment pages and the spring/fall admissions announcements that are published list test dates, open days and offer procedures but do not include a clearly labelled ‘waitlist policy'. In practice, many international boarding/high‑school providers maintain a candidate pool or hold names of applicants for later vacancies, but because Adcote's publicly posted admissions notices do not describe a standard waitlist procedure, parents should assume that placement after offers depends on available places and should ask the admissions office directly about their child's status, any waiting‑list steps and how long a slot might be held. If you need a firm timeline (for housing, visas or scholarship decisions), ask admissions for written confirmation of how long a place will be held and whether a deposit is required to secure a spot.