Foundation entry
The main entry point. Open to students from any prior schooling. Assessment is age-appropriate and includes a creative task and a short interview.
How to apply
One programme. One application. Three entry points.
We take applications year-round for our STEM-focused programme, which combines rigorous GCSE and A-level teaching with the project-based Catalyst AI Diploma. Our students consistently achieve over 90% in their formal examinations — and some score the highest marks in the world. If you want a school that delivers exceptional results and develops real-world capability, Catalyst is that school.
Entry points
When students join.
11+ · Year 7
14+ · Year 10
Diploma Core entry
The main external entry into the two-year Diploma Core phase. Students who join here complete a short bridging block before starting their five Diploma units.
16+ · Year 12
A-Level & Senior Phase entry
Entry to A-level study and our STEM research specialism phase. Open to students with strong GCSEs or equivalent. Students may also transfer from other schools at this stage if their academic record is strong.
Mid-year entry is considered case-by-case, subject to availability. Please contact us to discuss.
The process
How to apply — five steps.
Get in touch
Email admissions or use the contact form. We'll send the registration pack and arrange an informal call to talk through fit and entry point.
Visit (in person or virtual)
Every applicant family visits, on campus or online. You meet a member of the senior team and walk through a typical school day.
Submit the application
Online form, latest school report, and a short piece from the student — a written reflection, a video, or a project artefact — about something they've made or want to make.
Assessment day
One day on campus (or live online). Includes a short subject task, a project-style group activity, and an interview with the Head and a subject lead.
Decision & offer
Decisions issued within ten working days. Offers include a recommended entry point and any subject choices for senior applicants.
Phase & Intake Explorer
Find your path.
Select your child's age group below to instantly view their core academic subjects, practical AI Diploma project track, expected professional certifications, and annual tuition details.
Foundation (Age 11-14)
Diploma Core (Age 14-16)
Senior Phase (Age 16-18)
Foundation entry (Years 7–9)
Designed to establish a robust academic foundation in core subjects while introducing computational thinking and physical systems engineering from day one.
- Core Academic Subjects: Mathematics, Sciences, English Literature & Language
- AI Diploma Track: Python fundamentals, block-based algorithmic logic, and basic sensor operations
- Projects: Build physical IoT sensor arrays and automated weather mapping modules
£95,000
per year (fully online, 1-2-1 delivery)
Diploma Core entry (Years 10–11)
GCSE-aligned study combined with intensive cloud engineering and systems architecture to prepare for global vendor certifications.
- Core Academic Subjects: GCSE Maths, Science, and English
- AI Diploma Track: Five-unit Diploma Core programme, Serverless AWS mapping, Shell scripting
- Professional Certifications: Guided training toward AWS Cloud Practitioner and Red Hat System Administrator (RHCSA) by age 16
£100,000
per year (fully online, 1-2-1 delivery)
Senior Phase entry (Years 12–13)
Rigorous A-level preparation combined with advanced tech specialization, original STEM research, and business incubator access.
- Core Academic Subjects: A-level Mathematics and Sciences
- AI Diploma Track: Advanced Machine Learning models, original STEM research thesis, startup incubation
- Professional Certifications: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate and Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) training
£110,000
per year (fully online, 1-2-1 delivery)
What we look for
The three things that matter.
Catalyst is academically selective. We're looking for students who will thrive in an environment where they work intensively with world-class teachers, pursue STEM projects that demand genuine effort, and are held to high standards in both formal qualifications and project work. The strongest applications show: genuine intellectual curiosity (the student is excited by ideas, not just grades); evidence of self-direction (a project, a problem the student chose to solve, a subject pursued in depth); and a willingness to be coached (open to feedback, comfortable being challenged). Prior AI experience is welcome but not required — we build that here.
After Catalyst
Where our leavers go.
Our students leave with a portfolio of demonstrable work and a Catalyst AI Diploma award. They progress in four broad directions:
UK universities
Strong GCSEs, A-levels and a portfolio of real project work, combined with industry certifications (AWS, Red Hat) that most applicants don't hold, make Catalyst leavers stand out across every application route — including competitive STEM courses at leading universities.
Overseas universities
US, EU and Asian universities are more flexible on standardised testing than UK admissions allow for. Portfolios travel well; our leavers have applied to engineering, CS and liberal arts programmes across multiple continents.
Degree apprenticeships & industry
Straight into work with technology firms, startups, and accredited apprenticeship routes — including degree apprenticeships that combine paid employment with a university qualification.
Their own ventures
Some students leave to keep building. The Diploma portfolio is what they need to raise their first round, hire their first collaborator, or join an accelerator. A small number do this each year.
Catalyst is a young school and our progression network is growing year on year. The Head of Sixth Form and our admissions advisers work one-to-one with every Year 13 student on their next step.
2027 entry
Key dates.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Open evenings | Autumn 2026 — see Contact page for booking |
| Main application deadline | 31 January 2027 |
| Assessment days | February – March 2027 |
| Offers issued | By 31 March 2027 |
| Acceptance deadline | 30 April 2027 |
| Late applications | Considered subject to availability |
Fees
What it costs.
Fees for the 2027–28 academic year. Delivered entirely online, worldwide.
Foundation (Y7–9)
£95,000
per year
One dedicated teacher covering Maths, Science and English, with the Catalyst AI Diploma foundation strand built in from day one.
Diploma Core (Y10–11)
£100,000
per year
GCSE-specialist 1-2-1 teaching in Maths, Science and English, the full five-unit Diploma Core programme, and dedicated project supervision toward AWS and Red Hat certification.
Senior Phase (Y12–13)
£110,000
per year
A-level specialist 1-2-1 teaching in the Sciences and Maths, STEM research supervision, and one-to-one university, degree-apprenticeship, or venture-building coaching through to leaver status.
Sibling discounts available. A small number of Founder's Scholarships are offered each year to exceptional candidates on talent alone, assessed separately from fee status.
Not ready to apply yet? Prospective families can book a single introductory 1-2-1 session with a Catalyst teacher — £79, one session only — as a direct taste of the teaching before applying. This isn't an ongoing tutoring service; families wanting continued 1-2-1 access should apply for full enrolment.
Common questions
Things parents ask.
Do your students sit GCSEs and A-levels?
Yes — GCSEs and A-levels are central to our programme. Our students consistently achieve over 90% pass rates, and we have students who have scored the highest marks in the world in their subjects. We achieve this through our 1-to-1 teaching model with world-leading educators, supported by AI tools that target each student's individual needs. Strong formal qualifications and strong real-world capability are not in conflict here. They go together.
So what does my child come out with at 16?
At 16, a Catalyst leaver holds: GCSE results (90%+ pass rates, with students consistently scoring among the highest in the world); a Catalyst AI Diploma award (Distinction* to Pass); a full STEM project portfolio; and — most distinctively — internationally recognised industry certifications including AWS Certified Engineer and Red Hat credentials. These are not school certificates. They are the actual vendor-issued qualifications that technology employers use to hire working adults. No other school produces 16-year-olds who hold them as standard.
Is the Catalyst AI Diploma regulated by Ofqual?
No. It is an in-house award, externally moderated by a panel of former chief examiners, university admissions tutors and industry practitioners. We've made that choice deliberately — Ofqual-regulated qualifications would force us back into the timed-written-exam model we left. We are open about this with every family at the application stage.
How is AI used responsibly with children?
We publish our principles (see About). Tools are vetted, age-gated and logged. We use enterprise-grade systems with UK/EU data residency. Pupil data is never used to train external models. A teacher signs off every academic decision.
What if my child has never used AI before?
That is the most common starting point. AI literacy is built in from Year 9 — prompting, evaluation, provenance, and responsible use are explicitly taught.
Is Catalyst online or in person?
Fully online. Every student has a dedicated 1-2-1 teaching team delivering live lessons wherever they're based — no relocation, no term-time boarding, no commute. The same teaching team, the same Academic Director, term to term.
Can I apply from overseas?
Yes. Since Catalyst is delivered fully online, worldwide, international students can join the complete 1-2-1 programme from anywhere in the world. See our International page for more details.