Gateway College Annual Review and Prospectus 2015

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 97 Work Experience Some occupational experience work, through work, in order to is seen as essential or desirable prepare for the world of work. by the admissions committees of One purpose of work many leading universities. This experience is simply to give our is especially true with regard students a chance to find out to medicine, dentistry and what it is like to be employed veterinary science. in a particular discipline. We expect our students However, many students use to obtain some form of work the opportunity to be active in experience during Year 12 or Year a field that interests them, or 13 so that they can learn about in which they wish to pursue

98 GATEWAY COLLEGE careers or higher studies. In The range is wide. In 2014, the process, they gain valuable some Year 12 students worked first-hand experience. They learn at Jetwing Blue and Jetwing ‘soft’ skills and the secrets of Beach Hotels, Negombo, and teamwork, good communications Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Kandy, and pragmatic commercial earning hands-on experience awareness. in all departments. Others had Some may find that their their work experience at the preferred line of work is not General Hospital, Kandy, Lanka as attractive in real life as they Hospital, Colombo, Avé Maria imagined it to be; they will then Hospital, Negombo and the be encouraged to try something St. John’s Ambulance Service. new and different. From such Business-studies students experiences, students become were accommodated at finance better able to understand companies (Singer Sri Lanka, themselves and to develop their Jay Kay, Sinhaputra) and main decision-making powers. street banks (Hatton National Thus, during the month of Bank), while engineering August, Year 12 and Year 13 students had their work students embark on many experience at Dias Automotive, work experience programmes. Negombo and Kundasale Auto Aspiring medical students Works near Kandy. ‘shadow’ doctors in hospitals, future technocrats learn the ropes at well-established engineering firms, while budding bankers and economists learn the hard realities of money at banking and finance houses.

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 99 Service Towards the Community and the Environment Gateway believes in producing in varied and worthwhile The experience not only academically sound initiatives throughout the year, was formative, students but people who will addressing the issues facing helping our pupils value give back to the community society with projects that are more highly the and the environment. Students timely, relevant and impactful. good fortune are not just taught about care The Community Service Club and comforts and concern but given every of each school undertakes larger they enjoy. opportunity to display it in real projects that require careful life. The many clubs and societies planning and execution. Projects of the schools involve themselves carried out by the Community

100 GATEWAY COLLEGE Service Clubs of Gateway Schools helping our pupils value more during the past year include the highly the good fortune and following: comforts they enjoy. Gateway college, Gateway college, Kandy colombo ‘Help each Little Person’ walk from the Heart (HeLP) merit award winner, edexcel Gold award winner, edexcel community service awards 2015 community service awards 2014 Promoted awareness of This project was aimed at congenital heart disease and helping street children in the raised Rupees one million in Kandy area. The Club joined funds for the activities of the hands with an NGO, Child Children’s Heart Project of Sri Action Lanka, to teach English, Lanka. The club also got involved arts and crafts. During that year with the patients of the Cardiac the Club donated Rupees ten Ward at the Lady Ridgeway thousand to help upgrade the Hospital by conducting afternoon physical structure of the teaching activities for them and designing, centre. Club members also made equipping and furnishing a monthly visits to the paediatric children’s play corner. ward at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. bethlehem crèche Project assisting a Deserving Orphanage ‘save another, Free each Our pupils’ involvement in Other’ (saFe) this commendable project was This project was aimed not restricted to distributing at addressing the lack of gifts and hand-outs; they spent educational materials at a needy quality time with the inmates, school in Bowlana. The Club also sharing their care and concern. commenced collecting library We have reason to believe that books and stationery to be the experience was formative, donated to the school.

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 101 Gateway college, Gateway college, Negombo Dehiwala ‘Healing the Forgotten Ones’ ‘Hand-in-Hand’ bronze award winner, edexcel This eight-month venture saw community service awards 2015 Gateway students conduct This project was concerned English classes and other with raising funds for and monthly events for a group of constructing a recreation hall at 35 less advantaged students in the Ja-Ela Foster Home, where Grades 7 and 8 at the Methodist formerly abused children aged High School, Puwakaramba, 6-16 are sheltered. The hall Moratuwa, in order to improve provides the children with rooms their English and ‘soft skills’ and to relax and engage in various to maintain ongoing interaction activities together. Our pupils between the two schools. also engaged directly with the children of the home in many ways including singing, dancing and playing cricket.

102 GATEWAY COLLEGE Teachers Every teacher Gateway is privileged to have a teachers have been with us for at Gateway formidable group of qualified more than ten years and still College and experienced teachers. enjoy every aspect of what they pledges on appointment They form the backbone of the do each day. to be firm, Organisation. The much-looked-forward friendly Our teachers are hand-picked to annual staff-development and fair. through a stringent process of workshop brings together selection and reference. New teachers and others from appointments are mentored by all four of our schools for a senior teachers as part of their weekend of fun and learning induction into our culture, ethos designed to promote professional and processes. Many of our growth and development. The

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 103 school encourages continuous after school hours and revision professional development and classes during holidays to help conducts regular programmes to students thoroughly prepare for further improve the competency their examinations. This has now of teachers. Many of our staff become the rule rather than the continue their higher education exception at Gateway College. by obtaining a Postgraduate Our teachers are also constantly Diploma in Education (Dip. Ed.) reminded of the need to do or Master of Education (M. Ed.) things better and are constantly qualification. encouraged to improve their The commitment and performance. dedication of the staff to their Every teacher at Gateway students is clearly evident College pledges on appointment from the manner in which all to be firm, friendly and fair to teachers conduct extra lessons all students while guaranteeing equity to all.

104 GATEWAY COLLEGE Staff Statistics Teacher Diversity Secondary No. of Teachers 125 100 106 75 50 55 25 10 24 18 0 Government Graduate Postgraduate Diploma - Diploma - Trained Teachers Academic Sports Primary No. of Teachers 125 100 102 75 50 43 25 12 14 4 0 Government Graduate Postgraduate Diploma - Diploma - Trained Teachers Academic Sports

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 105 Foundation No. of Teachers 75 65 60 45 30 15 5 1 0 Government Graduate Postgraduate Diploma - Diploma - Trained Teachers Academic Sports student-to-Teacher ratio GC-Colombo 10:1 GC-Kandy 10:1 GC-Negombo 8:1 GC-Dehiwala 9:1

106 GATEWAY COLLEGE Teachers: Length of service No. of Years – 0-5 No. of Years – 5-10 No. of Teachers No. of Teachers 100 50 80 40 44 81 75 37 60 30 64 40 49 20 26 20 10 8 0 0 Colombo Kandy Negombo Dehiwala Colombo Kandy Negombo Dehiwala No. of Years – Above 10 Gateway Colleges No. of Teachers No. of Teachers 40 300 39 32 240 269 33 24 180 16 120 115 8 60 78 4 2 0 0 Colombo Kandy Negombo Dehiwala Over 10 Years Between 5 Years Below 5 Years to 10 Years

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 107 Teacher attendance (Jan. – Dec. 2015) Gateway Colleges No. of Teachers 300 285 240 180 120 60 87 28 44 9 0 100% 99%-95% 94%-90% 89%-85% Below 85% Attendance Attendance Attendance Attendance Attendance* * Maternity Leave

108 GATEWAY COLLEGE Teacher Training workshops Gateway staff-development The focus of this year’s workshops have been held workshop was on improving annually at locations around the teacher effectiveness. The main country for the past eighteen session was conducted by Mr. years. They form part of the Ahamed of Franklin Covey, school’s ongoing, continuous who described and elaborated professional-development of techniques and theories its staff. associated with the research This year’s workshop, held at and writings of Stephen Covey, the Earl’s Regency Hotel, Kandy author of the best-selling on 26th and 27th June, brought book, Seven Habits of Highly together over 400 teachers from Effective People. The workshop the four Gateway Schools in incorporated video presentations Colombo, Kandy, Negombo by Mr. Covey himself, together and Dehiwala. with interactive group

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 109 discussions and brainstorming. chartered train, the ‘Gateway Concurrent workshops for Super Express’, which carried teachers of the Foundation teachers from Colombo, Stage (centred on curriculum Negombo and Dehiwala to development) and for sports Kandy, making the trip an event teachers (aimed at improving in itself. The train journey not their knowledge and expertise on only generated much excitement physical development) were but also helped build bonds of also held. friendship among the staff of These intensive technical different schools. sessions were followed by an enjoyable evening of entertainment and fellowship. A highlight of the workshop this year was a specially

110 GATEWAY COLLEGE annual workshop attendance No. of attendees – annual workshops Year school No. of Location Participants 2013 Colombo 141 Cinnamon Bay – Beruwala Kandy 113 Negombo 60 Colombo 4 28 Total 342 2014 Colombo 141 Jetwing Blue – Negombo Kandy 109 Negombo 77 Dehiwala 70 GGS 7 Achievers 13 Total 417 2015 Colombo 160 Earl’s Regency – Kandy Kandy 97 Negombo 92 Dehiwala 81 GGS 7 Achievers 13 Total 450

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 111 Other Staff Training Events y TISSL (The International y Individual Postgraduate Schools of Sri Lanka): Annual Training International Conference for y Pearson Edexcel Institute Heads of Schools: attended by Training Sessions (online and principals, deputy and assistant face to face) principals y Cambridge Professional y Educational Leadership Development Programmes Workshop conducted by (online and face to face) the Faculty of Education of the University of Nottingham y International Cambridge Schools Conference in Malaysia y Google Education Summit, Hong Kong

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GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 113 A card prepared and presented by Mariyam Iynaash Ibrahim of Gateway College Dehiwala on Teacher‘s Day. This card encapsulates the tremendous love, respect and gratitude the students of Gateway have for their dear teachers.

114 GATEWAY COLLEGE Towards Higher Education Students have Graduate school An additional International the option of Foundation Programme is completing The Gateway Graduate School, also available for students who their degrees in founded in 2008, is a confident Sri Lanka or venture into the field of tertiary wish to join after Sri Lankan or transferring education. It was founded in London ‘O’ Levels. to overseas universities. order to provide opportunities International Links for students to obtain industrially recognised degrees and diplomas In partnership with international at an affordable price in organisations such as Pearson Sri Lanka, or obtain transfers to and NCC Education (both of reputable foreign universities. the UK), Gateway Graduate The school offers a choice School offers International of career pathways towards Foundation Year (IFY), Level 4 the completion of business, and Level 5 Advanced Diplomas computing and teaching diplomas in Business, Computing and and degrees in Sri Lanka. On Professional Teacher Training. successful completion of their first and/or second year of study, Degrees that can be completed students may obtain industrially- in Sri Lanka with these recognised NCC Level 4 and qualifications include: Level 5 diplomas. Thereafter, y Masters in Education students have the option of (University of Nottingham, UK) completing their degrees in y BA (Hons.) in Business Sri Lanka or transferring to Administration (University of overseas universities in Australia, Worcester, UK) Malaysia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 115 y BSc (Hons.) in Business Higher education Fairs Computing and Information A number of international Systems (University of Central university fairs are held at Lancashire, UK) Gateway Colleges during the Gateway’s affiliations with course of the year. The countries the University of Nottingham represented include Australia, (Malaysia Campus), University Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, of Canterbury, New Zealand New Zealand, the UK and and many other internationally the USA. These fairs, which reputed universities provides present and advise on tertiary broader opportunities for education options available in students to progress to degree their respective countries, are level in Sri Lanka or abroad. attended by all Gateway College students.

116 GATEWAY COLLEGE summer camp This year’s group attended In collaboration with the sessions at three different University of Nottingham faculties. The Faculty of Malaysia Campus, Gateway Engineering involved them in College conducted its third practical hands-on projects Annual Summer Programme in the areas of chemical, at UNMC during the August civil, mechanical, electrical vacation. Altogether, 92 students and electronic engineering. and teachers from Gateway The Faculty of Arts and Colleges in Colombo, Dehiwala, Social Sciences challenged Kandy and Negombo, as well as students to think strategically. the Gateway Graduate School, Discussions on financial and enjoyed seven days on campus in trading strategies and on choice Malaysia, absorbing a diversity of marketing in economics were experience and exciting academic interactive and memorable. challenges. On completing the Glimpses of new advances in camp, students and teachers microbiology, psychology and received certificates from the robotics were provided by the University that will add value Faculty of Science. whether they choose to pursue their future studies at UNMC or elsewhere.

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118 GATEWAY COLLEGE Learning with Technology Gateway College provides the ‘digital natives’ of today with an institutional milieu that is both tech-friendly and also leverages cutting-edge technology to achieve better educational outcomes. Technology is now such an important part of children’s everyday lives that a learning environment without it would be completely unrealistic. Gateway College provides the ‘digital natives’ of today with an institutional milieu that is both tech-friendly and also leverages cutting-edge technology to achieve better educational outcomes. A substantial

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 119 investment in educational gives us the capacity to bring software, some of which students school administrators, teachers, are able to access from home, parents, pupils and past pupils supports and supplements all together in one working, classroom learning and includes paperless environment. Indeed, such award-winning programme it has brought all four schools suites as My Maths and Dynamic together, supporting work from Learning for Science. multiple locations. The resulting Created in-house, our wealth of data, especially in pioneering, award-winning academics, is subjected to school management system, meaningful analysis to help School-on-Line (SOL) is central improve school and student to the day-to-day operations and performance. administration at Gateway. SOL

120 GATEWAY COLLEGE The school Primary and Secondary multisensory collaborative is on a drive sections in all our schools learning among students, to enhance are furnished with numerous promoting group discussion and STEM (science, well-equipped computer labs participation. Wi-Fi facilities are technology, and multimedia rooms. These available on all our campuses engineering facilities feature networked thanks to dedicated broadband and computers with Internet access, leased line technology, which mathematics) learning. laser printers, multimedia allows students and teachers projectors and learning to access the internet from equipment such as data loggers, anywhere in the school, even control equipment, Beebots and using their own laptops. The Probots. recent introduction of tablet Attendance registration for computers at all our schools staff has for some time been has also been welcomed by both automated through thumbprint teachers and students. recognition technology. This has Our domain gateway.lk, now been extended to Advanced registered with Google Apps Level students of all schools in a for Education, provides Email pilot programme. for teachers and students and The school is on a drive leverages the storage capacity of to enhance STEM (science, Gmail and Google Drive. technology, engineering It needs to be said, however, and mathematics) learning. that despite these investments Information technology supports in technology, we still maintain this initiative. Classes in robotics, that there is no substitute for scratch programming and coding an inspiring teacher. But we have added excitement as well are equally convinced that as useful knowledge to the technology, used by great general computing curriculum. teachers, has the power to help Interactive whiteboards facilitate a child achieve his or her full educational potential.

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 121 Infrastructure All four schools belonging School libraries have to the Gateway Group enjoy been designed to present similar facilities, ensuring an aesthetically attractive parity in terms of the learning and stimulating learning environment. Classrooms environment. Other dedicated are well laid-out and can spaces such as music, drama comfortably accommodate up to and dance rooms, BTEC rooms, 25 students. Science and IT labs design, technology and art are well-equipped and furnished. studios and rooms with special There are adequate multimedia facilities for teaching history and facilities at all schools, supported Sinhala, are purpose-designed to by smart boards and high-speed support better learning of these Wi-Fi connectivity. subjects.

122 GATEWAY COLLEGE A great deal has been fully-equipped gymnasiums, invested in infrastructure and all schools have facilities for support for extracurricular indoor sports such as squash, activities. Our schools boast badminton and table tennis. The the most sophisticated basketball Gateway Schools in Kandy and courts in the country. Our Negombo will each acquire their campuses at Dehiwala and own dedicated sports complexes Colombo are provided in the very near future. with swimming pools and

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 123 Community and Ethos The school community of The ethos of the school Gateway College is composed of is guided by the words of the various ethnicities, faiths and second verse of the school song: nationalities. The school provides a pluralistic environment where Nurtured as we are with children grow-up learning to understanding and love, respect one another’s beliefs, We discipline ourselves, no cultures and traditions. orders from above.

124 GATEWAY COLLEGE Accordingly, the idea of This concept of a loving school self-discipline is inculcated in environment was propagated by students from a very early age, our Founder, R.I.T. Alles, who so that they develop the habit took very seriously the concept of of taking responsibility for their in loco parentis. Our overarching actions as they grow through philosophy is that everyone in the years. school must be afforded respect Gateway teachers genuinely and dealt in a firm, fair of care for their students. A very friendly manner, in keeping with real affection underpins the our vision of our Founder. student/teacher relationship.

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126 GATEWAY COLLEGE Key Improvements As we consider ourselves long-awaited swimming pool a ‘growing school’, our and beautiful pavilion, together commitment is to invest and with the badminton and squash reinvest in order to pursue courts that were completed continuous improvement and earlier, make this sports complex infrastructure development in all one of the most attractive among four schools. Sri Lankan schools. The added facility of a dormitory that can colombo accommodate 20 boys and 20 Gateway College, Colombo has girls, along with staff, facilitates just witnessed the completion the holding of in-house training of its new Sports Complex. The programmes for our sporting

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 127 achievers, in addition to hosting visiting teams from other Gateway schools. Available space beneath the raised school swimming pool has been creatively converted by our architects into a beautiful, modern secondary library. The library’s previous premises, which are air-conditioned, are now the venue of classes for graduating students. The basketball court, with its imported, air-cushioned surface and rings, is the first of its kind ever installed in Sri Lanka. A similar court is now being completed at Gateway College, Kandy. Kandy Gateway College, Kandy too saw the laying of the same basketball court. Play areas of both secondary and primary schools were made very attractive with beautiful paving. The Primary school was provided with the much awaited library of their own.

128 GATEWAY COLLEGE Negombo Gateway College, Negombo has just completed two new building complexes to accommodate an expanding number of classes. These modern building are used for Key Stage 3, Advanced Level and some Foundation School Classes. The primary school was provided with a new computer laboratory. The basketball court has been upgraded to meet international standards. A sick room managed by a professional nurse was a welcome new facility in 2015. Dehiwala Two additional floors have been added to the main complex at Gateway College, Dehiwala, providing the school with new science laboratories and an attractive secondary library. The school’s multipurpose auditorium has now been given an imported, air-cushioned floor, making it one of the best indoor courts available in the country.

GATEWAY COLLEGE ANNUAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTUS, 2015 129 Looking to the Future The world has witnessed presents schools and teachers We will continue unprecedented change in the last with an enormous challenge. The to improve generation or two, and it is now future demands that educators and refine our curriculum by clear that, in the future, change be more entrepreneurial, being alert to will be the only constant. The collaborative and creative, for advances in next twenty years are expected learners rather than teachers teaching and to bring advances so radical will set the pace, particularly in learning. that they will make those of technology uptake. the previous twenty pale in We at Gateway will, as comparison. before, continue to increase This ongoing state of social the breadth and depth of and technological revolution our educational provision,

130 GATEWAY COLLEGE be it academic, sporting or We have no plans to increase the co-curricular. The future we number of classes taught nor the foresee is one of many choices, size of classes, so most future with Gateway students taking investments will be targeted at up a wider variety of subjects enhancing the quality of teaching and disciplines. There will be and learning in the existing more emphasis on vocational capacity. education. We will continue to Whatever physical reinforce our commitment to improvements we make, STEM education, developing Gateway’s focus on safeguarding the ‘technology advantage’ we the ethos cultivated by our have with input from our sister Founder will take centre stage at organisations. all times. We shall not discount We will continue to improve the value of creating a calm, and refine our curriculum disciplined, respectful, caring by being alert to advances in and ethical environment for our teaching and learning. Though children. Through the all-round our core curriculum will be exposure that our students based on the British system of receive, we will see them grow up education, we will not hesitate to be confident, happy and well- to adopt good practices from any balanced citizens. country or culture. The ‘Gateway Family’ has Continuous investment in been and always will be our infrastructure by the Directorate biggest asset. The manner has resulted in all four Gateway in which Gateway Schools schools having purpose-built, collaborate and learn from fully-owned campuses. This each other, share best practices trend will continue: we shall and invest in improving the provide further state-of-the-art educational process makes us facilities to improve learning. confident that we are well gested for the future. 

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Gateway College Colombo 185, Koswatta Road, Via Parliment Road, Off Royal Gardens, Rajagiriya Telephone: 94 11 2888288, 94 11 2888280 Fax: 94 11 2888282 Email: [email protected] Gateway College Kandy 80, Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Mawatha, Asgiriya, Kandy Telephone: 94 81 2200300, 94 81 2200206 Fax: 94 81 2205604 Email: [email protected] Gateway College Negombo No 62, Negombo Road, Kurana Telephone: 94 31 2227772, 94 31 2227722 Fax: 031-2227878 Email: [email protected] Gateway College Dehiwala 285/1 Galwihara Road, Dehiwala Telephone:94 11 5757234 Fax: 2716901 Email: [email protected]