As one who occasionally flies in he US, I'm constantly bemused at the rather lax way of doing things. For example take off from a small field, fly towards a big airport, make a call and get a squawk (without asking for anything in particular) then make a beeline for his overhead at 2000 AGL.
I suggest that it might be a plan to state intentions and make a request but my FAA instructor simply says .. do whatever you like, he'll tell you if he isn't happy.
Yeah .. I can imagine doing that at Gatwick.