Staying with a homestay host offers a friendly and relaxing environment. You are looked after like a member of the family, and you have a great opportunity to experience life in an English home and practise your English as much as possible.

Our homestays are carefully selected and all have been recently visited by our staff. They are chosen for the quality of their homes and particularly for the warm and friendly welcome they offer. They reflect the UK today, and can mean, for example, two parents and their children, a retired couple whose adult children have left home, a single woman with or without children, or perhaps a young couple.

We always do our best to match families and students together, and will do everything we can to make sure that your preferences are met.

All our homestays have clear guidelines on the hosting of students, especially those under 18. Their responsibilities and obligations are taken very seriously. If they have any questions or concerns they can contact our Student Services Manager at any time.

Most of our homestays are a short bus ride away from the city centre. The host family will bring the student to school on the first morning, and school staff will make sure that students know how to get home again on the first evening.

Students will be able to have a bath or shower at least once a day. Hosts will do light laundry for the student. Bed linen and towels will be provided, and are normally changed weekly. Ironing is not a service hosts are expected to offer, although students should be offered use of an iron. Students should bring their own towel for swimming.

The weekly cost of the bus pass in January 2024 is £20.

Insurance

We require all students to have adequate insurance for the duration of their stay. This should cover the potential cost of any emergency medical treatment and all expenses associated with cancellation due to Covid-19 or additional costs incurred if a student contracts Covid-19 in the UK. Please inform the school of the policy details. If a student is ill during their stay, they should inform their homestay host or a member of staff. We can arrange for a visit to a local doctor or chemist, or to the local National Health Service centre. Insurance is also necessary to cover loss or theft of personal belongings.

The school cannot accept responsibility for lost or stolen goods. Any loss or theft of goods should be reported as soon as possible, and the school will help the student with police reports for insurance claims etc.

Please keep a copy of your tickets and ID documents in case of loss.

Teenagers’ summer school

Many of our students will be in shared accommodation, or in a homestay where there is another student, and this makes the travelling easier, especially in the first few days! A packed lunch is provided in school during the week. Students have a selection of sandwiches to choose from each day. Please notify us at the time of booking of any dietary requirements.

Accommodation is arranged in single or twin rooms, depending on availability. There will be a maximum of four students per homestay, although most of our homestays will have one or two students. Our Student Services Manager is available in school for students to discuss any problems that they have.

The school has recommended curfew times (at which time students should be home): 22:00 for 14-15 year-olds (10.30pm on the evening of an activity), and 10.30pm for 16 and 17 year-olds (11.00pm on the evening of an activity).