Young Travellers
Updated 9th June 2020
Why Stafford House for younger learners?
In all Stafford House year-round schools, we provide fun and engaging courses for adults which are also suitable for younger students aged 16 and 17 years old. We make special provision for younger students and care for them throughout their stay with us, from arrival to departure. So you can be confident in booking a course for a younger learner at Stafford House, we have detailed here all the ways we support our younger students.
Supervision
Most of the students at Stafford House are aged 18+. However, we are happy to accept individual students aged 16-17. It is important to know we do not provide 24-hour supervision. We do monitor their attendance every day. We also provide social activities each day but students do not have to join. Students also travel to and from the school to their accommodation independently. We help them with this; for example offering advice on which buses to take. So while we try to treat them like adults, we do have special arrangements in place to support them. You can be confident your child will have a wonderful experience in a safe and comfortable environment.
Travel from UK Point of Entry
Stafford House recommend that all unaccompanied minors (16- and 17- year olds) book a Stafford House transfer service on arrival and departure. The on-arrival meet and greet arrangement is provided by background checked (Disclosure and Barring Services) drivers. Drivers have the student’s full name and destination centre and meet the student. They will not to leave the airport without the student.
If alternative travel arrangements are made, you must tell the Global Sales Support Team how your child will travel from the port of entry to their destination. At any UK airport/train station, young travellers will go through passport control/immigration. They must present the consent to travel document.
If there is any concern at all, the officials at the port of entry will need to be satisfied that all under 18s will be safe before allowing them to leave.
Accommodation
We strongly recommend that students under 18 stay in Stafford House approved accommodation. If Stafford House approved accommodation is not required, we will ask the parents/guardian for details of where they will stay.
Under 18-year olds can live with a host family in a homestay or in selected residences.
Staying in homestay accommodation
We aim to place the right student with the right homestay so that they are able to enjoy each other’s company and have the opportunity to learn and experience something new. We provide safeguarding guidance to all homestay providers we organise ourselves. Alternatively, training is provided by agencies for their hosts. We require that all homestay providers, together with family members over the age of 18 years, have a DBS background check to confirm that they are suitable hosts before students are placed with them. We expect hosts to be present when under 18s are at home and require hosts to always be present overnight. We give hosts a copy of our Student Handbook for under 18s, which describes our expectations for student behaviour. There is someone in each of our schools responsible for accommodation. They are available to support your child and help them to have the best possible experience with our hosts.
Staying in a residence
We provide 24-hour supervision of our residences, appropriately trained staff, and first aid facilities.
Curfew
Stafford House curfew time is 22:30 every night. The curfew time is not negotiable to help Stafford House provide the best possible care for all students under the age of 18.
Meals & board Plan
Stafford House recommend the Full Board meal plan (breakfast, lunch and dinner). During the week, lunch will either be at the school canteen or in the form of a luncheon voucher that can be exchanged at local amenities. If the Half-Board plan (breakfast and an evening meal) is booked for students in homestay, lunch can be purchased in one of our canteens or at local amenities. Saturdays and Sundays include breakfast, lunch and dinner. Residential accommodation includes a full board meal plan of breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. This option is only available in the summer period.
Travel to and from school
We ask our Homestay hosts to help all new students to get to school on their first day. This could be showing them the bus stop and where the school is on a map. Students travel to and from school unsupervised. As stated, we help the students to understand the best way to travel.
First week at school
All under 18s meet a designated staff member, responsible for supporting them. The staff member will confirm student contact details including email and mobile phone number for use in case of an emergency. We give extra information just for under 18s as part of orientation and/or in their first week. The orientation includes safety guidelines, information and advice on the law and school rules and how students under 18 spend their unsupervised free time, focusing on safety.
After this, we have regular formal and/or informal meetings in the school during the course. This is an opportunity to get feedback and check that they feel healthy, safe and are happy.
Student cards
Student ID cards are issued from Student Services on arrival. The student card includes a 24/7 school emergency number.
Academic progression
On request, we can send a report on each student’s academic progress to parents and guardians each month.
Attendance,
We monitor student attendance on a daily basis. We expect 100% attendance. We contact Under 18 students immediately if they are absent.
Holidays & independent travel
We strongly recommend travelling on Stafford House organised excursions. Parents or guardians must sign a consent form for each occasion a child plans to travel away from the centre independently; including for holidays. Any travel that includes an overnight stay requires a parental consent form. Our schools have the right to refuse requests.
Leisure programme
We offer a social programme of daytime and evening activities, and weekend activities appropriate for the age, ability and interests of under 18s. Participation is not compulsory. For some of the activities, students need to pay. The cost of activities is clearly stated on the student portal. Self-guided activities are also offered throughout the week. On weekdays, activities will often be supervised by centre staff. Weekend activities will be supervised by a vetted provider. We set reasonable return home times for students to return to their homestay or residence after evening activities and we start safety & security checks immediately if they do not return by that time.
In case of emergency we provide:
An emergency 24/7 contact number to every student and parent/guardian. Emergency contact details are in the accommodation / transfer confirmation letter. Emergency contact details are also on the Student ID card.
In addition:
We confirm all students’ contact details including email and mobile phone number on arrival, for use in case of an emergency. We give all students on all social activities and excursions the mobile number of the teacher or activity leader who also has a list of all the students in their care. We contact the parent or guardian, in case of emergency.
Medical care
Information on medical and dental care (Doctor, Dentist, Accident and Emergency Hospital) in the UK is provided on the first day and qualified First Aid is provided on site. We require parents/guardians to notify us in advance of pre-existing conditions and prescription drug needs.
Money
Student Services can provide advice about money upon a student’s arrival. It is better to use electronic banking cards linked to an account at home than to carry large amounts of cash. Students staying in England for more than 6 months may be able to open a bank account. Student Services can provide a letter for the bank.
UK laws & school regulations
Under 18s are not permitted to buy cigarettes, alcohol or enter night clubs. Safety, security and welfare are our top priorities so we also have a number of school regulations. So please ensure all regulations are followed. These regulations are detailed in the parental consent form.
Data we collect
For details on the data we collect and how we use it, please see the CATS Colleges Privacy Statement.
All of the arrangements above help us to ensure the well-being of younger students and you can be confident that Stafford House takes the welfare of individual students very seriously. We look forward to welcoming your young learner to one of our schools very soon!