Parents FAQ

All good schools require a student in the absence of a locally based parent have a locally based Guardian in place. Cambridge Guardian Angels is your child’s Guardian and Julia Evans is the Director of Guardian Services. A Guardian is an adult based close to the school who acts independently in the best interests of the child and the parents, caring for the child’s welfare, safeguarding and all practical needs – enjoying the services of a highly accredited guardian company who acts as an independent advocate for your child ensures they will always be safe, happy and achieve their academic goals and ambitions. Your child will either stay with a local host family when the school is closed for short mid term breaks and exeat weekends if your child is studying at a boarding school or they will stay with a host family during the school term and go home to you at half term and during the long holidays if your child is a student at a day school. Cambridge Guardian Angels will handle all communication between you, your child’s school, their host family and agents.

We will arrange for one of our security checked drivers to meet your child when they arrive, the driver will be experienced at collecting students from your child’s school and will have your child’s name on a recognition board when they enter the arrivals hall at the airport, the same driver will also bring your child back to the airport when they return home. Our unaccompanied minor are personally checked in by our drivers who then stay with your child and check and see them into the departures hall, they then wait 30 minutes after your child’s plane has departed. The company we use is one of the listed numbers on our emergency card which is issued to all students so your child can always call a safe taxi company wherever they are.

When children have minor illnesses they can stay in the school medical centre unless they or the school prefers them to stay with their host family or Guardian, which we can arrange. Day students stay with their host families for minor illnesses.

We are committed to helping students achieve their best at school and include academic mentoring with our care. We attend all important school meetings on your behalf and provide a written report. We maintain close and regular communication with your child’s school, we also interpret and explain school reports and arrange exam support, education support and tutor referrals if requested. When schools are closed we discuss with you how we can compliment the students learning experience with cultural trips, courses and visits aimed to enhance your child’s learning experience.
Specialist help with future school moves, university courses, applications and personal statements is also available.

Many hosts contact us and we arrange a home visit where we meet the potential family, see the home and neighbourhood and interview at length the potential host family members about why they want to host for us and child safety. Having looked at all rooms the students will use, we obtain two references from the primary carer, DBS security check all family members age 16 years and above and never place more than three students in any one home. Our families sign an agreement with us and have a handbook of information and copies of our Child protection, Health and safety, Use of computers and medical matters policies. We then closely match a suitable student to a family and we share copies of an Individual Care plan containing the personal details of your child, their needs and when they are staying with the family. Where possible we try and arrange a pre meeting with your child when they first arrive and we often accommodate visiting parents in the early days. All our hosts are reinspected every year to ensure the standard of their home is maintained.

We ask for your preferences relating to location from school, pets, diet, etc. and match our families to your information. When possible we offer a choice of hosts and provide a full description of the families.

Yes, if the family member is age over 25 years. Many of our students have friends staying together with them during the breaks.

Not usually, all our students have use of a private well furnished bedroom with full size bed and a desk, lamp and study space, sufficient storage and modern facilities, with unlimited use of WIFI. The majority of our hosts provide separate bathrooms for student use.

Day students will stay with a host seven days per week during term time and often over the half term breaks. Boarding students will stay with hosts during two exeat (out) weekends per term and the mid term breaks. Hosts will also provide a temporary home if a child is unwell or suspended from school.

Yes.

Yes, Our students studying at day schools receive help with all these arrangements and many more as they take advantage of the facilities near their schools.

Yes, Outside the day schools there is much for your child to enjoy. We will assist in finding out what activities are available in your child’s town and community based activities can be organised by us. Our students join in theatre, art and music classes, together with sports teams and religious groups etc.

No, schools only allow boarding students to stay with host families and with family members age over 25 years.

At least twice during the first term and then once during the Lent and Summer term your child will meet us for a formal meeting although we are often in the schools having informal contact with our students. We are available 24/07 during term time and half term. If a students stays with a host family during the longer holidays we continue to provide an emergency service. If your child has individual episodes that are difficult for them to cope with, be it- home sickness, culture shock, academic problems etc we are there to help and available to you and your child 24/7. Day students are in weekly contact with us and see us informally throughout the term as well as see us during our formal meetings.

Yes, many students visit schools for one term only and we can provide Guardianship and host family care for flexible lengths of time..