Host Family lodgings Handbook 2019-2020
ABBEY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE 2019-20
Updated: 29/01/2020
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Contents Welcome……………………………………………………………………………..…Page 5 Abbey College Vision………………………………………..………………….…….Page 6 Term dates……………….………………………………..…….……...…………........Page 7 How to get in touch………………………………………...………...……………….Page 8 Our students……………………………..…….…….………………….………...Pages 9 - 10 Host family responsibilities………….…………….………………………...…Pages 11 - 15 1. What to provide
5. Mail
2. Room set up
6. Hygiene
3. Keys
7. Heating
4. Phone and internet
8. Food
Unwell students………………………………………………………………..Pages 16 – 17 Curfew, overnight stays and going home…………………………..……….Pages 18 – 21 Missing students……………………………………………………………………..Page 22 School involvement………………………………….………………….……...Pages 23 -24 Safeguarding, safety and security……………….………………..…….……Pages 25 - 29 1. Behaviour
6. Bike safety
2. House rules
7. Gas safety
3. Fire safety
8. Electrical safety
4. Personal possessions
9. Council Taxi
5. Internet safety
10. Insurance
Agreements and policies……………………………..……….…………......Pages 30 - 32 1. Rent and payments
3. Move requests
2. Home visits
4. Child protection
General Tips…………………………..…….……….…………...……………Pages 33 – 35 1. Welcoming students
3. English speaking skills
2. Culture shock
4. Gender roles
Feedback……………………………..…….……….…………………………………Page 36 Abbey College buildings……………………………..…….……….………………Page 37
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Welcome To current and new host families, welcome to our outstanding host family community and another year at Abbey College Cambridge. Our students come first, and we will support you in ensuring this is the case.
Abbey College Cambridge has ‘Outstanding’ boarding facilities and lodging families. We are very proud of the achievements of our students, staff and our host community. You are part of our success and for that we thank you.
You should find that this handbook is a useful tool, providing guidance to enable you to support and care for our students. The handbook constantly evolves with feedback and input from you, our host community, to reflect current pressures and issues faced. However its contents are by no means exhaustive, so please, don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Accommodation Team should you need any help or guidance. We are here to support you as you in turn support our students.
Updated January 2020 Host
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Abbey College Cambridge’s Vision of Excellence ‘To be a community energised by the love of learning and the pursuit of outstanding achievement for all’
The Vision is in the hearts and minds of staff and students. We are community brought together by a shared love of learning. We are a community who takes good care of our students. We are a community who celebrates success.
You, our host community, are part of this success!!
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How to get in touch Day to day communication: The Accommodation Team can be contacted by calling the main school reception. You can also email the team directly. If you need to speak to someone at school please call Abbey College Cambridge reception on 01223 578280 between the hours of 8 am –5 p.m. Monday to Friday Out of hours/ weekends/ emergencies Out of school hours and at the weekend, please call the Abbey Cambridge emergency phone, which is always held by a member of the senior boarding team, usually a Head of House 07584 705720 Please feel confident to call the emergency phone if you need help or support at any time. Abbey College Reception
01223 578280
Emergency phone
07584 705720
Stephanie Stafford
Mobile 07557 748344
Address
Abbey College Cambridge, Homerton Gardens, Cambridge, CB2 8EB
Stephanie.Stafford@abbeycambridge.co.uk Amy.Scott-Reid@abbeycambridge.co.uk Jessica.Kenney@abbeycambridge.co.uk
The Head of Accommodation, Stephanie Stafford, and her team are responsible for organising and monitoring all of the details of host family placements. Stephanie and her team are the people with whom students and hosts can share feelings, problems or concerns regarding the host family experience. If either yourselves as hosts, or one of your students has a question about a certain host rule, guideline or other problem, no matter how small or insignificant you feel it might be, you should contact the Accommodation team for assistance. Host
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Term Dates 2019/20 Autumn Term 2019 Start of term Monday 2 September (New Students) Monday 9th September (Returning Students) nd
Half Term Monday 21 October – Friday 25th October st
Last day of term Thursday 12th December Students must leave their host family by 9.00am Saturday 14th December
Spring Term 2020 Start of term Monday 6th January Students may move into their rooms from Saturday 4th January Half Term Monday 17 – Friday 21st February th
Last day of term Thursday 2ndApril Summer Term 2020 Start of term Monday 20th April Half Term Monday 25 May – Friday 29th May th
Last day of term Thursday 25th June IFP students last day of term 19th June Students must leave their host family by 10.00am Friday 26th June 2020
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Our students Our students are usually between 16 and 18 and they represent over 45 different countries. Some of the students will have limited English skills and are enrolled to study Pre-sessional English full time, before beginning their GCSE, A-levels or Foundation course, whereas others may be fluent. Most of our students have high aspirations, hoping to secure a place after Abbey College at a top ten UK university. Expectations International students are expecting an environment where they can be welcomed as part of a family, improve their English, and find out about UK culture. They also want to stay with a family who are interested in them! Students want a space of their own that is warm, safe, comfortable and clean; somewhere to study and relax in. For most students one of their biggest expectations is having good access to the internet to aid their study, and to be able to communicate with their parents back home. Reasons for choosing a host family The students who choose to live with a host family have a variety of cultural backgrounds and personality characteristics. Their reasons for choosing a host family vary:
a desire to learn the English language more quickly,
to experience British culture more fully,
to experience life living with siblings
to make friends outside of their own peer group
for cost purposes
In addition, some parents of international students feel more comfortable knowing their son or daughter is living with a family, reassuring them that they are looked after in every way possible.
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How long do students stay? Students are booked to stay with host families for one full academic year, (September—June) however some students will choose to stay with their host family for their second and subsequent years of study, and often recommend a friend to move to the same family. Students should return home over the Christmas holidays. Move requests Host families and students can serve each other with four weeks’ notice in writing after consulting with the Head of Accommodation. Students requesting to move accommodation, usually do so for the following reasons:
Distance from school
Food not to their taste
Desire to move into college accommodation
Parental requests for the student to move
Poor attendance
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Host family responsibilities What should our host families provide? A clean, tidy and safe home environment A warm, comfortable, private bedroom for the students exclusive use seven days a week including all holidays (except Christmas and summer) with appropriate furniture and study area (see ‘room set up’)
Access to a clean bathroom with a shower and a plentiful supply of hot water Full board accommodation with access to fruit/bread/cereal in between meals
A healthy balanced diet with fresh fruit and vegetables always available An open mind to listen to student requests for alternative menu options or other items to make their stay more comfortable
A weekly laundry service and weekly bed linen change at no extra cost Unlimited free access to superfast wireless broadband without restriction until 1130pm
Support to ensure students are up in good time to attend morning lessons Support to ensure students are adhering to curfew times
a DBS checked host family member always present overnight during the time a student is being accommodated
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Room set up
a private single bedroom with a bed, mattress with a mattress protector, sheets and blankets/duvet, with a pillow and a pillow case as standard (pillows and mattress protectors should be replaced each academic year, with a fresh pillow and a fresh mattress protector for each student) a study area with a desk/table (not a pc desk), a chair and a reading lamp a notice board for student to personalise their room/display their study materials a bedside table with a lamp a wardrobe and a set of drawers adequate heating and window windows that are free of cracks, with suitable curtains that are hung properly and can open and close with ease a lockable box or safe for valuables bathrooms should have non slip mats in showers bathrooms should have toilet roll and hand soap supplied as standard, be well ventilated and free of mould and damp
Sanitary towels/tampons disposal arrangements
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Keys Each student will require their own front door key which they must look after their. If a key is lost, students will be charged for a replacement and where necessary, a replacement lock in order to maintain the integrity and security of the host family’s house. Good practice in most host families is to provide a place for students to hang their keys by the front door. Phone use and internet Very rarely does a student need to use the host family phone to make a call. However, if this is requested, please don’t refuse. Reasonable consideration of time differences must be taken into account with phone calls and with SKYPE and other online social networks. The host family should also provide unlimited, free superfast wireless internet access until 1130pm, (unless advised by school) with appropriate filtering in place. If you need help with filtering, please contact the accommodation team. There should be no extra charges for internet use. If you encounter problems with internet use late at night after 1130pm, please contact school. Mail Please ensure students can receive their personal mail with ease. Students can also send post to the school reception using the Abbey College Cambridge on page 8. Heating The majority of our students are from warmer climates, and as such, do feel the cold whilst living in the UK. It is not only the temperature that students find difficult, it’s the damp air that also makes them feel cold/unwell. It is most welcoming for students to get home from college and walk into a warm house in the cooler months. Some hosts purchase a small heater/radiator for student’s rooms, especially for the evenings. We would suggest a small oil filled radiator is suitable for large rooms, and not a convection heater. However, you must educate the student on the use of this for safety reasons. Host
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Hygiene
Female students will need to be advised how to dispose of sanitary wear appropriately, using sanitary bags and bins or flushing down the toilet. Please do not assume that students know how to dispose of these items correctly. Please ensure you provide students with disposal bags. These are easily and cheaply obtained from the supermarket. Mattress protectors should be used on all students’ mattresses, they should be washed regularly, and a fresh protector should be purchased for student beds at the start of a new academic year. Tissues should be provided in student bedrooms, with students advised not to wipe mucous on walls or headboards. Some of your students may need more than one shower per day if they are playing sport, or they walk home on a hot evening after school. Please do not place restrictions on shower use. If you face problems and can’t manage these at home, please speak to a member of the accommodation team. The only acceptable restrictions on shower use are late at night. Showering after 10pm and drying hair, is not really fair on other students living in your home. Educate students with long hair to empty the shower plug of hair, to help avoid the shower tray overflowing or the bathroom flooding. Any issues with student hygiene should be reported to the Accommodation Team.
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Food All accommodation booked is on a full board basis, with breakfast and a hot evening meal provided as a minimum each day during term time, and lunch provided at the weekends. During term time, students will receive a hot lunch in the school dining room. With advance warning from your students, it is quite acceptable to plate up the student’s meal for them to reheat in the microwave upon their return. A degree of flexibility and communication between the student and the host family, can mean a suitable arrangement is reached for all. One of the most difficult adjustments for a student living in a UK host family is getting used to each other’s food preferences. Many of our hosts have students from several countries, with the common food being served within our host families being ‘British/Italian’. This is a huge adjustment for our students who are used to eating rice/noodles and lots of fresh fish. It can be very challenging both physically and mentally, for a student to adopt a new diet along with all the other changes in his/her life. It can also be uncomfortable for the host to feel that the student does not like the meals being prepared. Talking about what food items are eaten at different meals in each country, is a good way to understand each other’s eating preferences. Organising a trip to the supermarket together gives the student an opportunity to show you a few items that they enjoy eating. One of the best conversations to have at first with your new students, is a discussion about food. Prepare in advance of their arrival a two or three week rotation of your menu. Talk through the dishes, and get feedback on what they like. After you have made each dish, again get feedback. This way you can shape the menu to suit the students’ tastes. A great suggestion from one of our most successful hosts is to once a week, serve a native dish from one of your students’ home countries, possibly even letting the student help! Students are expected to eat dinner with their host family Sunday – Wednesday as a minimum, however can make alternative arrangements due to sport/late night clubs/eating at school. These should be agreed with the host family in advance.
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What to do when students are unwell or need medication During College Hours In order to provide full medical care including dental and optical attention, all students who are unwell must:
Call the college reception on 01223 578280 before 8:15am to advise that they are unwell.
If a student is too unwell to attend college, they will receive a call from Matron (Dawn Kent) who will assess the student’s medical condition over the phone and arrange appropriate medical care for them. She may also send a taxi to bring the student into school
Matron will keep you informed of the student’s illness, any medicines prescribed and symptoms to look out for that may mean the student’s illness is deteriorating.
If a student in your care is ill and cannot attend school, please call the college reception yourself to inform staff as soon as you can. If we do not know that a student is ill and at home, we will start chasing them for not turning up to their lessons. This may mean calling you at work to find out where the student is. If students do not follow the above procedure they may be marked as unauthorised on their attendance record. All our students are registered with Woodlands Surgery. Outside of College Hours (evenings, weekends and holidays) When the college is closed and you have any medical concerns regarding your student please contact Woodlands Surgery on 01223 697 600 or NHS 111. If you have serious health concerns about your student requiring immediate medical attention, take them to Addenbrooke’s Hospital or dial 999 for an ambulance. In an emergency situation or anytime you need support from school, please call the emergency phone 07584 705720. Host
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Students who have a medical condition The school will inform host families by letter, if a student in their care has a medical condition and is taking prescribed medication Medication Students should only take their own prescribed medicine from their GP or their own over the counter simple remedies recommended by the GP or pharmacist. Students should not share or lend their medication to other students. Please do not offer your own medication; you can however dispense simple home remedies following the advice given by Matron in your medical training. You will receive a blue medical box containing paracetamol and ibuprofen. All dispensed medication must be logged and reported to Matron. Students should bring all medication into school with them for their school induction. This will then be stored in school and returned to them before they return home for the holidays. Students cannot have their own medication in their rooms unless prescribed in the UK and approved by Matron.
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Curfew, overnight stays and going home Curfew times are different on school nights and at the weekend, and vary dependent on student age: Students aged 16
Weekdays
Breakfast and leave for school (time as advised by your host)
07:15-08:45am
Clubs/free time
From end of school until dinner
Dinner (as advised by your host)
5-7:30pm
Students are expected to eat dinner with their host family Sunday-Wednesday as a minimum
Prep/independent study
7:30-9pm
Curfew (must be in host family)
9pm
Bedtime (no noise)
10pm (Sunday – Thursday)
Students aged 16
Weekends
Breakfast (as advised by your host)
08:30-10:00am
Clubs/ activities/ events/free time
Agreed with host
(maximum 5 hours at a time—must inform host where going) Prep/independent study (as required)
1-3 hours per day as needed
Dinner (as advised by your host)
5-730pm
Curfew (must be in host family)
9:30pm
Bedtime (no noise)
11pm (Friday and Saturday)
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Students aged 17+
Weekdays
Breakfast and leave for school (time as advised by your host)
07:15-08:15am
Clubs/prep/free time
From end of school until dinner
Dinner (as advised by your host)
5-7:30pm
Students are expected to eat dinner with their host family Sunday-Wednesday as a minimum
Prep/independent study (as required)
Until 8pm
Curfew (must be in host family)
9pm
Bedtime (no noise)
10:30pm
Students aged 17+
Weekends
Breakfast (as advised by your host)
08-10am
Free time
Agreed with host
Prep/independent study (as required)
1-3 hours per day as needed
Dinner (as advised by your host)
5-7:30pm
Curfew (must be in host family)
10:30pm
Bedtime (no noise)
11pm (Friday and Saturday)
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Arrangements for students living in lodgings wishing to stay away overnight/during holidays As a host family, it is important that you know the whereabouts of your students, especially if they wish to visit family or friends at the weekends. Students cannot simply go away overnight. A student who is not at home and not at school after curfew time, is missing. If a student wishes to stay away from the host family over night or past allowed curfew, they must ask a parent/guardian to submit a request in writing at least three days in advance to the accommodation team. Overnight stays are only permitted at the weekend, although permission may be granted mid-week in exceptional circumstances with requests dealt with on a case by case basis. The Accommodation Team will need the information below provided by the parents by the Wednesday before the planned absence: Date of absence Name of adult student is staying with Contact number of adult Email of adult Address of adult Relationship of adult to the student How student is travelling to address Expected time and date of return If you are in doubt, please call a member of the accommodation team or out of hours the emergency phone. If your student is travelling by public transport, please ensure they know the cost of travel, the location of the bus/train stations, that they have a copy of or access to the timetables, and how to get from the bus/train station to their final destination. It is very important that the above guidelines are followed and that the students understand the procedure. Of course unplanned events or circumstances may alter the above, in which case, contact the emergency phone for advice. If a student fails to return when planned, follow the procedure for missing students on page 22. Host
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Having an email account is essential in order that school, our students’ parents and their guardians are able to contact you with written permissions. Always check with school that we are aware of a request for a student to stay away elsewhere. You may find it useful to use the overnight stay check sheets sent to you at the start of the year to help with your own record keeping. Any student requesting absence during the school day for example to attend an interview, must have permission from their housemaster.
Going home for holidays Many of our first year students like to return home for the holidays, however some will stay in the UK for the whole of their academic year. The UKVI requires Abbey College Cambridge to have an awareness of where all our students are. This means that we must know when students return home or travel. Students are NOT permitted to leave early to fly home, apart from in exceptional circumstances. All requests for early leave are dealt with by Housemasters and you will be notified if permission is granted. If a student informs you that they are going home during term time, you must contact school immediately to confirm. It is very important that you help us to collate all information as to who is staying in the country for the holidays and who is returning home, by responding to the emails sent by the accommodation team. Term dates are published well in advance and students must stay until the holidays start. In order to fly home early, parents need to send their permission to the accommodation team or tutor, who will log this on the school system and in turn you will be informed. Students under 18 cannot go travelling around the UK without an appropriate adult accompanying them, regardless of whether the parents have given permission. Whilst the student is at school, we are ‘loco parentis’ and therefore responsible for the student. If in doubt, please contact us at school.
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Missing students
If a student has failed to return home at curfew the following procedure should be followed:
call the student, explain that they are late and breaking curfew, you are worried about them and that they need to return to their host family immediately
if there is no answer, leave an answer phone message, send a text message and continue to call at regular intervals
check with the other students in your house to see if they have seen or been in contact with the student
check all student rooms
if no response and/or student is not found within 1 hour, contact the boarding team by calling the emergency number on 07584 705720
Once the student has been found, the college is informed and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. Persistent lateness should be referred to Stephanie, and this will be passed onto the housemaster and tutor, and in some cases, the Vice Principal Pastoral.
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School involvement Timetables If you have new students to the school staying with you, you will be posted their timetables once they have completed induction and subjects have been finalised (around a week after arrival). Returning students timetables will also be sent out at this time. Students timetables do vary with some having full days and others having free periods. Students are not allowed to return home during the school day apart from during pre-agreed study leave. All students must be in school for registration with their form tutors by 9am and should not return home until 4:30pm. After school events We hope that our host families will take interest in our students study and extracircular activates; encouraging them to join clubs and after school events. Host families receive a ‘weekly’ notices email with information regarding clubs and after school activities. Clubs and sports Abbey College Cambridge runs a variety of clubs which students are actively encouraged to join, currently there are over 60 clubs ranging from badminton to chess, football to yoga - there is certainly something for everyone to get involved with. Please encourage your students to join in with our college clubs and activities; joining a club is a great way for your students to meet new friends, have fun and enjoy something outside of studying! During the first few weeks of term, there is a clubs fair. This provides a great opportunity for students to talk to club leaders and sign up for a taster session. There are many studies that have looked into the positive effects of after school clubs on the brain, so please do all you can to encourage your students to join up. Students are given information about events, facilities and attractions within Cambridge, and it’s a good idea to encourage your students to go along. Of course attending a club after school, may mean that sometimes students return late missing the scheduled evening mealtime.
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School trips Each year, students are offered the chance to take part in an overseas trip. In previous years this has included New York, Iceland and a tour of Italy. Trips are charged as an additional fee, and are completely organised by Abbey College Cambridge. They are usually oversubscribed and a lot of fun!
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Safeguarding, Safety and Security Behaviour issues Should a student come across a problem when in their host family, they can approach their host family directly, their personal tutor, head of house or housemaster when at school, or any other member of staff they feel comfortable talking to. All students should abide by the rules set by Abbey College Cambridge for host families and their individual host family rules, and must carry out any reasonable request given by a member of the host family without delay. Host family approach:
Speak warmly to students
Ensure bedroom expectations are visible and explicit
Be consistent: if any student bedroom bypasses these policies then the message sent to students is one of division
We are a pastoral school and college and we are responsible for educating the whole child, therefore aim to be fair, consistent and nurturing
All members of the host family will treat our students as young adults and expect a friendly, courteous and hard-working atmosphere to prevail. Any student who detracts from this will face disciplinary action. Continued disruption may lead to suspension or expulsion from the college. Any concerns regarding the immediate safety of any of your students should be referred to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately, as per your child protection training. Level 1 - Low level issues (please notify of such issues even though low level) Slightly late for curfew or meals Leaving food items out in the bedroom to grow mould or poor room hygiene Speaking loudly on a phone/Skype after curfew Messy/untidy room Activating smoke alarm Losing keys
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Level 2 - Matters of concern (these need raising as soon as possible with Stephanie) Persistently late for curfew or significantly late for curfew (over half an hour) Causing damage to the fabric of the room Causing damage to furniture Burning candles or other flammable items in accommodation Rudeness/bad language/bad attitude Not responding to house parent/host family calls Refusal to co-operate Level 3 - Serious incidents (these need raising immediately with Stephanie or call the emergency phone) Intentional unauthorised absence from the host family Tampering with smoke alarm Smoking in room/starting a fire Starting a fire Bullying/harassment/intimidation/racism The Principal and authorised staff (Vice Principal, Director of Boarding and Housemasters) reserve the right to search students’ possessions and students rooms in all accommodation without consent, where they suspect the student has a prohibited item: Knives and weapons Alcohol Illegal drugs Stolen items Tobacco and cigarette papers Fireworks Pornographic materials An article used, or likely to be used, to commit an offence, cause personal injury or damage to property Any item banned by the school The police will be contacted if required Host
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Guideline House Rules Some students at Abbey College have come from boarding schools in their own countries where they have previously followed a strict routine, so being away from home and this routine can be very uprooting. Some students find it difficult to handle the new freedom that studying in the UK brings, so setting out a list of expectations on a printed list, perhaps on the kitchen door, or in their room, may really help them to adjust. The host family rules sent to you at the start of the academic year should be displayed in student rooms. Hosts should carry out regular inspections of student rooms and check for tidiness and cleanliness as well as any broken or damaged furniture. Host families should always knock and wait before entering student rooms. Your house rules should enable the student to fit into your family life, and for them to be able to take a little responsibility for themselves. Please be aware of student visitors to your home, and which student they are visiting. It is good manners for students to make you aware of their intention to bring friends home. Visitors to your students are not allowed in other students rooms, unless the door is open and you are aware. Host families should model good behaviour—speaking with warmth and respecting privacy. Please always feel confident in speaking to the Accommodation Team and asking for support/guidance, if students are having difficulties following or understanding host family rules. Fire safety Host families should endeavour to have adequate provision against fire and other hazards to safety. We request that all host families have:
smoke detectors on each floor
a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the kitchen
a carbon monoxide tester
an annual gas safety check for gas appliances (forwarded to the Accommodation Team) Host
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All ground floor bedroom windows should be lockable, and the key provided for the student so is necessary they can exit in a fire. Hosts should complete a practise fire evacuation within the first month of student arrival, to ensure students know how to leave the host home. The audible alarm should be tested and students advised what to do if they hear it. A log should be kept of the test evacuation and who was present. Personal possessions Hosts should also provide students with a lockable space in which to store their valuables and passports. Small safe boxes can be obtained from large DIY stores for approximately £15. Safes should be installed into a wardrobe or another secure area. Internet safety Please ensure you have appropriate filters in place on your broadband. There is content on the internet which no parent wants their child to see, and, despite what you may think, children do inadvertently stumble upon inappropriate things while searching for something else. As a result, a totally open internet is unsafe for children. Filtering will ensure;
You have overall control of the computer
Inappropriate content is blocked from appearing on the computer screen
A list is created of all the websites that your students have visited, so you can see if they are suitable or not
A reduced risk of you falling victim of computer viruses by restricting the websites your children can visit
Your personal information is protected on the computer
File sharing programs are blocked
Your broadband provider can provide help in the first instance, and indeed googling what to do will also help. If you need help with this, please do get in touch with the Accommodation Team as soon as possible. As part of our visits to your home, we will ask about the level of filtering in place.
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Please ensure that appropriate ‘filters’ are in place in your internet settings, ensuring students do not have access to inappropriate content. Please do not become ‘friends’ with students on Facebook or other social media sites. Bike safety Like every University City, Cambridge suffers from a real problem with bike theft. Please educate your students with regards this and make sure they have good locks for their bikes. All students riding a bike must wear a helmet on all journeys. Students are not permitted to cycle to school unless they have a helmet. Please update the accommodation team when requested with the names of your students who are cycling to school. Gas safety All host families must ensure they have a gas safety check carried out annually and a copy of the certificate sent to the accommodation team. Gas safety certificates should be kept in a safe place and on hand to show a member of the accommodation team during a home visit. Electrical safety Students should use appropriate adaptors for their laptops and other electrical devices. Overloaded sockets are dangerous and must be unplugged. Travel plugs for use by ‘visitors to the UK’ can be obtained from Amazon and such places for less that £1. Host families are advised to purchase several of these in advance. Council tax Students who are studying full time (21 hours per week or more) are exempt from paying council tax. Insurance It is important you inform your insurance company in writing that you are hosting students and you must ensure you have adequate cover. Fair wear and tear should not be charged to students, but they may be expected to pay for any damage caused by their carelessness. (Please see page 30-31 with regards this)
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Contracts, agreement and policies Agreements There is an agreement between Abbey College Cambridge and the host family which is revised annually. You are expected to sign and return your copy of the agreement by 31st August 2019. There is no written contract between the student and the host family. A booking letter is provided from the Accommodation Team at the start of the students’ stay confirming their details and their four week notice period as well as the amount to be invoiced per week. Accommodation rent fees All host family accommodation is priced according to distance from school and facilities offered; rooms with en suite bedrooms are charged at a premium. Rents are reviewed annually and are set by Abbey College Cambridge in discussion with the host family. No increase in rents charged are permitted without discussion with the Head of Accommodation. Accommodation rent payments Host family accommodation rent is paid in payable by the student direct to the host family four weeks in advance. Students are instructed to pay four weeks’ fees direct to the host family on arrival. It is sensible to allow the student up to 2 days to make their first payment to you. Please do not accept any reasons for late payment, the issue of late monies will be dealt with at school. Please report late payments to the Head of Accommodation immediately. Student deposit Host families should not take a deposit from the student; a deposit is held at school for each student, and this is taken as part of the registration fees before the student arrives. Any cleaning or damages charges will be taken from the school deposit, upon receipt of an invoice sent by the host family to school. Please speak to The Accommodation Team about invoicing for damages. Any damage caused by students in your care, must be inspected by a member of the Accommodation Team. Please also take a photo of the damage and send this to the Accommodation Team. Host
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It is essential that the host family walks around the student’s room with the student upon their arrival, making a list of existing damage/wear and tear when the student first moves in. It is important that the condition of the room is agreed by the student and the host to avoid future issues. Invoices It is good practise to keep a record of invoices sent, either in a paper form or electronically. These should be kept in a safe place, easily accessible if requested by the Accommodation Team. Please also keep a log of payments received from your students, as well as dates. Home visits Your home will be visited by a member of the accommodation team on a termly basis. The visits ensure our outstanding host family standards are being kept, as well as providing an opportunity to inspect the students’ rooms. Visits also provide time for you to raise any concerns that you may have. Move requests Both students and host families can request a student move. If a host family requests a move, a plausible reason must be given. Moves are dealt with on a case by case basis by the Head of Accommodation.
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Child Protection Policy In all its educational establishments, the Alpha Plus Group aims to provide a supportive and controlled environment in which children and young people are encouraged to pursue high academic and personal goals as happy and secure individuals. The Group expects that all its staff will be alert to the needs of its pupils and students - including their need for protection - and will put the interests of children and young people first at all times. This Group policy will be reviewed annually and updated as required by the Board of Governors. Copies of the policy will be provided to any member of staff or parent on request. All host families are sent a printed copy of the revised policy as soon as it is available. The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Abbey College Cambridge is Carolyn Dunn. If you have any concerns email carolyn.dunn@abbeycambridge.co.uk or call Carolyn directly 07557 391498. All host families will receive Child Protection training at the start of each new academic year.
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General Tips Welcoming new students Most students usually arrive feeling very tired, hungry, and a little disoriented after a long international flight. Even those who have travelled on a shorted flight are tired and may appear withdrawn. Some students have broken English, some may appear confused, and possibly a little frightened. They may seem quiet during the first few days, however once they have had a chance to sleep, eat and gain some confidence to speak English, you should start to see a warmer, more sociable person. During the first few days, the student will want to get unpacked, visit the surrounding area, open a bank account, and learn how to use public transport, as well as finding out how to get to and from Abbey College Cambridge. During induction week for new students, school invite the bank in to help students open a new account. This is always within the first week of the new academic term. It is during these first few days, when the student may need you to answer questions and provide some assistance with the “easing in” process. You should also discuss your household guidelines with the student, what responsibilities you both will have, each other’s expectations and what your schedules will be.
Students Experiencing Culture Shock For many students studying at Abbey College this is perhaps the first time they have been away from their parents, their home and their country for a prolonged period of time. Living in a new culture is sometimes difficult. However, it can also be very exciting. Living in a foreign country can open new doors, introduce new ways of thinking, and give the opportunity of making friends from a different culture. However, some students might experience “culture shock” after arriving in the UK. Culture shock is emotional distress some people feel when they move abroad. If you suspect your student has culture shock, contact Stephanie the Head of Host
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Accommodation, or Carolyn Dunn (DSL). In this instance, students will normally meet informally with their Housemaster or their tutor. All students will have a period of adjustment, some may suffer more than others and may withdraw from people as a result. Certainly on arrival, many things will be a challenge, here are some examples:
opening a bank account
seeking medical advice
not understanding the “social rules”
making friends
learning a new language
new foods
different moral and religious codes and customs
not knowing how to speak to members of staff
Students may also:
Miss family and friends
Feel sad or lonely
Have worries about their health
Have erratic sleep patterns ( too much/too little )
Have no desire to interact
Feel a loss of identity
Lack confidence and feel useless
Cultural differences can cause misunderstandings for hosts as well as students. We can often feel offended when things are said in the wrong way. In many cultures requests are expressed directly, ‘give me’, is not disrespectful, the student may simply be unaware of polite ‘English’ language. The best way to deal with any issues is simply to anticipate them and address them. Please do not hesitate to contact Stephanie or a member of the accommodation or boarding team at school if you need to. Please also be aware of those students moving from boarding and into a host family. This can present its own challenges.
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English Speaking Skills Some of our international students have limited English skills when they first arrive, so you can expect there to sometimes be challenges in the area of communication. If the student appears to be having trouble speaking or with comprehension, ask them to use google translate or even start using a pencil and paper. Try to communicate both verbally and in writing. Always encourage the student to speak as much English as possible, and of course recognise and celebrate their progress. Gender Roles Some of our students may not be aware of how different the roles of men and women are in the UK compared to other countries. We emphasize that all people are treated with respect, attention and consideration and that all genders are considered equal.
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Feedback Abbey College Cambridge is very proud to work with outstanding host families, who offer a consistently high level of care to Abbey College Cambridge students year after year. Feedback received improves year on year, with host families taking on board constructive comments and improving the offering to students. All hosts receive feedback letters following student voice surveys. Abbey Cambridge host families appreciate the positive comments students offer, as well as working to improve on areas requiring development.
Student Voice How our students feel about where they live is very important to the Abbey College Cambridge team. Students who feel welcome in their host family, who are provided with a balanced diet, a warm and clean home, and with a host family who are genuinely interested in what the student has to say, will feed back to school in a positive way. Students have the chance to make their voice heard anonymously using student surveys. The student voice is very important, with issues raised usually affecting several students in a family. The Student Voice enables students who may not speak up, to speak openly about where they live.
Celebrating our host community success The standard of care and support offered by our host community is very hard to quantify. To compare such a small community against itself, does not seem fair nor achievable, therefore no host is announced as ‘the best’. Instead, each month hosts are recognized and rewarded by way of a monthly ‘super host draw’. Hosts are sent an Amazon voucher to use at their will. In addition, hosts are rewarded with a Christmas social event, as well as school recognising their effort in the students’ personal development with regular communication from the Head of Accommodation. Students remaining in their host family for 2 sometimes 3 consecutive years, is a true reflection of our host’s success.
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