With growing numbers of international students in UK boarding schools, Guardianship is gaining visibility within the industry and at government level. The Department for Education is placing increasing emphasis on Guardianship and with the revisions to the DfE’s National Minimum Standards for Boarding, which are anticipated later in 2019, there is every reason to believe that Guardianship will be referenced. Higher guardianship standards are to be promoted, and schools will be encouraged to work closely with AEGIS-accredited guardianship companies.
It is expected that schools will have to take more responsibility for the whereabouts of their pupils during the whole of their time in the UK, not just during term times but during the holidays and weekends too. Every student in the care of Pippa’s Guardians has a comprehensive host family and travel schedule, coordinated and arranged by our Head Office team, so we are already providing a valuable level of structure and support for schools. Well in advance of every exeat, half term and school holiday, we inform parents, children and schools of the pupil’s exact travel arrangements. This plan includes host family details and how the pupil is travelling to their house, or if they are flying out of the UK, we provide timings of taxis or buses to the airport. The same arrangements are confirmed ready for their return to the UK after the holidays. In short, we already have procedures in place to account for pupils’ whereabouts, and we’re looking forward to working even more closely with boarding schools to ensure they meet minimum standards.
Any additional legislation within a largely unregulated industry can only be good news for everyone involved, and here at Pippa’s Guardians we welcome any changes which will prioritise pupil welfare.