In the UK, it is a requirement of your visa and a boarding school condition that every child from overseas must have a parent or an appointed guardian resident in the UK to take care of them.

Absolutely. Pippa’s Guardians is a fully accredited member of AEGIS (The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students). AEGIS demands the highest of standards. Every member company has been fully inspected, has passed many strict criteria and can be relied on to provide top quality care for your child. We take our responsibility for caring for your child very seriously.

Our team of dedicated and experienced Area Managers have special responsibility to you and your child ensuring their academic success and pastoral welfare. All our Area Managers are located close to your child’s school to offer responsive and continuous support. They have personal knowledge of all the schools our students attend and act as mentor and advocate for your child, in your absence. With twice termly visits, they have a genuine interest in the academic and personal development of your child while they are studying in the UK. If required, they will ensure you are represented at Parent Teacher meetings. They have expert knowledge of the boarding school system and university application, all of which ensure your child is getting the very best out of their experience of studying in the UK.

We also offer additional services such as our UNIVERSITY ADVISORY SERVICE and PIPPA’S CAMPS giving your child more opportunities.

Please visit: https://pippasguardians.com/uk-guardianship/apply-for-guardianship/#applicationprocess

You will be assigned a Pippa’s Area Manager who lives close to your child’s school, they will be your main point of contact. The method of communication is entirely your preference. Our Area Managers regularly use email, whatsapp, wechat and of course phone.

For our Chinese families, our Chinese Liaison Officer is also available should you find it easier to communicate in Mandarin.

This will require a full term’s notice in writing. Any money left over in your child’s account will then be refunded to you.

Please see Our Policies.

We have been looking after international students since 1997 and are experts in this field. As a family run business founded on sound values we make it our business to get to know your child well with regular visits and high quality pastoral support. We place a strong emphasis on strong working relationships and responsive communication. We keep in regular contact with House parents, the School and host families to ensure that your daughter or son is safe, settles in well, makes good progress and has everything needed to flourish in the UK.

We are accredited by AEGIS vet our host families thoroughly and know each family personally. This means that when we discuss matching your child with a host family you can be confident that they will meet your child’s needs well.

We also have a 24/7 hour emergency telephone number to ensure that your child will be looked after no matter the time of day or night.

You and your child will be matched with a Pippa’s Guardians’ Area Manager who lives local to your child’s school. Our Area Managers have a genuine interest in the academic and personal development of your child and will visit them regularly, acting as mentor and advocate for your child, in your absence. Your Area Manager will have personal knowledge of the school your child is attending and will liaise with the school and host families on your behalf.

You will receive regular reports and updates from your Area Manager and they are contactable by email or phone at any time, all of which ensures your child is getting the very best out of their experience of studying in the UK.

Your child will be registered with his or her School’s local National Health Service Doctor who will attend to your child should they fall ill. This is provided free of charge even if they are admitted to hospital. In the event of serious illness or injuries, we will be in contact with you and keep you informed of your child’s progress at all times. All schools also have an in-house nurse and medical centre to care for your child’s needs on a day to day basis.

Pippa’s Guardians can be contacted 24/7 for emergencies. All relevant contact numbers will be provided to you, your child, the School and the host family for everyone’s peace of mind.

Schools provide regular written reports on their students’ academic progress. Typically, you will receive three written academic reports a year, one at the end of each term. Your child will also be assessed with grade marks for effort and achievement at regular intervals throughout each term. In addition, there will be an annual parent-teacher meeting which we will attend on your behalf if requested. We will send you a full written report of this meeting.

We understand that there is a connection between discipline and your child’s success. That’s why we make every effort to ensure that your child maintains a good discipline record and keeps the School’s regulations. Regular discussions with the School ensure that discipline is tracked at all times and measures are taken before the School feels the need to administer stronger penalties. No school tolerates smoking, drinking alcohol or the use of drugs. Should your child be excluded or suspended from the school for a period of time as a result of breaking these rules, host families will be in attendance to care for him or her during this period.

Pippa’s Guardians will visit your child at least twice a term. We believe that this face-to-face contact is essential to the welfare and happiness of your child and is of utmost priority for us. We also encourage your child to contact Pippa’s Guardians at any time should they require any assistance.

Absolutely. You dictate how much you’d like your child to receive and we will transfer this to them either through the school safe or through their own bank account.

Yes and we can assist with this.

Since we know our host families so very well, the most practical solution is for us to match your child with the most suitable family through the selection criteria. You will, of course, be informed of the decision and be provided with full details of the host family. No placement will go ahead without your consent, meaning that your child is never placed with a family with which you are not comfortable.

Your child will be provided with his or her own room and desk, although sometimes students ask to share rooms with their friends or the other children within the family. This can often provide friendship and support and can be arranged if required.

Each Host Family is vetted and checked to the highest standard and in line with AEGIS best practice guidelines at all times. You can read more about the vetting process here https://pippasguardians.com/hosting/#selectionprocess

Typically, your child will stay with his or her host family during the two weekend breaks (exeats) and the half term holiday which most schools have each term. There are three terms in total. Most students fly home for the holidays between terms and some for the long half term break. If your child needs to stay with the host family for a period at the start or end of term, as is sometimes the case, we can arrange that too.

Yes, of course. We want your child to feel safe and happy. So if we need to change the family for whatever reason we do. However, we are confident that our selection criteria ensures that the most suitable family will be found for your child.

Pippa’s Guardians also offer a selection of study camps during half term breaks https://pippasguardians.com/holiday-camps/

The host family will provide three meals a day as well as snacks for your child, just like they would any other member of their family. We create a student profile for all of our students which includes information about food they like and dislike as well as any allergies. These profiles are shared with the host family prior to the student’s stay.

We have many different types of host families who care for our students. Some are busy, active families with school age children, others might have older children who are living away at university. Some are starting to enjoy their retirement with lots of time and energy offering a calm and peaceful home for
our students. All types of families demonstrate a willingness to welcome a student to their home, they have time to care for them properly whilst offering their student guest a private bedroom.

If the host family has more than one spare bedroom, it is likely there will be another student staying at the host family. If there is more than one of our students staying in the same host family, we aim to match similar students, eg classmates from school, age, gender, interests etc where possible.
If your child wants to share with a friend or sibling, please notify your Area Manager and we will do our best to accommodate this.

Pupils usually go back to the same host family for successive exeat weekend and half terms, allowing them to build a special relationship with their ‘English Mum and Dad’. If your child’s regular host family is unavailable during a school break, we will offer your child an alternative option.

After what is usually a long flight and an emotional departure, we think it is important for your child to be met by a friendly face. All our drivers are known to Pippa’s Guardians and have been thoroughly checked and vetted. Wherever possible we will allocate the same driver so your child gets to know him or her well. Some schools arrange a bus service for their international students, which you are welcome to choose if you prefer.

You might decide to have your child travel as an ‘Unaccompanied Minor’ which means they are thoroughly looked after by the airline and released only to an authorised representative, who must be carrying all the correct identification. In these circumstances we provide all the relevant details of the driver to you and the airline before your child’s flight.

Pippa’s Guardians will arrange safe transportation for your child with either the host family or a trusted transport provider. Details of which will be communicated with parents, students and the school via email in advance.

Our local Area Managers are very much aware of the complexities of preparing for international travel during the pandemic. Local government and airline requirements across the world are ever changing and we work closely with our parents and agents to make sure we can assist in preparing our students for a smooth journey home. We happily support with the logistics of attending appointments at approved clinics for pre-travel testing, always adhering to the required timescales for testing. We are also committed to keeping all our parents well informed of the latest requirements of the UK government for entry to the UK to ensure a straightforward return to school at the end of a holiday. We understand that travel is an anxious time for parents and students and the Pippa’s team are on hand to do all we can to help.