International School Information for Homestay Hosts
This information booklet has been produced to help both you and your international student know what to expect from one another. If this is your first time accommodating our students, we hope you will find the following information useful and that both you and your student(s) will find the experience rewarding and satisfying! About Homestay accommodation Part of what makes Itchen Sixth Form College so inclusive is that we have students from all over the world coming to Southampton to study with us. During their stay here, our international students need accommodation, and that s where our Homestay hosts come in. They welcome a student (or sometimes two) into their homes for the duration of their time at Itchen. We very much appreciate and value the people who offer accommodation and welcome our international students into their homes. Homestay accommodation provides our international students with a safe and friendly environment and gives them the opportunity to experience British culture first-hand. All new Homestay host applicants homes will be inspected by International Student Officer Caroline Flood who will be looking for warm, comfortable, safe and clean environments; all of which are essential for our students to be able to study and also relax during their time at college. Should your accommodation be suitable, everyone in the household over 16 will be required to complete a DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service) before being accepted onto our Homestay register. As soon as the DBS check is complete and you have been deemed a suitable applicant, we will match you with a student. If your circumstances change for example, your accommodation is altered after the inspection has been carried out, or there s a change in who is living there/to who has frequent access to the household etc then we ask that you contact us immediately, in order for us to keep our records up-to-date. By becoming a Homestay host, you accept certain responsibilities for the student s wellbeing during their time in the UK. Integration with the host family is one of the most important aspects of the student s stay with you. We ask that you encourage the student to share daily life with you, from having the opportunity to sit and chat with you at meal times, to spending time participating in family activities. Occasions such as these are invaluable as they allow our students to practice their English conversation skills as well as helping them to feel like part of your family. We also ask that you take an interest in your student s attendance and progress at college, just as you would if they were your own child. You will receive a text message if your student misses a lesson without authorisation. Meals During the week, you will be expected to provide a healthy dinner and breakfast. Students are able to purchase lunch during the week from the college canteen or from local shops. Lunches should be provided at weekends. You will receive a supplement should your student stay over the Christmas holidays. Please let your student know when meal times are and we expect the student to inform you if they plan to be absent for a mealtime. If you agree to take a student from a different religious or cultural background, please be aware that this may require special dietary or social provisions. Further information can be obtained from the college should you require it. Meal examples Breakfast: Either a cooked full English or a continental, bread, cereal, tea/coffee. Evening meal: Meat/fish, potatoes/rice/pasta and vegetables. Plus a dessert, ie. fruit or a yogurt, drink. Accommodation Facilities Long term international students are required to have their own room. Short stay taster international students are able to share a room. The student s room should have adequate lighting and heating. Storage for clothing is required, along with a desk and a chair to enable them to study. A change of bed linen should be made available each week, along with clean towels if required. Students will usually bring their own towels, but if this is 1
not the case, we kindly ask that you provide them. Many of our students come from warmer climates and will be grateful for extra bedding being provided during the cold winter months. Students will be used to taking daily showers or baths, whichever is available, so it is advisable to come to an agreement about when it would be convenient for them to use the bathroom if there are several people in your family. International students are often surprised that English families don t normally run the central heating throughout the night so please be prepared to explain about the cost of heating, so that they understand the situation. Water If you are on a water meter, it is important to ensure that you tell your student not to spend too long in the shower and not to have too many showers per day, otherwise your water bill will skyrocket! Don t be scared to tell them. It s fine to decide on a suitable time limit for their needs but it is worth remembering that girls may require longer time to wash their hair. Gas and Electric Following on from the shower usage, limiting the time spent in the shower will also stop excessive use of energy to heat the water. Most students will have an array of gadgets, usually including a laptop. It is worth mentioning to your student that they should turn off any electrical items and chargers if they are not using them, as even if the item is turned off, it is still using a small amount of power from the mains! House rules and expectations If you have any special requests or certain house rules (for example, taking shoes off inside the house), please make them clear at the beginning of your student s stay. It s reasonable to expect the student to inform you of the time they ll be back when they go out. If a student wishes to entertain friends, they should reach a prior agreement with you and ensure that your wishes are respected. Students are expected to be responsible for keeping their own room tidy and to comply with family life and your house rules. Homestay hosts should regard and treat the students as a member of the family. It is also important that students and Homestay hosts talk about house rules, customs etc, to avoid any misunderstandings. Payment You must not accept any direct payments from students. From September 2017, the current rate of payment is 128 per week per student who lives in your home. This is based on you providing half board during the week, full board at weekends and provided that your accommodation meets the following criteria: the room is in a good state of decoration; there is a desk and chair in the room; there is wireless internet access (Wi-Fi) or a computer with Broadband in the room; there s central heating (or an appropriate alternative); the room is no smaller than 10ft x 7ft; there is a lamp and a mirror in the room; there is a single bed in the room; and the student has suitable storage for clothes. Rooms will be inspected by Caroline Flood, International Student Officer, prior to Homestays being allocated. A student pays their accommodation costs directly to the college and the college then pays the Homestay by bank credit transfer every 4 weeks directly into a bank account. The amount will be 2 weeks in arrears and 2 weeks in advance. You will be paid for all accommodation provided on a weekly basis from Monday to Sunday. You will be required to provide the college with your bank details to enable payments to be made on time. Please remember to let us know if you 2
change your bank account details. Through the government s Rent a Room scheme, you are legally entitled to earn up to 7,500* rental income a year before you have to start paying tax. This is because you have a tax free allowance on revenue made from your home. If however, you do earn more than this figure, you will have to declare your earnings and fill out the appropriate tax form. *Correct at time of print (March 2017). You are advised to check this figure is still current. Council Tax If a student is studying full time they will not be required to pay Council Tax. The International School Office will be able to provide a letter confirming this if necessary. Student arrivals The college will inform you of the anticipated date and time of your student s arrival. We usually provide the taxi transfer of students from the airport direct to the Homestay accommodation. We do not expect Homestay hosts to collect the student(s) from the airport. The college cannot accept any financial responsibility for the non-arrival of a student, although we would do our best to place another student as soon as possible. Telephone and Internet To prevent any problems, we suggest a lock or a call-barring system being fitted to your telephone. We consider it reasonable to allow a student to receive incoming phone calls, provided this is within sociable hours and does not cause any disruptions to you. We also suggest that all outgoing calls are made under your supervision. If your student has access to Wi-Fi in your home, please make them aware if there is a limit on downloading each month as excessive usage and going over this limit will increase your monthly bill. You might also wish to investigate the possibility of setting up parental controls to ensure that students are not able to download excessive amounts, access unsuitable websites or use the internet all night. Itchen Sixth Form College cannot take responsibility for telephone calls or internet use made by students in your home. Laundry We ask that you provide washing machine and laundry facilities for the student to use and suggest that you give them a nominated day of the week for their laundry to be done. If you choose for your student to do their own laundry, you will need to demonstrate how your appliances work to prevent any potential problems. Keys All students should be given their own door key to allow them free access to your home. If you do not wish for them to have their own key, someone must be available at all times to allow them entry. The college cannot take responsibility for any loss or damage that could occur through possession of this key. It is unlikely that any student will abuse this privilege but should this happen, please contact Caroline Flood immediately. Insurance Homestay hosts are advised that Itchen Sixth Form College cannot accept any liability for any claim in respect of damage caused by students or their guests, whether by accident or by negligence. All Homestay hosts providing accommodation to students are required to inform their household insurers that they have a student staying with them in the house. If an accident involving the student is found to be the result of negligence on the part of the Homestay host, then a claim may be made. It is therefore advised that appropriate insurance is arranged. Gas regulations Homestay hosts providing accommodation are 3
make alternative arrangements. If your student is over the age of 18 and are happy to be left home alone (ie. for the weekend) and has permission from their parents, we still require that you inform us to confirm that the arrangements are acceptable to all concerned. The Protection of Children Act 1999 If you agree to accept students under the age of 18, all members of the household and/or lodgers aged 16 and above will be required by law to undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. Child protection It is our duty as a college, under the Education Act 2002, to provide and safeguard the welfare of children. With regards to Homestay hosts, we are committed to ensuring a safe environment in which young people can live and learn whilst they are with us at Itchen. All college staff undergo a DBS check to ensure that they have no convictions that may jeopardise the safety of our students. All Homestay hosts and members of the household aged 16 and above must also undergo this check. classed as landlords/landladies under the Gas Safety Regulations (Installation and Use). These regulations were introduced to ensure that all gas appliances provided in rented premises were modern and safe for the tenants to use. Consequently, providing a room for anyone, including an international student, means that you need to conform to the regulations by ensuring that all boilers and central heating systems are installed and serviced under contract with competent persons only. Such work can only be conducted by businesses that are members of the Gas Safe Register (formerly CORGI). We would like to remind you that it is your responsibility to conform to the regulations and obtain a certificate, which we take a copy of on an annual basis. Failure to do so is breaking the law. You are also required to complete an annual fire risk assessment and ensure that fire alarms and a carbon monoxide alarm are fitted throughout the house and regularly tested. Home alone We are aware that there may be a time when you re called away from home. We remind you that students under the age of 18 are not allowed to be left home alone for extended periods of time and we ask that you contact the college to allow us to We also require all Homestay hosts to disclose any driving offences that they may have to us. Whilst we do not expect Homestay hosts to transport students on a daily basis, we do know that it will be necessary on occasions, therefore the college must be aware of any driving offences and of any changes to the family s circumstances - ie a driving ban, points on your licence, failed MOT, lapsed insurance etc. The college also asks that you respect confidentiality and do not disclose any student s personal information, health or other issues to anyone not related to Itchen Sixth Form College. A college counsellor is available for all of our students to turn to if they have any concerns about bullying, harassment etc. The international students can also go to Caroline Flood for additional support. Doctors/Dentists We ask that you help your student register with your own local family doctor and dentist if at all possible. They will be required to complete a form which they may need a little assistance to complete. If you do have any problems with this, please contact the college. Visitors book Homestay hosts are required by law to keep a Visitors Book which records each student s names, addresses and arrival and departure details. College attendance Students should not be absent from college 4
unless there is a genuine reason. If the student is ill, please let the college know by calling 023 8043 5636 every day they are absent. Emergency telephone number 023 8043 9203 Emergencies The college has a 24-hour phone contact for emergencies. The students are provided with this number, however it should only be used in genuine emergencies, when a situation arises that needs to be resolved prior to the next working day. Typical examples of this include: physical abuse; student hospitalisation; or situations where the issues needs to be referred to the student s next of kin, due to consent requirements. For non-emergencies and general matters and enquiries, please contact: Caroline Flood, International Student Officer Telephone: 023 8043 5636 ext. 216 Email: cflood@itchen.ac.uk Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8.30-16.30 (excluding Bank Holidays). Queries or problems Since the student is a paying guest in the home they have no particular duties or chores other than to take participate in daily life and fit in in the best possible way. It is the responsibility of both parties to achieve this successfully and this will require effort from all involved. If you do have difficulties, please try to sort the problem(s) out by talking about the issues with the student. If it still cannot be resolved or the solution doesn t appear to be working, please refer the problem to Caroline Flood. In the case of illness or accident, please call your own doctor and notify the college as appropriate. We would like to maintain a close liaison with you and to be in a position to help resolve any problems the student or yourself may encounter. Top tips for a successful Homestay Set out your guidelines from the start: remember the student will have no idea of how your household runs so take the time to explain. Be prepared for your student in advance: have the student s room ready for when they arrive. Give your student a tour of your house: don t forget to show them how things work, ie. household appliances. Take your student for a brief drive or walk around the local area: it only takes a short time but it will answer a lot of questions instantly. Also drive (or walk, if possible) the route that the student will walk to college. If necessary, show them how and where to catch the correct bus. Remember to exchange contact numbers with your student: this may seem obvious but it can easily be forgotten. Ask what foods your student likes/dislikes: different cultures may eat different things. Do try to involve them as best as you can in your daily life: include them in family activities, go out together on weekends, etc. Don t leave problems to niggle you: if the student has done something wrong, you must resolve the issue straight away before a small problem becomes a major issue. Inform your student of mealtimes: make sure they re aware of when they need to be home and that they inform you when they won t be there. Expect to make friends: a lot of our Homestay hosts keep in touch with their students after they ve left Itchen. Some have even gone on holiday to visit them in their own countries! Expect to learn about cultures from all over the world: our international students come from counties including China, Hong Kong, Italy, Brazil, Japan, Russia and many others. Communication is essential: get to know your student by simply talking to them, this will help to improve their English skills and will also enrich your overall Homestay experience. If you re new to hosting a student, you may be apprehensive and unsure of what to expect. It is only natural to feel nervous and out of your comfort zone. When waiting for your new student to arrive please remember, they re in the same situation and are probably even more nervous than you! We hope this booklet has answered any questions you might have had but please do not hesitate to contact us should you need anything. Caroline Flood, Lynne Jones and Louisa Bonney: our International Student Officers. Caroline organises, and liaises with, our Homestay hosts. 5