What is a guardian?
A guardian is an adult you nominate to be responsible for your child if they come to the UK to study.
Do I need a guardian for my child?
Essentially all British schools require guardians for children up to the age of 18.
What does a guardian actually do?
The most important role a guardian plays is to be a point of contact in the case of emergency:
- If your child is taken ill or is injured.
- If urgent decisions need to be taken and you are unreachable.
- If documents need to be signed at short notice.
- If your child is excluded from school (it does happen!)
- If an emergency means the school has to close temporarily.
- If any other issues arise during term time.
Another key function for some families is to find a guardian who can act as host family during holidays and breaks from school. This can be an important part of a child's experience in the UK.
How do I find a guardian?
Oak Jones Educational provides a guardian service for all the numbered points above. We supplement these basic points with our rolling academic support: attending parents' meetings on your behalf and providing long-term academic guidance. We take care to build a strong relationship with your child's school to facilitate communication.
We do not provide a host family service. For clients who require a host family arrangement, we work with accredited guardian organisations to ensure you find a good match. We also recommend guardian organisations if your child's school is not in the South-East of England.