Does our child stay with you at Half Term & Exeat weekends?

No, we have specially selected families with whom your child will stay. However, you may prefer your child to stay with relatives or friends (if they live in the UK), in which case we would need your consent for this and full contact details. Your child may also need to stay with a family at the beginning or end of school terms. The cost of host family stays is paid from your personal Student's Expenses Fund.

How do you choose your Host Families?

Host Families come to us either by recommendation or through their own application. Prospective families are required to give details of the family members, their work, their interests, their pets and other information to determine their suitability for hosting students. We then arrange a home visit to meet the family and inspect the facilities available to the student, especially the bedroom and bathroom. The visit also helps us to establish if the family is caring and warm, which is extremely important for the welfare of your child. We make detailed notes which enable us to match your child to a suitable family. All of our families are checked by the Criminal Records Bureau and provide references.

How often will you meet my child?

Either the Principal or a Quest Guardians representative will meet with your child on the day or within a few days of arrival in the UK and thereafter at least once each term. If circumstances require it, a number of additional visits are arranged. We keep in regular contact with our students as well as with both the school and the host families.

How will our child get from airport to school and from school to/from the host family?

We arrange your child's travel within the UK. Airport transfers are either by school bus or by licensed taxi – in both cases, the drivers involved are known to us and checked through the Criminal Records Bureau. Travel to/from host families is either by taxi or by the host themselves. The cost is paid from your Personal Expenses Fund.

What is our Student's Expenses Fund?

This Fund is the amount that you lodge with Quest Guardians when you first register and which you top up at the beginning of every term. This Fund remains your money and is used for your child's travel and host family stays, as well as for additional expenses such as pocket money, uniform items, books and so on. Any amount remaining when your child leaves us is returned to you.

What happens if my child is suspended or permanently excluded from school ?

A student can be suspended from school for some days or even weeks if he/she is guilty of one of a number of serious offences, including bullying, smoking, drinking alcohol, taking or selling illegal drugs or constant breaking of school rules. We will arrange an emergency Host Family for the period of the suspension and discuss the matter in depth with the school, keeping you informed of developments. If excluded, we will assist in the process of finding an alternative school or arrange for your child to return home to you.

What happens in an emergency?

You and your child are given the Quest Guardians 24-hour emergency contact details when they first arrive in the UK. The school is also informed of our contact details. In most cases, the situation can be resolved by one or more telephone calls, however, in the case of a suspension or a medical emergency we will liaise with you and with the school until the matter is resolved.