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Local Coordinator Close to your School
Your local coordinator visits your child, attends parents' evenings on your behalf and stays in touch throughout your guardianship programme.
British Guardianship at Earlscliffe
Nominated Guardian for Earlscliffe. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for Earlscliffe? UK boarding schools generally require international students under 18 to have an accredited UK guardian in place throughout their studies. British Guardianship provides a fully accredited boarding school guardianship service for Earlscliffe students, including a dedicated local coordinator, safe accommodation with vetted host families during half terms, exeats and holidays, attendance at parents' evenings on your behalf, and 24-hour emergency support.
Guardianship Fees
Our UK boarding school guardianship services for Earlscliffe start from £350 per term.
Dedicated Guardianship Manager
As soon as your application is received, a dedicated member of our guardianship team becomes your main contact, managing every aspect of your nominated guardian arrangements.
Local Vetted Host Family
We work with a network of vetted host families across the UK. For exeats and half terms, we aim to place your child with a local host family matched to your preferences, so weekends away from school feel settled and safe.
Our Services
UK Boarding School Guardianship
An accredited nominated guardian for international boarders at Earlscliffe, with a dedicated local coordinator, vetted host families for half terms, exeats and holidays, and 24-hour emergency support.
Learn More →Boarding School Placement
Our admissions team supports international families through the application to Earlscliffe, from choosing the right year of entry through to an offer and enrolment, with Child Student visa guidance and guardianship arranged alongside.
Learn More →Student Exchange Programme
Earlscliffe accepts students for short-term boarding. Our exchange programme and short stay guardianship let students experience British boarding before committing to a full placement.
Learn More →Earlscliffe Overview
Earlscliffe is an independent, co-educational boarding college for international students aged 15 to 19, based on Shorncliffe Road in Folkestone on the Kent coast. The college is part of Dukes Education, a group of independent schools, colleges and education services in the UK. Around 150 students from some 48 nationalities study in small classes that average about seven students.
Students aged 15 and over can take the International Transition Year, a one-year GCSE programme. The two-year A Level programme covers Years 12 and 13, usually with four A Levels plus the Extended Project Qualification, and the University Foundation Year is a one-year Year 13 route accredited by NCFE. A Diploma in Business and Management is also offered.
Boarding at Earlscliffe
Almost every student at Earlscliffe boards. Full boarding is the main arrangement for international students, a weekly option is also listed, and boarders can stay on site during half terms for an additional charge. Academic Integration Short Courses offer stays of a month, a term or two terms during the academic year.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
Students live in six single-sex boarding houses across the campus, each with a common room, kitchen, laundry and garden. Rooms are en-suite twins, with single rooms available for an additional fee. Each house is led by a house manager, or a pair of managers, who oversees daily routines and keeps in touch with parents, supported by a qualified school nurse and trained wellbeing staff.
Boarding Life
Weekday evenings include a supervised study period from 7pm before lights out. Students cook together in their house kitchens during evenings and weekends, and the Sports, Culture and Service programme covers clubs such as debating and drama, sports including football, basketball, badminton, horse riding and golf, and outings to theatres, museums, cinemas and bowling.
Academic and Pastoral Support
English for Academic Purposes is built into every lesson. A SENCO and deputy SENCO plan support for students with special educational needs, and the college has experience of supporting students with an Education, Health and Care Plan. Professional counselling is available, and a weekly PSHE programme covers mental health, relationships and resilience. Leavers have progressed to universities including Oxford, Imperial College London, LSE and UCL.
Every international boarder at Earlscliffe must have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at Earlscliffe
Every accredited UK boarding school offers a range of sport, arts and academic facilities for international students, together with an extended programme of activities in the evenings and at weekends. For full details of the facilities and activities available, please visit the official Earlscliffe website.
Information for International Students and Parents
Earlscliffe admits international students from age 15, with entry to the International Transition Year in Year 11, the A Level programme in Year 12 and the University Foundation Year in Year 13. Most students start in September, and short courses allow stays of a month or more. British Guardianship supports international families through every stage of the application with our boarding school admissions service.
English Language Requirements
Earlscliffe publishes minimum English levels for each programme, expressed as IELTS scores or equivalent:
- International Transition Year (one-year GCSE, age 15): IELTS 4.5
- A Level and Year 13 programmes (ages 16 and 17): IELTS 5.5
- University Foundation Year (age 17): minimum IELTS 5.0
Students sit Cambridge English examinations, and pre-sessional English courses of four weeks to two terms are available before the foundation year.
Child Student Visa
Students coming to the UK from overseas will usually need a Child Student visa. Earlscliffe is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register and publishes visa guidance for international families, while the visa application itself is submitted by parents. Our Child Student visa guide explains the requirements and process, and families holding a British National (Overseas) visa can contact us for guidance on the BN(O) route.
UK Guardian Requirement
Earlscliffe requires every international student under 18 to have a nominated UK guardian in place before starting. The guardian should live within two hours' travel of the college and be at least 18, and arranges accommodation and travel during half terms and holidays, when boarding houses close for the main breaks.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for Earlscliffe boarders. Our boarding school guardianship service covers regular contact with the school, travel coordination and safe accommodation with vetted host families during half terms, exeats and holidays, giving parents a single, reliable educational guardian in the UK.
Short-Term Stays and Exchange Placements
Academic Integration Short Courses allow students aged 15 to 18 to join Earlscliffe for a month, a term or two terms during the academic year, living in the boarding houses and studying alongside full-time students, with a Cambridge English examination at the end. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for Earlscliffe, book a free online consultation or apply for a nominated guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
UK boarding schools generally require international students under 18 to have a UK-based guardian, and British Guardianship confirms Earlscliffe's specific requirements as part of your application. The guardian acts on behalf of parents in the UK, is the school's point of contact in an emergency and looks after the student whenever they cannot be at school. We provide this as an AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship service.
Whenever your child cannot stay at Earlscliffe, for example during half terms, exeats or holidays when boarding houses close, they stay with one of our vetted host families. Every host family is visited in their home, provides professional and personal references and holds an Enhanced DBS check for all household members aged 16 and over. British Guardianship remains your child's educational guardian throughout every stay.
We have guardians available and ready to be assigned. The overall timeframe depends on how quickly the required paperwork is completed and communication with Earlscliffe is finalised. As every case is different, timelines can vary, but we aim to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible.
Boarding school guardianship is charged per term and starts from £350, with host family stays, travel arrangements and other services added as your child needs them. Full details are on our guardianship fees page.
A UK student guardian must be a responsible adult, usually aged 25 or over, who lives permanently in the UK, speaks fluent English and is close enough to the school to respond quickly in an emergency; many boarding schools set a maximum travel time. The guardian must be contactable 24 hours a day and hold an Enhanced DBS check where they or their household host the student. Earlscliffe may also ask for the guardian's details before the start of term and set additional requirements of its own. As an AEGIS accredited guardianship provider, British Guardianship meets these requirements on your behalf, with vetted guardians, Enhanced DBS checked host families and 24-hour emergency support.
Yes. Our boarding school admissions service supports international families through the application to Earlscliffe, from choosing the right year of entry through to an offer and enrolment, with Child Student visa guidance and guardianship arranged alongside.
Disclaimer: Logo, images and videos are shown courtesy of Earlscliffe and remain the property of their respective owners. British Guardianship is an independent AEGIS-accredited guardianship provider, and this page is not published or endorsed by Earlscliffe. School information is provided as a general guide and may change.
