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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 Ellesmere College
Nominated Guardian for Ellesmere College. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for Ellesmere College? 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 Ellesmere College 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 Ellesmere College 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 Ellesmere College, 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 Ellesmere College, 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
Ellesmere College 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 →Ellesmere College Overview
Ellesmere College is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 7 to 18, on a semi-rural campus of around 160 acres at Ellesmere in north Shropshire. Opened in 1884, the school is part of Woodard Schools, a Church of England family of independent schools and academies, and is divided into the Lower School (ages 7 to 13), Middle School (13 to 16) and Sixth Form.
Middle School pupils take GCSEs, and international students aged 15 can join a one-year Pre-Sixth course. In the Sixth Form, students choose A Levels, the International Baccalaureate Diploma or BTEC courses. The College runs sports academies in swimming, tennis, rugby, cricket and golf, as well as a Paris Saint-Germain Academy.
Boarding at Ellesmere College
Around 130 boys and girls board, and pupils come from more than 30 countries. Boarding is available from Year 8, organised by age group. Pupils can board full time or weekly, and weekly boarders can stay on for weekend fixtures or concerts. Short immersion stays are also offered.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
Middle School boarders in Years 9 to 11 live in St Aidan's, St Patrick's and St Cuthbert's, while Sixth Form students board in St Oswald's, St Bede's and St Luke's. Each house is led by a Housemaster or Housemistress with a pastoral team, and residential staff are on site at all times. Most rooms are singles or twins, some en-suite, and houses have common rooms and their own kitchens.
Boarding Life
Evenings combine study with activities such as sport, drama, debating and sessions in the gym and heated pool, and twilight catch-up lessons are available. Pupils can join the Combined Cadet Force and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Weekends include activity weekends and shopping trips, and all meals are provided seven days a week.
Academic and Pastoral Support
The Support for Learning department has particular expertise in dyslexia and related conditions such as dyspraxia and dyscalculia, and the College is registered with CReSTeD. Lessons are tailored to each pupil, often in place of a modern foreign language. Boarders can speak to an Independent Listener from outside the staff, alongside the medical and counselling team's Time to Talk service.
Every international boarder at Ellesmere College must have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at Ellesmere College
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 Ellesmere College website.
Information for International Students and Parents
Ellesmere College accepts boarders from Year 8. The main entry points for overseas students are Year 10 for GCSEs, Year 11 for the one-year Pre-Sixth course and Year 12 for the Sixth Form, with most joining in September. British Guardianship supports international families through every stage of the application with our boarding school admissions service.
English Language Requirements
English is assessed as part of the application, and British Guardianship confirms the level required for each year of entry during placement. Specialist EAL teachers run small-group classes in speaking, listening, reading and writing, sometimes in place of mainstream lessons, and Sixth Form students receive group and one-to-one IELTS preparation for university entry.
Child Student Visa
Students coming to the UK from overseas will usually need a Child Student visa. Ellesmere College is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register and also sponsors older students on the Student route. The College works with an immigration partner and guides families on supporting documents, 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
Ellesmere College requires every boarder whose parents live overseas to have a UK guardian, nominated before the student starts. The guardian must be at least 25 years old and not in full-time education, and may be a relative, a family friend or a guardianship organisation.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for Ellesmere College 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.
Short-Term Stays and Exchange Placements
Ellesmere runs a four-week boarding immersion programme in the summer term for international students aged 13 to 15 who are considering boarding from September. Participants live in a boarding house with current pupils, join Key Stage 3 and GCSE lessons and stay through the weekends, which bring boarding trips to places such as Chester. School groups can also book immersion weeks. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for Ellesmere College, 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 Ellesmere College'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 Ellesmere College, 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 Ellesmere College 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. Ellesmere College 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 Ellesmere College, 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 Ellesmere College 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 Ellesmere College. School information is provided as a general guide and may change.
SEN Support Explained: SpLD: specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, affect particular areas of learning such as reading, spelling, coordination or working with numbers, without affecting overall ability. ASD: autism spectrum disorder affects how a student communicates, interacts with others and experiences the world around them. ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects concentration, attention, impulse control and activity levels.
