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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 Sibford School
Nominated Guardian for Sibford School. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for Sibford School? 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 Sibford School 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 Sibford School 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 Sibford School, 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 Sibford School, 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
Sibford School 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 →Sibford School Overview
Sibford School is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school in the village of Sibford Ferris, near Banbury in north Oxfordshire, educating pupils from age 3 to 18. Founded in 1842, the school has Quaker roots, and values of respect, kindness, endeavour and community shape everyday life. All sections, from Early Years to the Sixth Form, share one 50-acre countryside campus.
Senior pupils work towards GCSEs, and Sixth Form students choose A Level and BTEC pathways. Alongside academic subjects, the school gives weight to the creative arts, technology and horticulture.
Boarding at Sibford School
Boarding runs from Year 7, at age 11, to the end of the Sixth Form, with UK and international boarders living as a family-style community. Full boarders stay seven nights a week during term, and weekly, mid-week and flexi boarding are also available. Some weekends that would traditionally be exeats are run as optional "staycation" weekends in school, and short immersion stays are offered to international students.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
Two boarding houses sit apart from the teaching buildings. Girls from Years 7 to 13 live in Fielding, with twin bedrooms, a TV room, study space and a kitchen. Boys from Years 7 to 13 board in Penn, which has shared bedrooms, a games room and a cinema room. Houseparents, assistant houseparents and graduate assistants run each house, and academic staff join boarders daily for help and activities.
Boarding Life
Weekday evenings combine supervised homework with activities such as climbing, team sports and African drumming, with the swimming pool, sports hall and art studios open to boarders. At weekends a Friday supermarket run is a fixture, Saturday outings go to Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon or Cheltenham, and Sundays are kept for rest and reflection.
Academic and Pastoral Support
Sibford is registered with CReSTeD for its work with dyslexic pupils, and the Good Schools Guide records in-school provision for autism spectrum conditions and ADHD. Short, regularly reviewed programmes target particular gaps, and some pupils replace a modern foreign language with time with a specialist teacher. Pastoral care is central to the school's Quaker approach, and Sixth Form students receive individual support.
International boarders at Sibford School are generally expected to have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at Sibford School
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 Sibford School website.
Information for International Students and Parents
Sibford School accepts international boarders from Year 7 through to the Sixth Form, with pathways to GCSEs, A Levels and BTECs. Most international students start in September, and January entry is also possible for Years 7 to 9. 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. The EAL department runs three September routes:
- Intensive English: for students preparing to join Year 10 or the Sixth Form, taught at B1 and B2 CEFR levels alongside subjects such as maths and art
- Mainstream with EAL: Years 7 to 11, with language support and the IGCSE in English as a Second Language in Year 11
- IELTS preparation: a two-year course for Sixth Form students studying A Levels or BTECs
Child Student Visa
Students coming to the UK from overseas will usually need a Child Student visa. Sibford School is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register, 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
UK boarding schools generally require international boarders under 18 to have a UK guardian, and British Guardianship confirms each school's specific requirements as part of placement. At Sibford, boarders go home or to their guardians when the boarding houses close over the Early May Bank Holiday.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for Sibford School 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
The Short Stay Immersion programme lets international students spend two to four weeks, or up to a full term, at Sibford, with accommodation and meals, lessons alongside UK pupils, cultural trips with boarders and a personal progress report. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for Sibford School, 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 Sibford School'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 Sibford School, 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 Sibford School 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. Sibford School 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 Sibford School, 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 Sibford School 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 Sibford School. 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.
