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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 Westbourne House School
Nominated Guardian for Westbourne House School. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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
Westbourne House 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 →Westbourne House School Overview
Westbourne House School is an independent, co-educational day and boarding preparatory school at Shopwyke, just outside Chichester in West Sussex, for children aged 2 to 13. It occupies around 100 acres of parkland between the South Downs and the coast. Founded in Folkestone in 1907, the school moved to Shopwyke House, a Georgian manor, in 1946 and has been fully co-educational since 1992.
Pupils progress from the Nursery and Pre-Prep to the Prep School for ages 7 to 13, and entry is non-selective. Boarders share lessons with day pupils, and leavers move on at 13 to senior schools such as Brighton College, Eton, Harrow and Wellington.
Boarding at Westbourne House School
Around 100 pupils board, from Year 3 upwards, choosing full-time, weekly or part-time boarding of one to four nights a week. International boarders have joined from countries including Austria, China, France, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. Full boarders spend most term-time weekends at school, with two or three exeat weekends, known as Leaveouts, each term, and short English Immersion stays are offered.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
There are seven boarding houses. Boys and girls in Years 3 to 6 board in Main House on separate landings with dormitories of four or five. Years 7 and 8 live in six smaller houses in the grounds, built like family homes with common rooms, kitchens and gardens; Beeswing is the girls' house. Each house is run by a resident couple as houseparents.
Boarding Life
Boarders rise just after 7am, share the school day with day pupils and end it with supervised prep. Evenings bring clubs and activities such as art, cooking, pottery, drama, golf and real tennis, followed by supper and a final spell of prep or reading. Saturdays offer on and off site activities, and Sundays include outings with houseparents to places such as West Wittering beach and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Academic and Pastoral Support
The Individual Needs department, led by the SENCo, includes specialist teachers, assistants and academic mentors, and around one in five pupils receive extra support at any one time. The school is CReSTeD registered and holds British Dyslexia Association Dyslexia Friendly accreditation. Houseparents are the first point of contact for boarders' worries.
Every international boarder at Westbourne House School must have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House School website.
Information for International Students and Parents
Westbourne House School accepts international boarders from Year 4, although most overseas children start in Years 5, 6 or 7 and stay until the end of Year 8. Some join for a single academic year. Most students join in September; entry in other year groups is considered individually. British Guardianship supports international families through every stage of the application with our boarding school admissions service.
English Language Requirements
The school is non-selective but sets minimum English levels against the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR):
- Years 3 to 5 (ages 7 to 9): early CEFR B1, for example Cambridge A2 Key with Distinction
- Years 6 to 8 (ages 10 to 12): mid CEFR B1 or above, for example Cambridge B1 Preliminary at Merit
A dedicated EAL teacher supports boarders whose English is still developing.
Child Student Visa
Students coming to the UK from overseas will usually need a Child Student visa. Westbourne House School is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register and can sponsor the visa for pupils joining from abroad, 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
Parents living overseas must appoint a guardian accredited by AEGIS or the Boarding Schools' Association. Full boarders stay with this guardian during Leaveout weekends and half terms whenever they cannot go home or to family friends.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for Westbourne House 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 English Immersion Programme lets overseas children board for two to six weeks during the school year. Participants follow the Monday to Saturday timetable, join evening activities and go on weekend trips to places such as London, Brighton and Arundel Castle, with Gatwick or Heathrow transfers included. A minimum level of CEFR B1 applies. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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. Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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 Westbourne House 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. SEMH: social, emotional and mental health needs include anxiety, low mood and difficulty managing emotions or behaviour. ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects concentration, attention, impulse control and activity levels.
