Guardianship in Bristol

Guardianship in Bristol

So you made the decision to send your child to study in the UK, in the city of Bristol. But it turned out that in order to do that, you have to find guardianship in Bristol for them. Why is that? Well, the United Kingdom included a so-called Children Act into British and Irish Law and, according to it, all minors who study in one of the cities within the UK on a program lasting more than twelve weeks must have an appointed guardian. One of the basic concerns of this country is to provide safety for the most vulnerable groups of people, and one of them is children, who are under sixteen, come from abroad and live in the UK without their parents. That’s why international students are liable to be under guardianship in Bristol or in any other city in the UK if they fall under the criteria enlisted above. 

Who can provide guardianship in Bristol?

The services of guardianship in Bristol can be provided either by a relative or by a special company. Both options have their advantages and downsides.

To have a right to become a guardian, a relative can not be a sibling of a child, but an aunt or an uncle is allowed to have guardianship in Bristol over their nephews.

According to the law, they have to be no younger than twenty-five and have proper housing conditions, which means that those who live in a student residence are also prohibited from providing the services of guardianship in Bristol. Clearly, a guardian can not be a person who has a criminal record or has been involved in activities connected with drug abuse. 

Another option is to find a company that provides the services of guardianship in Bristol on a professional level. Actually, hiring a company can be even more reliable as they need to have special accreditation to be able to work in this sphere. They will probably be more experienced in providing the services of guardianship in Bristol than a relative would be. The companies charge, on average, from £4,000 to £5,000 for a year of guardianship in Bristol. Besides the main services, a parent can choose an extended package and ask a guardian to perform some other tasks for a child at an extra cost. The basic responsibilities of a guardian, regardless of who will take this  status, a relative or an agency representative, are the following: 

First and foremost, a person appointed as a legal guardian in Bristol should be prepared to provide a child with accommodation during holidays, in the event of a child's illness, suspension from classes, or some other event;

Second, guardianship in Bristol presupposes a guardian to help a minor with documents, visas, and other issues that they can’t deal with on their own; 

Third, emergency situations or urgent medical treatments involve a guardian’s consent and presence; 

Finally, attending parent meetings and evenings in a school is also required from a person who took guardianship in Bristol over a child;

Why Bristol? 

Bristol is located in England on the rivers Avon and Frome. It’s the most populous city in South West England, with a population of over 450 thousand people. Here, art fans can visit Bristol Art Gallery, and those who enjoy spending their free time shopping will love the Bristol Shopping Quarter, full of niche shops. A large number of festivals are held in Bristol: St. Paul’s Carnival, Bristol Balloon Fiesta, and a music event called Love Saves the Day. That’s why it's surely worth it to spend some time finding the right option of guardianship in Bristol, as it’s one of the integral parts of the admission process to the schools and colleges in the UK, which will give your child a chance to immerse in the atmosphere of this vibrant city and, of course, continue education at one of the higher educational establishments. Among all the universities in Bristol, the two most famous and top-ranked ones are the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol. International students are welcomed at both of them, but let's get acquainted with the University of the West of England. In fact, the administration of the university claims that ninety percent of all graduates successfully find employment within the first fifteen months after graduation. As for English requirements for international students at the University of West of England, it’s necessary to have an IELTS band of 6.0 or 100 points on the Duolingo test for an undergraduate program. Besides these tests, the university accepts other official examination results as well. The University of the West of England boasts a lot of programs, most of which are oriented towards gaining real-world experience. Here, undergraduate and postgraduate students can study a program from one of the following subject areas: English, History, and Writing; Filmmaking, Animation, and Photography; Business Management; Journalism and Media; Accounting and Finance; Psychology, Sociology, and Criminology; Mathematics; Audio and Music Technology, and others. For example, the program of Drama and Acting leads to an Honours Bachelor's degree, and it's claimed that eighty percent of all the graduates of this particular program find a job within the first few months after their graduation. The program prepares students for their future jobs, which include performing for theatre, film, and TV. Practice is of paramount importance for the students of the program at the University of the West of England, that's why it collaborates with St.George Concert Hall, the Old Vic, the Colston Hall, and other theatres in England. The tuition fee for international students at the University of the West of England is around £14,200 per academic year of full-time studies. 

The University of the West of England provides students with comfortable accommodation. There are several options for the types of rooms and the buildings that vary in proximity to the university campuses and the Bristol downtown. On the whole, the price ranges from £4,900 to £11,906, so it will all depend on your budget. Living costs in Bristol will be between £10,000 and £12,400 per year without the tuition fee. 

Of course, at the university level, guardianship in Bristol is not needed as most of the undergraduate students have already come of age. But it’s different for school-level education. One of the most famous public boarding schools for international students is Clifton College, which provides education for students of both sexes from age thirteen to eighteen. This school was established in 1862 and educated several scientists who became Nobel Prize awardees. Clifton College welcomes international students, and it’s represented by the fact that twenty percent of its students came from more than forty countries. Clifton College makes no division between international and home students and doesn’t make groups consisting of international students only. Instead, they study side by side, increasing each other’s cultural awareness. International students need to have a high level of the English language to be able to communicate freely with their British peers and not fall behind in the academic disciplines. That’s why during the admission process, students are to provide a certificate that would confirm their English knowledge, and sit an interview with the Director of Admission, who will also assess their overall academic knowledge. International students who were admitted to the program but encountered difficulties with the English language during their studies can enroll in one-on-one classes for £55 per hour. Clifton college advises parents to look for the agencies that can provide guardianship in Bristol for better safeguarding of their child. 

Clifton College has a pre-preparatory school for children from three to eight. The next stage in Clifton College is a preparatory school for children from eight to thirteen. All the students can use the top-quality athletic facilities of Clifton College. It has a cricket pavilion, twenty acres of playing fields, an indoor swimming pool, a cardio-vascular room, a squash court and six tennis courts. 

Clifton College was one of the first boarding schools to build a theatre with 320 seats. It hosts more than forty productions annually, which makes it one of the most popular theatres in the whole city. Student plays, festivals, and workshops are held here, that provides a diverse and enriching cultural past-time for the Clifton College students.  

The full boarding at Clifton College costs around £9,100 for the students from four to six years old, and a thousand pounds for seven and eight-year olds. The cost includes all the expenses of studying in laboratories, technology and art classes, as well as extracurricular and athletic clubs. In the afternoon, students are provided with light tea and breakfast in the mornings. Additional payments will be needed if you want your child to take lessons in music that will cost £35. The classes usually last for forty minutes, and they can also hire different musical instruments if they are available. It’s important to mention that Clifton College reduces the price of tuition and boarding for every other sibling who was also admitted to the school. They will give parents a 5% discount for the second child, a 20% discount for the third, and a 50% discount for the fourth. 

In case, if you need help with Guardianship and Accommodation in Bristol please fill in application below or contact us directly.