Guardianship in Leeds

Guardianship in Leeds

You’ve been looking for the requirements for studying in a boarding school in the UK and it turned out that one of them is having guardianship in Leeds or some other city in this country that you wish your child to study in? Believe us, it’s not that difficult as it may seem and it’s definitely not aimed at hindering the process of admission to the boarding schools in the United Kingdom. Quite the contrary, this regulation was devised in order to protect foreign citizens who are under sixteen and come to the country for a study program lasting more than twelve weeks. A child who studies independently, with their parents residing in another country, needs someone who will take guardianship in Leeds over them, so that their rights and interests will be protected. A school also takes responsibility over students, but various controversial situations may arise, and with a person who will take guardianship in Leeds over a child, parents can be sure that their child will be protected from all angles. 

Who can provide guardianship in Leeds?

Guardianship in Leeds can be provided by a relative or, if a family doesn’t happen to have one living in the city, the services of guardianship in Leeds can be provided by a special agency. Not any agency can provide these kinds of services, but it needs to achieve special accreditation to have the right to serve as a guardian to children. Besides, it will probably be more experienced in providing guardianship in Leeds than any relative can be. Anyway, to deliver the services of guardianship in Leeds and other British cities, a prospective guardian should meet a number of requirements. 

1. A guardian can’t be younger than twenty-five.
2. Guardianship in Leeds can’t be provided by a brother or a sister of a child.
3. It’s necessary for a guardian to have proper accommodation, and they can’t live in a student’s residence, often provided by British educational establishments. 
4. Obviously, a person who is willing to provide the services of guardianship in Leeds can’t have a criminal record or a history connected with drug abuse and pedophilia. 

The criteria are justified because an appointed guardian should act as a parental figure for a minor while their parents are away. The one who will be legally appointed to provide the services of guardianship in Leeds should be ready to carry out the following tasks: 

1. A guardian has to help a child with filling in applications, visas, and other documentation that demands the presence of a responsible adult. 
2. A person who provides guardianship in Leeds services is responsible for hosting a child during school breaks, a child’s illness, expulsion or suspension from school.
3. In the event of an emergency or when a child needs urgent medical treatment, a legally appointed guardian needs to consent to medical involvement or surgeries. 
4. Guardianship in Leeds also requires a guardian to take part in the meetings organised by a boarding school for parents. 

A special agency usually charges from £4,000 to £5,000 for providing the services of guardianship in Leeds listed above. The final cost may vary depending on the package parents choose. For example, some buy the minimal package and some pay extra for the additional services, such as arranging transportation or overnight stay for a child or visiting them in a boarding school. 

Why Leeds? 

Leeds is located in the West Yorkshire county in England, along the eastern side of the Pennines. According to the 2021 estimate, the city had a population of over 516 thousand people. There are four major higher educational establishments in the city: Leeds Art University, The University of Leeds, Leeds Trinity College, and Leeds City College. 

Leeds itself is a truly student-friendly city, as more than thirteen thousand international students chose Leeds for their studies. The University of Leeds is one of the most popular universities in the city: people from over 137 countries study at the university. It’s one of the top hundred universities in the whole world and one of the founding members of the Russell Group. It was established in 1897 and was initially called the Leeds School of Medicine, later on, in 1904, it acquired its present name.  Today, the University of Leeds encompasses seven faculties: Arts, Humanities, and Cultures; Biological Sciences; Business; Social Sciences; Engineering and Physical Sciences; Environment; Medicine and Health. A number of Nobel prize winners worked and studied in the University of Leeds, some continue working and conducting their studies in this educational establishment. 

Some of the undergraduate programs the University of Leeds offers are the following: Ancient History; Graphic and Communication Design; Global Creative Industries; Linguistic and Phonetics; Philosophy, Ethics, and Religion; Accounting and Finance; Business Studies; Journalism and a number of others. 

All students of the university can become members of the Students’ Union. Students, who study the program of Journalism and others can participate in organising the student newspaper, called the Gryphon, or take part in operating a student radio station and television. Such activities can become a great start to their career, as they gain hands-on experience at the university level. The University of Leeds also offers students the opportunity to take part in competitive and participation sports. Annually, the university chooses twenty students who have shown excellent results in sports and funds their studies to encourage their future sports achievements.

International students of the University of Leeds are provided with accommodation if they need it. Undergraduate, graduate, and students with families are all welcomed in students’ residences. Students can choose among different types of rooms: catered and self-catered; with a shared bathroom and en-suite; studios and rooms of premium level. Four of the residences are located on campus, while the other several are scattered around the main campus, around a mile away from it. 

One of the requirements for undergraduate studies at the University of Leeds is a sufficient English level. An international student from a non-English-speaking country must provide a certificate of official examination result equivalent to a band score of seven on the IELTS. Annually, international students at the University of Leeds pay around £22,250, but the cost may vary depending on the chosen academic program.

A student may first study in one of Leeds' boarding schools to ensure a high level of English language proficiency. For example, it could be Fulneck School, a small independent, coeducational boarding school that provides education for students from the age of three to eighteen. Its annual enrolment is around 280 students. Currently, students from Nigeria, Uganda, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia study at Fulneck School. The school itself is peculiar in that it’s a part of the Fulneck estate, which comprises a number of other buildings, including a church and a museum.

The school offers boarding to students from the age of seven. Buildings for boys and girls are separate and located on the main campus, with thirty-six places in the girls’ buildings and fifty in the boys’ one. Students can live in single, double, or triple rooms and share living rooms and kitchens. All of them have WiFi, and PCs are available for shared usage in a special computer room. Living in a boarding house, students need to follow a schedule: they have breakfast at 7:15 a.m., their school classes start at 8:40 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. Then students may participate in various extra-curricular and sports activities. There are forty of them in the fields of Arts, Language and Literature, and Sciences. Every weekend, trips to shopping centres, museums, and theatres are organized for full-time boarders. It helps international students to really get to know the city of Leeds and British culture. They’re never left on their own, spending all their time not only within a school but exploring the country and meeting other international students. 

International students are tested for their knowledge of Math and English before starting their studies at Fulneck School. If their level of English is low, they’re required to take an additional course in English as a Second Language. Then, the program for an international student is worked out based on their English level. Students who are advanced in the language may follow a full GCSE curriculum with all ten subjects, while others need to concentrate on the English classes and the core subjects before proceeding to the rest of them. 

As for the fees, parents have to pay around £30,400 per year for the full boarding of a senior school student. Pre-GCSE and pre-A level with full boarding cost the same amount. An English as a Second Language course costs £1200 per term for four lessons a week. Students can be awarded scholarships and discounts for outstanding academic performance. For example, a discount of up to twenty-five percent can be given to students who demonstrated excellent knowledge in the interview. Students who represent the school in musical performances or sports competitions can also receive a 25% discount. 

In case, if you need help with Guardianship & Accommodation in Leeds or other regions of UK, please fill in application below or contact us directly.