International Student’s Accommodation Policy Guidelines

Students at Glendowie Primary School will only be accepted if living with a parent, designated caregiver or home-stay arrangement.

1. Students from 5-10 years old will live with a parent or legal guardian. The Principal or person responsible for pastoral care will meet with the parent in their first term of tuition to ensure that the child and parents are feeling supported by the School policies and procedures.
2. Students aged 10 years and above without their parent in a designated caregiver or home-stay situation will have their accommodation monitored.
3. If the school is unable to continue to provide home-stay accommodation for a student then the school will need to work with the parents about alternatives, including that the school may need to terminate the tuition agreement.
4. New home-stay accommodation will be visited prior to the student commencing their enrolment, to ensure suitability and that it provides a safe, physical and emotional environment.  Two more visits will be arranged throughout the 12 month period to a homestay student staying without a parent.
5. The school will arrange to pre-visit prospective home-stay families, and safety check anyone residing at this address over the age of 18 (police vetting).  The School will provide a “Having a home-stay information sheet for new families” to home-stay providers.
6. The school will ensure that there are not more than four international students living at a home-stay residence.
7. Designated caregivers: These need to be approved by the school. School personnel will visit where possible prior to enrolment. If not possible, then within the first two weeks of school.  Safety checks will be made including police vetting, number of students living in the house and passport status. The designated written agreement form will be signed by the International student’s parents.  The International Student Manager will visit the designated caregiver accommodation once more within a 12 month period.
8. The designated caregivers will provide the school with written evidence from the International students’ family that they are relatives or close friends and what the relationship is. The International Student Manager will check the expiry date of the caregivers’ passport. The caregiver and identity documents from our policy will be filled out by the International student’s  parents in cases where they have chosen a designated caregiver for the home-stay.
9. Adults applying to be a prospective home-stay provider must meet with the school and will provide information to the school that is requested in accordance with the Code of Practice.  A declaration form from the residential caregivers that their home meets all relevant legislative requirements will be signed.
10. The School will keep written records and files regarding visits, attached to each student’s office file.
11. During the first weeks’ enrolment, the long term International student will be supported by a buddy and ESOL Teacher will fill out a personal profile for any long term student and this will be given to each home- stay. This will include hobbies, interests, sports, phobias, likes/dislikes, health information, school information, parents address details.
12. Parents must give one weeks notice for changing home-stay.  Students without their parents must discuss with the International Student Manager any desired changes to home-stay.  If the change is approved then the school will need to approve the changed home-stay.
13. It is understood that parent and child home-stay is for short term students.  The parent is responsible for their child when there is a parent and child in a home-stay situation.  The home-stay parent or the parent of the International Student in the home-stay can contact the International Student Manager over any concerns.

Home-stay families will be given by the day of enrolment.

• Emergency 24 hour contact details for the Principal and the International Student Manager.
• Personal profile of the International student (First week).
• Communication with parents. These will be determined by the student’s parents and in agreement with the residential caregivers. Students staying longer than a term will email their parent(s) from school once a week supervised by our International Staff.
• Emergency and accident procedures for home-stay.
• Having a home-stay Guidelines.
• School information pack.
• Policy on communication with parents.
• Advice on cultural issues and contact person.
• Students living in a homestay arrangement without a parent are required to have an extra caregiver appointed through the school, or an extra caregiver  known to the student approved by the school. An extra caregiver cost and an Extra Caregiver Agreement will be signed by both parents.

Review

• The Review process for monitoring the compliance of the Code will be done by the Principal and through discussion with the International Student Manager.
• Each Year the Principal will complete an annual review of our policies and procedures for hosting International Students. The required documentation will be submitted to the Code of Practice Office.
• The Principal will report to the BOT on the Annual Review of the International Students policies and procedures.
• The Principal will communicate with the Code Administrator in terms of meeting the Code requirements.
• The school agrees to the recommendations and rulings of the DRS (Disputes Resolution Scheme).
• The school will advise students how to make a complaint to the Code administrator or to the disputes resolution scheme (DRS).