Host families are wanted by a variety of organisations in the Newquay area. A number of English as a Foreign Language schools have been catering for foreign students learning English, with host families being wanted to house the students (aged 14-18 as well as adults), their accompanying teachers, organisers from language schools and even the coach drivers themselves.
If you’ve got a spare room, then you might like to think about gaining a little extra income from it by taking in a student or an adult and acting as a host family.
Many families in Newquay have been acting as hosts for many years and if you want to explore what might suit your circumstances, then why not investigate it further. Most recruiting for host families in Newquay is done in March-May each year, but there’s always a need, throughout the season, for additional host families to get signed up.
What Will You Need to Provide?
Typically you’ll be providing bed, breakfast and a hot evening meal, with a packed lunch. You’ll be expected to feed the students with your regular “English family style food”, so no need to drag out the “5 star hotel breakfast guidelines” booklet! The students enjoy the experience of living with an English family and eating everyday food. You will be advised on what to feed them if you’re unsure and if you can offer a special dietary placement (e.g. vegetarian, vegan or gluten free) then you’ll be matched only with students who have specified their dietary requirements to match.
Depending on who you are taking in, you might be asked to collect them each day, or just once at the start/end of their visit. This detail is made clear by the organisers before you commit. You can opt in/out of each visit, enabling you the flexibility to take in students only when it suits you.
How Much Are You Paid as a Host Family?
Pay varies, obviously, but is either on a “per person/per night” basis, or a “whole week” basis. The amount will also vary, depending on whether you’re a host family for a teenager or, say, the bus driver! Typically, hosting adults pays a little more per night (say ~£2-3/night more). £120/week per person is one typical rate, adverts that appear to show 2-3x this amount will be adding up the weekly rate of hosting 2-3 students at a time together.
Below are some of the organisations you can research further, or maybe contact, and the type of accommodations they actively seek.
- Tretherras School and Treviglas College have links with organisations that require host families, including White House Guardianships (WHG). WHG run many language courses across the country and seek host families for children aged 7-18 at various locations. WHG have advertised in past editions of the Tretherras school website and they have a local, Newquay-based, organiser. Keep an eye on the school websites for any similar adverts that appear – do not contact the schools direct. These adverts often involve hosting a school child aged 14-18 for a duration of 1-3 school terms as well as international students for weekends and single weeks and half-term holidays.
- Babel Fish Language School: Based at the Trenance Heritage Cottages, Trenance Gardens, Newquay, this private language school offers English language lessons combined with surfing lessons to EU students, mostly in the 14-16 age group. Their classroom is based at Trenance Gardens, Newquay. Typical adverts for host families for Babel Fish include:
“Spanish and Italian (mostly) students … for 2 and 3 week stays. Students are out all day, back for tea, then out again until about 9.30/10pm which is a curfew. They are accompanied by teachers and will be very well behaved. We are paying £120 per student per week. Need to be in or close to Newquay or happy to drop off/pick up students if further out. Fuel allowance available.” May 2016.
“… Spanish and Italian students … 3 and 2 weeks …. Aged 14-16, they will be at school from 8:45 – 17:00, then out again at 18:30 back home at 21:30. They will not have a key and will be accompanied by teachers and group leaders. They are not here partying and being a nuisance! All that’s required is to leave breakfast accessible, eat with them in the evening, talk English and be nice! You can take multiple students if you have the space!” May 2016.
- Mercator are a language school based in St Austell, who have used host families in Newquay for many years. Mercator will typically seek host families who are couples or single people with or without children who can offer half-board or full-board.
Website: mercatorelt.co.uk - SUL Schools, based in St Austell, have a full-time employee who recruits and helps host families for their English language students. Part of their job is to find new host families as well as to work with existing hosts. SUL will typically require host families for teenagers, although they do sometimes run courses for other age groups. They mostly seek households that can place two students together at a time, for periods of up to 14 weeks’ duration. They specify “You will need a CRB/DBS check, a smoke alarm and CO (Carbon Monoxide) alarm and a current boiler check as well as to tell your insurer that you are hosting.” SUL is a member of ABLS (the Association of British Language Schools) and is accredited by The Accreditation Body for Language Services recognised by the British Government.
Website: sul-schools.com
Typical adverts run by SUL-Schools include:“…. host our overseas students …. Good rates of pay and excellent support! You just need a spare room and be able to provide breakfast, packed lunch and an evening meal. Students are out during the day. You can earn up to £350 per week! ” 2016.
Children’s Act, 1989
You can expect to be confirm information about other members of your family, in order to comply with the Children’s Act of 1989. You must be able to confirm that no person in your household has ever:-
- Been convicted of any offence against a child
- Had a child removed from their care by order of a court
- Had their parental rights removed
- Had an order made against them refusing or cancelling Registration under the Nurseries and Child Minders Registration Act 1948
Last checked: March 2018
