Frequently asked questions
Teenage/junior courses
I am staying in a host family…
Who will come to pick me up on arrival?
When should I provide my arrival details?
Should I give this information directly to the family?
I want to book the ferry from St Malo. Who should I contact?
My children are under 16. Can they travel alone?
What do you recommend for students aged 12 and under?
I will accompany my children to Jersey; can I drop them off at the family myself?
Can I arrive in the family on a Saturday and depart on a Sunday?
What do I need to bring with me?
How much pocket money do my children need?
What happens on the first day?
What does the school arrange for the evenings and weekends?
How can I contact my child at their host-family?
I want my child to be in a family with English children of their age
I want to be in a family in St Helier
I don’t know whether to choose homestay or residential accommodation?
Adult courses
Who will come to pick me up on arrival?
When should I provide my arrival details?
Should I give this information directly to the family?
I don’t know whether to choose homestay or guest house accommodation?
I want to stay in a host-family, but I am vegetarian
I want to stay in a host-family near the school or with a private bathroom
When is the best time to come to Jersey?
What happens on the first day?
What happens during the evenings and weekend?
What are the arrangements for families at St Brelade’s College?
What about accommodation for families?
Teenage/junior courses
Who will come to pick me up on arrival?
If you have booked homestay accommodation, your family will meet you at the harbour or airport. They will be holding an arrival card with your name and the name of the School so that you easily recognize them.
When should I provide my arrival details?
We need accurate information concerning the date, time and place of arrival in Jerseyat least two weeks before the start of your course. It is essential we have these details in time to inform the host family so that they can make the necessary preparations ahead of your stay.
Should I give this information directly to the family?
No! Please ensure that the arrival details are provided directly to St Brelade’s College. It is our responsibility to be sure that all students are collected by their host-families when they arrive. For this reason we need to be sure that all the families have the correct arrival details for their student(s). However, this does not mean that you are not allowed to contact the family. On the contrary, we encourage students to contact their host-family ahead of their stay.
I want to book the ferry from St Malo. Who should I contact?
We can book your ferry tickets as part of your course. We use Condor Ferries, arriving Sunday evening and departing Saturday morning.
My children are under 16. Can they travel alone?
Children aged under 15 cannot travel alone by ferry, and children aged 15 to 16 can only travel alone with a letter of authorisation from their parents. However, throughout the summer, we will be sending a representative to accompany the students to and from St Malo. For more details, please contact the school office.
What do you recommend for students aged 12 and under?
We have specially selected host-families for this age group. Nevertheless, younger students can be prone to home-sickness, especially if it their first trip away from home alone. This is why we strongly advise that students aged 12 and under stay in a host-family with a friend or older brother / sister.
I will accompany my children to Jersey; can I drop them off at the family myself?
No! Despite being a small island, it is still very easy to get lost in Jersey. There are many small roads and houses are not numbered. It is also not reasonable to expect the host-family to wait around at home without a fixed time of arrival. That is why we insist on arranging a fixed meeting time and place which is easy to find. Please inform the school of the meeting place at least 2 weeks before the start of your course.
Can I arrive in the family on a Saturday and depart on a Sunday?
No! We ask our students to arrive on Sunday and leave on Saturday. This is to allow the host-family time to prepare for the arrival of their next students. In some cases it is possible to arrive and depart on a Saturday, but you should check this with the College first.
What do I need to bring with me?
All lesson materials, such as books and photocopies, are provided so all students need to bring is a notebook and pen. An English dictionary is also a useful tool. For the afternoon activities, please remember to bring a swimming costume and beach towel. The host-family will provide all linen and bath towels for use in the house.
How much pocket money do my children need?
All meals, transport and activities are included in the course price. The only items which are not included are any optional evening and weekend activities that take place outside of the normal school day. This includes cinema and disco evenings, and also any activities that students take part in with their host-family. In these cases students must pay for their own entry fees (£3 to £5) and public bus fares (£1 - £1.50 each way). If students want to take a weekend day trip to Guernsey or St Malo, the price is between £25 and £35, depending on their age. Please note that on Friday afternoons, all the students go shopping in St Helier. We normally recommend that students are given from £20 - £30 pocket money per week, depending on their age, to pay for extra refreshments, activities, bus fares and shopping.
What happens on the first day?
In the summer we have three campuses for our younger students. Your host-family will explain which campus you are attending and where to wait for the school bus when you arrive in Jersey. When you get to school on the first morning you will be given a short multiple choice test to assess your English level, and a short orientation session to explain everything you need to know about your stay. Your first class will begin at 11 am.
What does the school arrange for the evenings and weekends?
During the summer, for students aged 14 and over, there are optional activities arranged for most evenings, plus a Sunday afternoon meeting on the beach. These are all supervised by St Brelade’s College staff.
How can I contact my child at their host-family?
When you call the host-family, please try to avoid meal times - in the UK most families are finished eating by 8pm. It is best to ask the host-family when is the best time to call. Also, please consider that there may be other students or members of the host-family who need to use the phone so try not to spend too long when you call.
I want my child to be in a family with English children of their age
Wherever possible we try to take into account students’ preferences. However it is not always possible to meet these requirements, especially at peak periods. Please also consider that English teenagers, like all teenagers, can be very independent and may not necessarily wish to spend their free time with a student. We normally place students of different nationalities together in the host-family, so that they can spend their free time together and communicate in English.
I want to be in a family in St Helier
Firstly, please note that we have a limited number of families available in St Helier. However, wherever possible we do try to take into account students’ preferences, and in most cases if you book early we can meet this requirement. However, it may be that later on we have to change the family for a reason beyond our control (e.g. a family cancellation). For this reason we are unable to guarantee such requests.
I don’t know whether to choose homestay or residential accommodation?
Homestay accommodation is intended to give you a taste of British life. You live with a local family and take part in their daily lives. In this way, you have an opportunity to practise English more and learn about the British culture. However, you should also consider that they may not live in the same way as you do. Their customs, routines and eating habits may be completely different to what you are used to. As a guest in someone’s home, it is up to the student to adapt to the host-family’s way of life, not the other way around. In general, our host-families are very welcoming and want their students to talk and get involved so if you think your child is shy and may find it difficult to do so, then it is probably a good idea to choose residential accommodation.
Adult Courses
Who will come to pick me up on arrival?
If you have booked homestay accommodation, your family will meet you at the harbour or airport. They will be holding an arrival card with your name and the name of the School so that you easily recognize them. If you are staying in a hotel or guest house then you need to find your own transport. A taxi to St Aubin or St Helier should cost no more than around £10 - £12.
When should I provide my arrival details?
If you are staying in a host-family, then we need accurate information concerning the date, time and place of arrival in Jerseyat least two weeks prior to the start of your course. It is essential we have these details in time to inform the host family so that they can make the necessary preparations ahead of your stay.
Should I give this information directly to the family?
No! Please ensure that the arrival details are provided directly to St Brelade’s College. It is our responsibility to be sure that all students are collected by their host-families when they arrive. For this reason we need to be sure that all the families have the correct arrival details for their student(s). However, this does not mean that you are not allowed to contact the family. On the contrary, we encourage students to contact their host-family ahead of their stay.
I don’t know whether to choose homestay or guest house accommodation?
Homestay accommodation is intended to give you a taste of British life. You live with a local family and take part in their daily lives. In this way, you have an opportunity to practise English and learn about British culture. However, you should also consider that they may not live in the same way as you do. Their customs, routines and eating habits may be completely different to what you are used to. As a guest in someone’s home, it is up to the student to adapt to the host-family’s way of life, not the other way around. There are many very good guest houses and hotels in the vicinity of the school starting from around £35 per night.
I want to stay in a host-family, but I am vegetarian
Our host-families are happy to cater for special diets (e.g. vegetarian) Simply indicate this on your application form. Please give as much information possible in order for your host-family to prepare for your stay.
I want to stay in a host-family near the school or with a private bathroom
Wherever possible we try to take into account students’ preferences, and in most cases if you book when it is not so busy (e.g. October – February) then it is much more likely that we can meet your requests. However, it may be that later on we have to change the family for a reason beyond our control (e.g. a family cancellation). For this reason we are unable to guarantee such requests. Please also consider that if your request concerns the type of accommodation (e.g. private bathroom, home with garden etc) then you should maybe consider a guest house or hotel where specific standards are guaranteed.
When is the best time to come to Jersey?
It depends. The busiest time of year – both at the school and in Jersey – is July and August. At this time of year, you will be able to take advantage of the best weather for watersports and sunbathing. By the time of the annual ‘Battle of Flowers’ festival, the island is really booming! However, accommodation is more expensive. If you prefer a quieter environment, free from the crowds and children, then you may consider April to June or September to October. Here the weather is normally very pleasant so you can still take advantage of Jersey’s natural beauty. Finally, if you are just looking to improve your English then we advise you come in winter. Here you will find the rates are lower, the classes are smaller, and you can be assured of the best possible accommodation.
What happens on the first day?
If you are staying with a host-family, they will explain where you need to wait for the school bus when you arrive in Jersey. If you are staying in a guest house, you should make your own way to the school for 9am on your first day. When you get to school on the first morning you will be given a short multiple choice test to assess your English level, and a short orientation session to explain everything you need to know about your stay. Your first class will begin at 11 am.
What happens during the evenings and weekend?
The adult social programme includes social evenings on two nights of the week. (welcome drinks evening and a pub meal). At the weekend, you can explore the island or take a day trip to the French town of St Malo or one of the other Channel Islands. (Tickets available from the school office for around £35 per person). One of the best ways to see Jersey is by bike and we can also arrange this for you.
What are the arrangements for families at St Brelade’s College?
Jersey is an ideal destination for families and we have designed our programmes to take families into account. This means that parents and children can study and take activities with their own age group while having the possibility to join up with their children after school.
Parents with younger children (8 to 13) come to our adult campus in the morning. A school bus then takes the children to our nearby junior school where they take lessons and activities. Teenagers attend a separate campus in St Helier. All students meet at the end of the school day before returning to their host-families. On Friday evening, all the younger children have a barbecue at the school while the adults can go for a pub dinner. At the end they can meet up again before going back to their host family.
What about accommodation for families?
We normally place small families (i.e. 2 or 3 persons) together in one host-family. While we can try our best to place larger families together as well, we only have a limited number of host-families who can take up to 5 students. In cases where it is not possible to place the family together in one host-family we try to place the parents and children in host-families near to each other. Alternatively, if families want to guarantee that they will stay together, we recommend they stay in a guest house or self-catering apartment. To ensure the best chance that we can meet your accommodation requirements, please book early and avoid the busiest times of year (July & August)
|
