Is a UK summer school safe? Accreditation and safeguarding explained

Sending a child to a summer school in another country takes trust. The good news is that the UK has well-established standards for courses for under-18s — and a few simple checks tell you a lot about any course.

Who is responsible for my child?

During the course, supervision and welfare are the responsibility of the course team on site, under the course's own written safeguarding policy. Ask your WBS adviser for the course's safeguarding policy and accreditation details, and who is in charge on site.

What accreditation means

For English-language courses, the key standard is the British Council's Accreditation UK scheme. Inspectors visit in person, observe lessons, interview staff and students, and check that policies are actually followed. Inspection covers five areas:

1. management
2. resources and environment
3. teaching and learning
4. welfare and student services
5. care of under-18s

Your WBS adviser can give you the accreditation details for any course on our site, and you can check them in the British Council's A–Z list of accredited centres and read the inspection summary. Other recognised bodies include the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and, for schools themselves, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).

Five questions to ask before you book

Your WBS adviser can get written answers to these for any course on our site.

1. Who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, and how do I contact them during the course?
2. Who stays in the boarding house overnight, how do students reach staff at night, and is a member of staff on call 24 hours?
3. How are students who travel alone met at the airport, and by whom?
4. What are the rules on phones, leaving campus and free time?
5. How are medical needs and emergencies handled, and is insurance included?

Boarding life

Students usually share rooms of 1–5 with others of the same sex and similar age, in supervised boarding houses with resident staff. Ask about room sizes, bathrooms, laundry and how homesickness is handled.

How WBS helps

We can send you each course's safeguarding policy and accreditation details on request, and we stay in touch with families before, during and after the course. See our safeguarding page.