Group Leader Handbook

Welcome!
Firstly, on behalf of everybody at Churchill House Summer Centres we would like to welcome you to Eng-
land. We are delighted that you have chosen us as your provider for quality English learning and look for-
ward to developing our relationship with you and your students so that we can welcome you all back year
after year. Whether this is your first time coming to Churchill House or even your first time in England, this
booklet is designed to help explain all the necessary important information in a simple and useful way.
This Group Leader’s Manual will provide the basic information on:
 Contact Information
 A guide to a Group Leader’s daily schedule
 Responsibilities of a Group Leader
 Venue Services
 Churchill House Rules
 Advice to GL’s in England
This handbook is a guide for Group Leaders’ but you may have some questions that are not quite covered in
our booklet. If so, please feel free to ask the Centre Manager, or any member of our staff for assistance - our
friendly team are always pleased to help.
We would like you to enjoy your time with us, so please feel free to give us any feedback, either directly to
the Centre Management team, through a feedback form, or send us an email to our Support Services email
(found on the back page of this booklet). If you have any problems during your stay, please don’t hesitate to
voice them there and then. It will give us the opportunity to solve the problem, and make your stay more
enjoyable.
Thank you very much and we hope you enjoy your time with us!
Best Wishes,
The Churchill House Summer Centres Team

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 Group Leader Responsibilities
While you may have been a group leader before, Churchill House would appreciate it if you could read through this section
to understand the role and responsibilities of the Group Leader in a Churchill House school , which may be different to the
responsibilities you may have had with any other company.

The Group Leader’s Role

While the group leader is not employed by Churchill House, these are the duties that Churchill House expects the group leader to
perform in return for a place at the school:

Communications with the group

Group leaders represent their students in all communications with the school. Our managers will hold daily group leader meetings
to pass on information and instructions for the students, which the GLs can pass on in their own language. Similarly, if anyone in
the group needs help with anything—any problem or requests—the group leader can communicate this effectively to us and we
can work together to find a solution.

Because of the importance of the group leader in communicating with the students we require a GL to be contactable at all times.

Supervision of Students

Group Leaders are required to help our staff supervise their students, particularly in the accommodation building and during activi-
ties/excursions. Actively supervising students helps control their behaviour and makes life easier for everyone!

Student Welfare

One of the key responsibilities of the group leader is to ensure that the students are well looked after while they are with us. Our
team is there to help, but the group leader’s knowledge of the students and ability to talk to them in their own language is crucial
to identifying and managing any problems that occur. There are also some things that we cannot do, for instance if a student
needs to go to a doctor they will need a translator who can express their problems and talk to their parents about possible treat-
ment, so this is the GL’s responsibility.

Customer Service issues

Summer school courses are very complicated products and we rely on group leaders to communicate with us on all aspects of
summer school life, and to help us try to resolve any problems they might have. For instance, group leaders will talk to our man-
agement on behalf of their students if they have a problem with their accommodation or if there is anything special they would
like us to book for them, such as an optional excursion.

Student Discipline

We need to ensure that all the students behave well at our school so that everyone has a good time. If there is a problem the
group leader can help us talk to the students and find a solution to the problem.

Group Leader Attendance

Group Leaders are required to attend all daily group leader meetings, supervise their groups in the accommodation and during
activities/excursions. Group leaders must remain on campus overnight.

Group Leader Contract

The list of responsibilities as stated in this manual constitutes the job description of a Group Leader. Even if Group Leaders are not
presented with our contract (which should be supplied by the Churchill House sales department or the agency they work for) we
require any Group Leader that is present at the school to meet the standards set out in the responsibilities listed. Churchill House
School of English will replace any Group Leader with a member of our own staff if they believe them to be having a serious adverse
effect on the their group’s education, welfare or safety. us
and we never wish to have to replace a group
leader but we have and will do so if necessary.

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 Group Leader Supervision Duties

Group Leader places are given to groups in return for the group leaders’ assistance in supervising their students. Please ensure
that you understand how supervision works and what your role is. If you have any questions, please ask our Centre Manager.

When Group Leader Supervision Duties

Wake up time Help our staff wake your students up and be present in case they have a problem first
thing in the morning.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner Check that your students all turn up for their meals, behave appropriately, and that
they clear their tables away afterwards.

If you have students with dieatary concerns, please ensure that they are eating
properly.

Start of lessons Especially on the first day of class, please help your students find their way to the
correct classroom.

Students must attend all lessons and activities. If they are ill, it is the group leader’s
responsibility to supervise them in the accommodation building.

House Time House time is when students are allowed free time and can return to their bedrooms.
This is a convenient time for you to hold group meetings if you wish, but otherwise
you must be on site and available to help supervise your students and deal with any
problems they may have.

Activities Churchill House provides staff to lead activities but Group Leaders are also needed to
supervise their students and be present in case of problems. We will ask you to help
take registers to ensure that all your group is present and that your students go to
the correct activities.

Group leaders are also welcome to take part in activities and we might ask you to
help with things like talent show judging!
Excursions Group Leaders are required to bring their students to the meeting point before the
excursion leaves and ensure that they are all present and fully prepared to go on the
excursion.

During the excursion, group leaders must stay with their group and help our staff lead
them in the tour. During free time the GL must remain contactable and, if you have
students under the age of 12 years old, you must supervise them at all times.
Night time Group leaders must help our staff get the students into their rooms and stay there.
Group leaders must be onsite throughout the night in case of emergency.

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 Group Leader’s Daily Schedule

07:30-08:30 Wake up. Help your students get ready for breakfast and check they are all up in time.

08:00-08:45 Breakfast. Check all your students have come down to the dining hall and have had some-
thing for breakfast. Help our staff supervise them.
09:00 Lessons start - Please check that all your students have gone to their classes. All students
must attend lessons unless they are ill.

09:30-10:00 Group Leader meeting. Daily with management to talk about the day/week ahead. This is a
good time to ask any questions you may have. After this you are free until the students finish
lessons, unless any of your students are sick, then they will need your help.

12:30-13:15 Lunch Time. At meal times please check that your students are present and eating OK. This is
a good time to meet with your group and tell them any news from the meeting that morning.

13:15-14:00 House Time. This is the time for your students to get their things together and change their
clothes for their afternoon activities. We will have a staff member there, but it would be really
helpful for you to help your students and be available to them.
14:00-17:30 Daytime Activities. There are usually 2 or 3 activities every afternoon, with students moving
between activities at set times. Our staff will lead the activities with Group Leaders helping to
supervise.

17:30-18:30 House Time. This is time for your students to relax a bit before dinner, it gives them time to
change clothes for dinner and lets you make sure they are all there.
18:30-19:00 Dinner time. Like all other meal times it is a good time to ensure all your students are eating
properly and discuss what they did in the afternoon.
19:00-20:00 Evening House Time

20:00-22:00 Evening Activity. Where all students and GLs come together to enjoy an evening of fun, in the
form of disco’s, quizzes or performances.
22:00-23:00 Lights Out. At this time, everyone goes back to their bedrooms from the evening activity and
gets ready to settle into bed. At this time you need to check that your students are in their
rooms, are quiet, behaving well and not disturbing others.
23:00-00:00 Night. At this time, we have a member of staff on duty but we will call on you if a member of
your group is being loud, disruptive or disturbing other students who are trying to sleep.

This is a sample daily programme: times will vary centre to centre.

5
 Arriving at the School Our Transfer Service

If you have booked a transfer from

When you arrive at the school you will be met by our team and we will begin the pro- Churchill House you will be met in Arri-
cess of induction which, depending on the time you arrive, will take the following for- vals by a member of our staff who will be
mat: wearing company uniform and will have
 Welcome to the school a sign with your group name on it. They
will contact the coach driver and lead you
 Inductions. We provide inductions for both Students and Group Leaders which ex-
plain school rules, schedules and information about lessons and activities. to the coach/minibus that will take you
to the centre. Please note that coach
 Allocation of accommodation. Please note: Depending on the time you arrive, we
traffic at airports is very tightly controlled
might not allocate accommodation immediately. It is sometimes better to do other
things first. and there may be a delay before the
coach is allowed to come to pick you up.
 Brief tour of the campus to show you where to find the office, dining room, meeting
This delay is completely out of our hands
point etc
but we will do our best to get you going
 Dinner as soon as possible.
 Free time to unpack
Transfer FAQS
 Meet our activities team to go into evening activities together
How will I know who is collecting me
from the airport?
Things to do on arrival
At the airport, as you come through secu-
There are a few pieces of important administration that we would like to do as rity, you will see a member of Churchill
soon as you arrive: House staff with a t-shirt or hoody hold-
ing a sign saying “Churchill House Sum-
Passport and visa checks. For groups that need visas to enter the UK we are
mer Centres”. Please introduce yourself
required by law to make copies of all visas and passport pages for all students
to them and they will take you to your
and GLs. These will be returned to our Head Office where they will be stored
transport to the centre.
safely and eventually destroyed securely.
What do I do if I can’t find the person
Storing valuables in the safe. We recommend that no-one keeps large amounts
collecting us at the airport?
of money, passports or valuables in their bedroom; we can collect them on arri-
val and store them safely in our office. If you do not see our Churchill House
representative, please call the Emergen-
Student Emergency Contact details. We ask all our clients to provide the emer- cy Transfer number:
gency contacts (i.e. their parents) for all students so that we can contact them 0741 9373 983
in an emergency, for instance if they are taken to hospital. Most agencies will
Will the coach stop on the way to the
have provided this information in advance, but we will ask you to provide any
school?
missing information.
Not usually. If anyone in your group
Important note about room allocations needs to use the toilet or buy food, they
should do it before you leave the Arri-
Allocating bedrooms is very complicated so it is done in advance of your arri- vals.
val and takes into account any room allocations made in advance. If you have
any problems with the rooming allocation when you arrive we cannot make
any changes immediately but we will check the accommodation the next day
and will try our best to help.

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 Centre Staff
Centre Manager
The Centre Manager has overall responsibility of the
effective running of the centre and oversees the aca-
demic and activity programme and its staff. For Group
Leaders, the Centre Manager is the main point of con-
tact.
Director of Studies
The DOS is responsible for the academic programme
and the teaching staff in the centre. The DOS will ensure
that all your students are tested on arrival and placed in
appropriate classes. If your students have any problems
with their lessons you should speak to the Director of
Studies. The DOS can arrange for you to observe lessons
if you like, and will also hold lessons for the Group Lead-
ers twice a week.
Activity Manager (AM)
The AM is responsible for the smooth running of the activity programme and making sure CHSC customers are enjoying the
programme. The AM will have their own staff, Activity Leaders, but will also be in charge of Teachers on activities.
The Activity Manager is also the person to talk to if you would like to book any optional excursions.
Teacher
All our teachers are qualified to teach English in a British Council accredited school. The Teachers are responsible for providing
English language tuition to CHSC students in a fun, dynamic, structured and understandable way using the syllabus and materi-
als provided (although other materials can be used in consultation with the DOS).Teachers are also responsible for organising/
leading activity sessions and excursions, working with Activity Leaders. As for all other staff, Teachers have pastoral care/
supervision duties in in the accommodation buildings e.g. meal supervision, lights out duty.
Activity Leader (AL)
The AL is to help the AM with the planning and implementation of the activity programme at the centre. Each activity will be
staffed with the correct number of adults to ensure the safety and supervision of the students. The AL will use their skills and
background to ensure that the students have a fun, enjoyable and safe time with us.
ALs also play a key part in pastoral care/supervision e.g. wake up duty, meal supervision, lights out/night duty.
Student Liaison Officer (SLO)
Student Liaison Officers (SLOs) are responsible for providing support and supervision to students at our schools. SLOs are not
solely responsible for looking after students – all staff members are required to take part in supervision duties – but will meet
with students regularly to pass on information and handover responsibilities where necessary.

Safeguarding Roles
The designated person in charge of safeguarding at the summer centre is the Centre Manager (named Designated Staff) of the
centre. It is their responsibility to ensure the Child Safeguarding policies are implemented to help protect children from all forms
of abuse and neglect and create a safe environment for students.
Designated Lead (DL) is based at Head Office and their role is to offer advice in any situation arising relating to Child Safety con-
cerns and take charge if a safeguarding problem is raised.

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 Student Illness and Injury
Illness
If a student is sick and cannot attend lessons or activities the group leader must supervise them until they are able to return. If
anyone appears to have a contagious illness please inform the Centre Manager immediately as we may have to arrange to isolate
them from the other students.

Doctors

If a student needs to see a doctor our staff will arrange for an appointment but it is the group leader’s responsibility to take the
student to the clinic, help translate and discuss treatment with the parents if necessary.

Medical care

Churchill House has some First Aid qualified staff onsite who can help with minor injuries such as scrapes and bumps. However,
they are not medically trained so cannot administer drugs.

In the event of a life threatening illness or injury whilst offsite and without a member of Churchill House Staff present, the Group
Leader should call 999 and ask for an ambulance or telephone our school’s emergency telephone number where a member of our
staff will telephone the relevant emergency service. Group Leaders must accompany any member of their group to the hospital.

For injuries that are more serious the student may need to go to a hospital. On arrival at a hospital the injury will be triaged on
arrival and the medical team will decide how urgent the injury is and whether they need to be seen immediately or whether they
can wait. For less serious injuries, the student may have to wait several hours before they see a doctor and the group leader must
supervise them throughout.

Costs of medical care and transport to the hospital

Any costs relating to medical treatment must be paid by the customer. This includes transport to the clinic/hospital, medical treat-
ment (if applicable) and any medicines.

The cost of medical treatment is dependent on the agreement your own country has with the United Kingdom. EU citizens with an
EHIC card and some nationals of countries with reciprocal agreements with the UK will receive treatment free but would have to
pay for prescription medicines.

Citizens from countries without a national agreement (e.g. Russian, Chinese, Mexican) must pay for treatment at the hospital.

Claiming costs back from travel insurance policies

While you should always check the details of your insurance policy, the general process for claiming money back is:

Churchill House is not responsible for any medical costs or transport and cannot make an insurance claim on your behalf.

If you have to take a student to a doctor/hospital

1. Take their passport, EHIC card (if EU citizen) and insurance details

2. Take your mobile phone

3. The student should pay for any transport/treatment but keep receipts for any expenditure as they may be able to claim it
back from their insurance policy

4. Give the student’s home address to the doctor/hospital. Please do not give the school’s address except as temporary resi-
dence.—this may affect any insurance claim.

8
 Accommodation
Accommodation types student bedroom , please do not allow other students to move
into them without the centre manager’s permission for the
While accommodation varies from school to school, students
same reason.
are generally accommodated in shared rooms with shared
bathrooms (except at St Lawrence College, where there may be Bathrooms
ensuite rooms available at extra cost). Under school Safeguarding rules, adults (Staff and Group Lead-
Group Leaders are usually accommodated in single rooms and ers) may not use or enter the same bathrooms as students.
The bathrooms for you to use are marked ‘Staff Only’.
we try to accommodate them as close to their students as pos-
sible, although at some schools we have single-sex houses so Laundry
this might not be practical. Laundry will be done once a week, starting from the second
week of your stay. Each school is different, but the Centre Man-
Bed linen will be changed once a week by the Centre, on Sun- ager will advise you how laundry will be collected. Please en-
days or Mondays. Towels are not provided. sure that your students’ clothes are labelled with their name.
If you have a problem with your accommodation, we ask you to Don’t forget to label your own clothes too!
respect this policy whilst we work hard in ensuring that we can Your help in the collection and redistribution of their clothes
fulfil the request. will be much appreciated.
Room Allocations Damages
Allocating rooms is very complicated as we have to take into Please ensure that your students understand that any damage
account bathrooms, arrival and departure dates, gender mixes they cause to the venue, whether deliberately or accidentally,
etc. There are also strict rules on adults in accommodation will be charged to the students by the school.
buildings. We check all rooms before guests move into them and report
any damage to the venue. If damage does occur, those respon-
Students travelling in groups are usually accommodated in sible will be required to pay for the damage. If damage occurs
rooms shared with other students in the same group unless we in a common area and we cannot identify the person responsi-
receive a request to share with other nationalities in advance. ble we may ask all the students in the house to contribute to
If students wish to share with their friends/family members we the repair cost. Please help us solve these problems as smooth-
will try to accommodate them together provided that we re- ly as possible by helping us ascertain the facts and reclaim the
money from the student(s) in question.
ceive the request at least two weeks before the group is due to
arrive. Please remember that many of the schools we work with are
historic buildings with antique fixtures; if things are broken or
On arrival, groups will be shown to their pre-allocated rooms. damaged here, it can be expensive to repair.
We have a policy that within the first 24 hours of any stay We do not want students to be charged so we would be grate-
group members are not able to change bedrooms. This is to ful if you could help us avoid these charges by talking to your
allow us time to ensure that changing one person will not dis- students and helping supervise them.
rupt future weeks’ bookings or cause. If there are beds free in a

9
 Living on Campus
Living alongside students
Group Leaders are accommodated in the same accom-
modation buildings as students and staff, which means
that you have to behave professionally at all times. For
instance, while group leaders don’t share bedrooms
with students, you may be in the next bedroom to one,
so you won’t be able to play loud music after lights out.
Importantly, you must remember that you are always
visible (or audible) to students, so you must be careful
to maintain your own privacy.
Contact with students also leads to Safeguarding issues
– please read the Safeguarding Policy carefully.
Facilities
Smoking Group Leaders and Alcohol
The majority of our summer schools are based in well
equipped English private schools which have good facili- It is illegal in the UK for anyone Group Leaders must always re-
ties including theatres, common rooms, sports facili- under the age of 18 to buy ciga- member that they are working on
ties, and some also have swimming pools. The school rettes. Group Leaders are not to a residential campus with minors
provides us facilities, catering and services, so their staff buy cigarettes for their students and that they have a responsibility
are still on-site throughout our let. Please treat them nor should they been seen smok- to ensure that they retain a high
with respect throughout your stay. ing with them outside of the cen- degree of professionalism at all
tres. If the centre allows smok- times. Group Leaders may not
Facilities have to be booked in advance, and students ing—some venues ban smoking drink alcohol or be under the in-
cannot use the facilities unsupervised, but we make completely— there will be a des- fluence of alcohol while on duty,
extensive use of the facilities in our activity pro- ignated smoking area which the nor can their professional perfor-
grammes. Centre Management team will mance be allowed to suffer due to
Internet, Computers and Wifi show you. Please always go here alcohol consumption.
for a cigarette.
Most schools have WIFI for Group Leaders and students Group Leaders must not:
to use and passwords will be distributed at induction. Smoking indoors is completely
 Keep alcohol or drink in their
Where WIFI is not available we usually have the use of prohibited as a serious fire risk
rooms
computer rooms which we schedule for groups to use. and the host venue will ask us to
expel anyone even suspected of  Be seen by students with alco-
Security settings on school WIFI and computers are very smoking indoors. Please ensure hol in their possession
strict and the venue has the right to stop users using that your students understand
their internet if they breach these rules. The following  Be seen drinking or under the
this and take steps to prevent
sites/activities are prohibited: influence of alcohol by stu-
them smoking.
dents
 Gambling websites Alcohol
 Supply alcohol to any student,
 Adult websites Because of venue rules, no alco- whether or not they are of
 File sharing/illegal downloading/streaming hol is allowed onsite at all, wheth- legal drinking age in their
er for group leaders, staff or stu- home country
Catering dents.
Drugs
Should you or any member of your group have any die- If alcohol is found in a bedroom
tary requirements please tell the Centre Manager upon Use or possession of any illegal
the venue has the right to ask
arrival and on the first meal, please accompany the stu- drugs by staff, Group Leaders or
Churchill House to expel the per-
dent to the dining hall and introduce them to the cater- students will not be tolerated.
son immediately and we would
ing staff. This way the staff can help the student with have no choice but to do so. Should anyone be found pos-
their meals and or give them a meal specially made for sessing or attempting to buy drugs
them, with ease. It is your duty to help supervision of If you find that a student has alco- will be subject to our disciplinary
your students at all meal times. hol in their possession please con- procedure and the police will be
fiscate it or report it to the Centre involved.
Manager immediately.
Students and Alcohol
Any students found to be in pos-
session of or to have been drink-
ing alcohol will be disciplined and
possibly expelled.

10
 Homestay Courses
Churchill House offers the possibility of homestay courses where students live with a local family and come into the school for
lessons, excursions and some activities. If you have homestay students traveling with you, please be aware of the differences
between homestay and residential courses.

Meals Laundry Travel to and from the school

 Homestay students have break- The host family will wash the stu- For classes and afternoon activities,
fast with their homestay every dent’s clothes and change their bed-
Homestay students generally travel to/from
day ding once a week after the first
week’s stay. the school unaccompanied, either on foot
 Lunch on teaching days is provid- or by public transport. Churchill House may
ed in the dining room Student Illness
include travel tickets in the price of the
 Packed lunches are provided by If a homestay student becomes ill course if the homestay is allocated a dis-
the homestay on full day excur- they cannot stay in their homestay as
tance form the school. Please check your
sion/optional days. 24/7 supervision is not available.
Instead, they should come into the booking for clarification as this cannot be
 When the students are required school. Please consult the Centre changed at the centre.
to attend some evening activities Manager.
(e.g. BBQ night) they are provided For evening activities, homestay students
dinner in the dining room. All oth- Visiting the families travel to the school independently. Howev-
er evenings they must return Group Leaders can arrange to visit er, to ensure the safety of children who
home to eat with their host fami- the homestay hosts to inspect the walk home we operate a ‘walking bus’ sys-
ly. accommodation but this should be tem to ensure students get home safely
Activity Programme arranged in advance with the CM or
with which we would expect Group Leaders
the homestay coordinator. They will
All homestay students must attend make an appointment at a suitable to take part in. If students are based further
all daytime activities, along with their time. away, and buses are used, we will provide
residential schoolmates. the fare and ensure the student (with the
Homestay problems
Homestay students have fewer even- Students often report problems with Group Leader’s help) get on the right bus
ing activities than residential stu- and know which stop to get off.
their homestays in the first 48 hours
dents, spending the evening with after arrival. 99% of these complaints Safety and security on the journey to/from
their hosts when they are not re- relate to the student preferring to school
move onto campus where their
quired to come into school. The num-
friends are staying, which isn’t al- Students are not allowed any free time on
ber of activity evenings and the night ways possible and is not the accom-
their way to/from the school—they must go
depends on the homestay pro- modation their parents have pur-
directly between the school and the
gramme for the centre; please check chased.
homestay without any detours.
with your activity manager if you are If your students report any problems,
unsure. please let the centre manager know Homestays are instructed to inform the
and we will investigate for you. school immediately if their students are not
However, please note that attend-
home in time.
ance for the scheduled evening activ-
ities is not optional; students must
attend all activities and may not
leave early.
Homestay Course: Group Leader Responsibilities

Group Leaders have the same basic responsibilities with homestay groups as they do with residential groups; supervising students
and ensuring that they are safe and controlled. However, these are the key issues you will have to deal with:

Checking attendance on arrival—The GL has to check that all their students have arrived for lessons and activities.

Ensuring that students leave campus at the right time - Students have to return to their homestays at the end of activities and
they are required to check-out with their GL so that we are sure they have left home.

Student discipline— We need to be sure that homestay students understand the rules relating to staying in homestay as
homestay programmes are already more difficult to run and there are potentially a lot of problems that might occur.

11
 Teaching
Our English lessons focus on providing a fun way for students to practice their English and motivate them to learn more when they
go home. All students have a minimum of 15 hours per 7 day week and lessons include grammar and vocabulary, but the focus is
on being able to reproduce the language with other people.

Placement Test
On the first teaching day at the school all students will have a
placement test so that we can put them into the correct level.
The test has three parts:
 a multiple choice grammar/vocabulary test
 writing a short piece so that we can see their writing
skills
 An oral test so that we can judge their ability to com-
municate in the language
The Director of Studies will look at their scores in each of these
areas and place them in an appropriate class.
Levels
We have five levels ranging from Elementary to Advanced.
When placing students into class we take into account the stu-
dent’s communication skills first and place them into a group
where they will develop these skills best.
wrong class, please let the Director of Studies know. The DOS
will usually assess their language level again—possibly by talking
to them and possibly by observing them in a lesson (usually
Thursday/Friday). If they think that the student would benefit
from being in a different level they will look into making that
change as soon as a place becomes available.
Certificates and Reports
At the end of the course all students receive a written certificate
and school report.
Extra English
Some centres have ‘Extra English’ which means that the stu-
dents will not go to 4 hours of their week’s daytime activities
and will instead have 4 hours of extra classes. These classes can
be more culturally based, and look at Britain and may include
surveys and questionnaires to their peers or members of the
public. If you would like your group to participate in this, please
ask the Director of Studies as soon as possible.
Trinity Exams

Changing Levels Where you have booked Trinity GESE exams for your group, the
DOS will need to talk to you about the schedule for their exams.
Students often ask to change their class, usually because they It is very important that students choose to take the exam at
want to be with their friends. However, we place them in a class the correct level; it is better to take the exam at a level the stu-
where their English is most likely to improve. dent can pass at than attempt one they might fail at. The DOS
can advise you on this.
If you have a student who believes they are genuinely in the

12
 The Activity Programme
Activities play a big part in making summer school fun!
Our staff work hard to make sure that all the students
are involved, and communicating with each other.
Daytime activities
We provide a range of activities in the daytime including
sports, drama, arts & crafts, dance and local visits. Each
centre will have a minimum of three different activities
taking place every day with all students rotating
through each activity, which ensures that they have a
constantly changing variety of activities.
Daytime activity sessions each last 1 hour, with a short
break between them.
Colour Groups
To ensure that students mix in a multi-lingual environ-
ment we place them into mixed ‘colour groups’ at the
start of the week. For that week they have all their day-
time activities with this group and our staff encourage
them to communicate in English.
Evening Activities
Evening activities are large events for the whole school
to enjoy. Events include discos, quizzes, talent shows and
movie nights.
Evening activities run from 8pm to 10pm every night.
The weekly activity programme
All centres will display a copy of the week’s activity
schedule on the main notice board. This will explain
which activities and excursions are happening that week,
and separate notices will give you specific information
about where to meet. The times of the activities are con-
sistent throughout the course but please check the times
of the excursions beforehand as they may change slight-
ly.
Attendance on activities
All students must attend all activities and may not ‘opt
out’. Nor can Group Leaders sign them out of activities. If
students are sick or unable to take part, they must be
supervised by their Group Leader as they would for les-
sons.
Group Leader Responsibilities on Activities
Communications
While our staff tell the students about activities, Group Leaders play
the important role of passing on information about activities to the
students. For instance, Group Leaders can explain what the activities
are in the students’ own language and inform them of the details
(times, places etc.) of each activity.
Checking attendance
Students must attend all activities so, at the start of every activity, we
will ask the Group Leaders to help us take a register of their group so
that we know they are all present.
Supervision
While our staff will lead the activities, Group Leaders must be present
to help us look after their students and be there to deal with any prob-
lems. While there, we ask that the Group Leaders encourage their stu-
dents and help us manage their behaviour.
Suggestions
While we don’t require GLs to take part in activities, if you would like to
help, please let the Activity Manager know.
Similarly, let us know if you have any activity suggestions that you
would like us to try.
I would like to take my group of students offsite. How can I do
this?
If you would like to take your students out of the activity pro-
gramme and go off campus you must inform the Centre Manager
in advance and tell them your plan. Providing the CM agrees you
would just need to complete a form which lets the CM know
where you are going, who you are taking, what time you will be
back, a risk assessment of the activity and gives them your con-
tact number in case of any need to call you. Please note: the stu-
dents are legally our responsibility and we will not allow them out
if we feel there is any risk to them.
For excursions we require advance notice if you are going to sign
your students out—at least a couple of days so that we can plan
the itinerary properly.
13
 Excursions Travelling by coach
 Please ensure that all your group is ready
We offer full day and half day excursions at all our centres. Full Day Excursions to leave on time. Delays just mean that
go to larger tourist sites/cities, usually departing at about 9am and must be we lose time in the excursion.
back at the school in time for dinner. Half day excursions (usually 2pm-6pm) go  British law requires all passengers on
to closer, smaller towns and attractions, and give students the chance for sight- coaches to wear seatbelts at all times.
seeing and shopping.  Passengers must not stand up or walk
around on the coach while it is moving.
Entrances
 Food and drink are not allowed on
Where possible we will include an educational entrance or paid tour on excur- coaches.
sions. These entrances could be a museum, gallery or a tourist attraction. Our
 Students should take any rubbish they
staff will provide a walking tour of the local sights and we may also offer an ac-
have with them when they leave the
tivity such as a treasure hunt . Please remember that most entrances are coach.
booked for a certain time, so we have to ensure that the students are ready.
Travelling by Tube/Public Transport
Free Time
When travelling by public transport it is even
All excursions offer some free time but because of UK rules we can only provide more important that the students are tightly
controlled
a maximum of 40 minutes at a time. Where practical, we may offer 2 periods of
free time with a tour/entrance in-between. We are limited by British Council  Everyone has to board the vehicle to-
guidelines on this. Students under the age of 12 are not allowed free time with- gether
out your (adult) supervision.  Students must not bother other passen-
gers
Walking Tours
 At the end of the journey the students
Walking tours are provided by our teaching staff and we aim to take in the main must all get off together as quickly as
sites of the town/city. possible.

The role of Group Leaders on excursions
Translation and communication—Our staff will lead the excur-
sion but it always helps if the GL can help us by translating the
tour for them and passing on instructions.
Supervision—Please stay with your group at all times—We are
controlling large groups of students and we need your help. We
will stop regularly to check that no-one has gone missing—
please help us with these checks. If you see any potential prob-
lems, please let the tour leaders know.
time during excursions, we cannot legally do that with students
aged 11 or under who have to be supervised at all time by their
Group Leader. You can take them into shops and let them do
their shopping as long as you are always near them.
Dealing with Emergencies— If there is a problem with your
students we may need your help so please stay contactable at
all times. We have procedures for dealing with emergencies (at
the back of the handbook) - please read them before you go on
the excursion.

Looking after Under 12s—While we allow older students free

14
 Optional Excursions
On top of our scheduled excursions we can also provide optional excursions at an extra cost. These can be extra Half Day excur-
sions, Full Day excursions at the weekend, or possibly extra entrances such as Madame Tussaud’s or theatre bookings. Optional
excursions are a great way to personalise your group’s programme!

How can I book an optional excursion?

Ask the Activity Manager about the possibilities as far in advance as possible; they will ask Head Office for a price and we will look
into transport for you. We will do our best to find transport for you but we usually need several days’ advance notice.

If you want to book the optional you must pay the Activity Manager the full cost as soon as possible. As a rule, if we don’t receive
payment for a weekend optional by Wednesday morning it will be cancelled.

Once we’ve received payment we will make the arrangements for you and create an itinerary.

Excursion FAQs
Can I change the excursion destination?
We make excursion bookings well in ad-
vance and making changes is both compli-
cated and difficult because we have to
confirm the transport and entrances a
week in advance. If you ask the Activity
Manager as soon as you arrive at the cen-
tre we will look into the possibilities for
you but we cannot make any promises.
Can we change the tour itinerary?
If you have something special you want to
see/do, please let us know at the start of
the week and we will try to arrange your
tour to accommodate—if you ask on the
day of the excursion we might not be able
to make any changes. Please remember
that some items on the itinerary are
fixed, for example, venue entry times are
difficult to change.
Will the students learn about the excursions in class before they go?
Yes, our teachers will teach something about the destination and any entrances in class before the excursion.
Can we stay longer?
Departure times are set by the coach companies and so we are unable to alter them, and we cannot change meal times at the cen-
tre.
I want my group to do something special with me and want to take them out of the tour. Is that OK?
Group Leaders must seek the permission of the school before taking their students away as we are still legally responsible. We
need to know what you plan to do and if we are happy that the students will be safe, you will be allowed to sign them out of the
tour. We might even be able to send a member of staff to help you.
How long is the journey time?
Half day excursions tend to be 1 – 1 ½ hours journey time and full day excursions 2 – 3 hours. However, this is dependent on
traffic on the day.
Where will we have lunch?
We provide a packed lunch on full day excursions and we will schedule a lunch break in a suitable place on the itinerary.
Do the coaches have air conditioning/toilets?
Coaches in Britain do not generally have air conditioning or toilets provided, however, they are well ventilated and the vehicles do
not tend to get to an uncomfortable temperature.

15
 Student Discipline
While we want students to have a good time at our schools, in a residential school it is also important that they follow the rules
as there are many people they can possibly upset by their actions. The school has clear rules about behaviour which must be
followed and Group leaders must support our team by explaining to the students how they should act in the school and help-
ing our staff supervise and control their behaviour as far as possible.
Please read the school rules and the Disciplinary Policy carefully and explain them to your students.

School Rules  Valuables and money should be kept in the school safe
and not in the student’s dormitory/host family unless
 Students must go to all lessons and afternoon/evening/
locked in their suitcase or cupboard. Churchill House will
weekend activities. A register will be taken to ensure
not be held responsible for any losses or theft of valua-
attendance.
bles from a student’s or Group Leader’s room.
 If, for some reason, students are unable to attend any
 If any student damages college property, we reserve the
part of the programme due to illness, they must inform
right to make them pay for the damage caused.
their Group Leader and a member of Churchill House
management must be told as soon as possible.  It is absolutely forbidden for students to enter any floor
or dormitory in which a member of the opposite sex is
 No student may leave the campus without being accom-
housed.
panied by an adult.
 Any student entering the bedroom belonging to a mem-
 All students must be in their rooms at the end of the
ber of the same sex must get permission from them
evening activity at around 22:00 with lights out at
first.
22:30/23:00 at the latest.
 Any student needlessly setting off a fire alarm will be
 Students may not change bedrooms without permis-
made to pay for the damage, and be subject to our disci-
sion.
plinary procedure.
 Students must treat all fellow students and staff mem-
House Time Rules
bers with respect. No form of bullying will be tolerated.
 Students are allowed in their own houses at house time
 Chewing gum is forbidden.
(after lunch and before and after dinner).
 It is against the law to buy cigarettes if you are under 18
 Students may stay in their room or in the common
years old.
rooms.
 Anybody found using illegal drugs will be expelled and
 No members of the opposite sex are allowed in the oth-
reported to the police immediately.
ers house during house time.
 The consumption of alcohol is illegal under the age of
 Houses will be supervised by staff and GLs and it is at
18. Any student found drinking alcohol will be subject to
this time that CHSC Staff have the right to look in bed-
our disciplinary procedure. The alcohol will be confiscat-
rooms and common areas for damage.
ed.

16
 Disciplinary Procedure
Should students break school rules the Centre Manager will decide an appropriate course of following this procedure. Please note
that an offence harming people or property will probably result in a very serious action, possibly expulsion.

Examples Possible Actions

Minor  Disruptive in class or on activities on more  Speak to the Group Leader or Student Liaison Officer
Offences than one occasion (SLO) to speak to the student
 Causing loud disturbances in the accommoda-  If the first fails, have the Centre Manager speak to the
tion blocks or in the dining room student
 Wandering off on an activity on site  If damage has occurred, have the CM speak to the
student (with GL present) and give them the cost of
 Causing minor accidental damage
the repair and collect the money from them
 Being rude to a staff member or fellow stu-
dent
Serious  Bullying  A verbal warning
Offences
 Sexual or racial harassment  A final warning
 Constantly causing disruption  Calling of parents
 Violence  Moved to another centre or expulsion of the course
where parents have to pay to remove the student.
 Leaving campus without permission
(This will only be done through authorisation and
 Bringing and drinking alcohol into the centre consultation of Head Office.)
 Bringing and using narcotics into the centre
 Smoking in the centre
 Found guilty of stealing from other students
and/or shop theft
 Blatant disregard to others safety (throwing
rocks/causing accidents etc)
 Repeatedly going into out of bounds areas
(could be boys going into girls houses or vice
versa)
 Verbal abuse to staff members
 Vandalism

17

Churchill House Summer Centres consid-  Accompanying their students to and
ers the welfare and safety of its students
an absolute priority. Students must be
accompanied at all times.
For any residential students, Churchill
House is deemed in “loco parentis” of
any students during any time spent in
dormitories and meal times. CHSC
schedules supervision duties for all staff
during these periods to ensure adequate
supervision is maintained at all times.
For Homestay students, a host family is
deemed in “loco parentis” of any stu-
dents residing at the home during a stu-
dent’s time there.
Group Leaders must assume joint re-
sponsibility with Churchill House Sum-
mer Centres for these periods in which
the school is in “loco parentis” for their
Group Students.
Group Leaders must assume sole re-
sponsibility (be in “local parentis” on
their own) in the following situations:
 When accompanying homestay stu-
dents to/from school.
 For any meals undertaken offsite.
 When conducting any trip or activity
that is not part of the standard pro-
gramme (any extra trip added by the
Group Leader for their students).
 If a students is suspended or ex-
pelled by Churchill House.
 Accompanying their students to and
from medical trips.
Care of Students
from the country of origin.
In order to protect our students and
you, there are some basic yet important
rules you must follow in the residential
setting.
 Going into Dorms – you should not
go into the dorm of the opposite sex
without another member of staff
who is staying in that building/floor.
 If you need to see a student in their
room, make sure you leave the door
open or stand only in the doorway.
Preferably take another member of
staff with you too.
 You are never to invite a student
into your room, or allow a student
into your room at any time.
 You must do your upmost to never
be alone with a student. If a student
needs assistance, ask another mem-
ber of staff or one of their friends to
join you. If this is not possible, make
sure the door to the room is left
open.
 You must act professional at all
times, and understand that you are
the responsible adult in charge of
the students. Monitor your actions
and behaviour in front of them.
Churchill House Summer Centres will
not accept any Group Leaders who are
unwilling to assume the responsibilities
for students stated above and will in-
stantly replace anyone who is not pre-
pared to ensure the excellent welfare,
safety and supervision standards neces-
sary for students as expected from the
school.
Lost or Stolen Property
Churchill House Summer Centres does
not accept any responsibility for any lost
or stolen property. Group Leaders
should constantly instruct their students
to be careful and keep personal belong-
ings with them at all times. Churchill
House is not responsible for any person-
al belongings that are lost during a stu-
dent’s stay with us. Group Leaders
should report any loses to a member of
our staff as soon as possible.
All members of Churchill House staff will
endeavor to help resolve any incidents
of lost or stolen possessions. If a posses-
sion is found after a student has left, we
will get in touch with the agent for the
delivery of the item. This will be charged
to the student.
Found items will be kept in the centre
office for collection. Once the site has
closed, the items will be sent to Head
Office and kept there for a minimum of
2 months.

about their stay – such as choose a film on movie night; should

Prevent
abide by school rules and British law whilst they stay here; be
Prevent is part of a UK law which requires everyone working in
allowed to express their opinion in class and on activities; and
schools to promote British values to students and report any
finally, show respect and tolerance for all other students on
extremist behaviour, irrespective of its nature. As adults working
their course, that there will be no bullying or harassment on our
with children we are required to promote the four key British
campuses.
values:
If any student or Group Leader is believed to have extremist
 Democracy
views, which means shows or proposes violence to complete
 Rule of law (school rules)
their views or opinions, they will be reported to the Designated
 Individual liberty
Safeguarding Coordinator (DSC) who, upon investigation, will
 Mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different
then report it to the Local Authority.
faiths and beliefs and for those without faith.
This means that students have the right to choose certain things

‘In Loco Parentis’ and ‘Duty of Care’ meaning

As their parents put the students in our care while in England, we are deemed to be In Loco Parentis, which allows us to act in
the best interests of the students.
Duty of Care is the basic legal responsibility we have for those around us, for instance if you can foresee an accident about to
happen to someone around you – even a complete stranger – it is your responsibility to prevent it. However, we have a Higher
Duty of Care toward our students because of the nature of the relationship we have with them and we must actively take steps
to prevent harm coming to our students. If we fail in our duty of care towards our students and harm comes to them, either
through our action or inaction, we would be legally guilty of Negligence and could face legal proceedings.

18
 Travel Advice
First time in Britain? These tips might be useful to you…..

Mobile phones
We recommend that you use a British SIM card in your phone.
They can be picked up in most convenience stores/
supermarkets. We recommend that you use Lycamobile or Leb-
ara as they offer good coverage and cheap rates for calling
abroad.
Traffic
Cars in the UK drive on the left. Always look both ways when
crossing the road. Drivers in Britain tend to be very good and
stop at pedestrian crossings, but as soon as the light goes green
for them they want to go…..
Tipping
Tipping is complicated and even the British find it confusing. We
Changing money
don’t tip in fast food restaurants but would leave a bit of
change in a café. If service is not included in a restaurant (check Some large shops (e.g. Marks & Spencer) will accept Euros but
the bill), people in the UK usually tip the waiter 10% of the total it’s easy to find a Bureau de Change in town centres. Some large
cost of the meal by leaving change. supermarkets have their own, but you can also change money
at any post office.
Obstructing the footpath
Food and Drink in Shops
When walking or meeting in groups, students should not block
footpaths or roadways. Blocking paths is one of the most com- Shops in the UK do not like their customers to eat and drink
mon forms of annoyance. Group Leaders should ensure as far as whilst inside. It is advisable not to do so, the owner of the shop
possible that their students are not causing problems to those may ask you leave.
around them whilst on excursions off-site.
Cultural and Racial Acceptance
Noise
The UK is a culturally diverse place and is predominantly very
Group Leaders should ensure that their students are always accepting of all races, cultures, religions and lifestyles. Any slurs
considerate and strive to keep noise levels to a minimum - par- or jokes made that are deliberately prejudicial will likely be met
ticularly at night in dorms. with hostility by the average person who hears them.
Queuing Food
In Britain, as in many other countries, people queue one behind The cuisine throughout the UK is varied. Most cities, towns and
the other at places such as bus stops, cinemas and shops. This villages throughout Britain will have restaurants offering Italian,
ensures that each is served in order. All students should respect Turkish, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican and American food.
this custom.
If you want traditional British food try:
Shop Hours
 Full English/Scottish breakfast from a cafe
In towns and cities shops are open 7 days a week, and there are
 Fish and chips from a chip shop, with salt and vinegar.
plenty of late opening convenience stores. Shops are usually
Much better than the school’s version!
open from 09:00 – 17:30 from Monday through to Saturday.
Sunday opening hours differ from shop to shop but most open  Pub lunches. Pubs are less about drinking than eating
from 10:00 – 16:00. now, and most of them serve good-value meals in family-
friendly environments. Roast dinners are a good buy but
Banks
they also sell burgers, fish & chips, sausage and mash.
Most banks are open from 09:00 – 17:30 from Monday through
 Pies, sausage rolls and Cornish pasties. Pasty shops and
to Saturday. ATM machines are very common though; most
bakery chains have sprung up around Britain in the last
supermarkets have their own.
10 years. Try a pasty from a specialist shop when you are
Money on excursion—they are a filling, traditional snack.
Over the last 10 years several old style bank notes—£5 and £50  Cake, cream teas and scones. Baking is extremely popu-
notes especially—have been replaced and cannot be used in lar in Britain now and there are lots of shops and cafes
shops. However, if you take these notes to a bank, along with selling home-made cakes
your passport, you should be able to change them quite easily.

19
 Fire Safety
While fires are rare, their effects are devastating, so all centres must have effective procedures in place for both reducing the
risk of fire and managing any fire emergency, working alongside the host venue. It is the responsibility of the Centre Manager to
ensure that these procedures are implemented before any students arrive and are actively carried out throughout the course.

Fire Prevention
Inductions
All staff, students and GLs will receive an induction to the school and their accommodation building which will include a sum-
mary of fire of risks and what to do in case of a fire.

Potential fire risks

All staff and Group Leaders are asked to actively look out for potential fire risks and either stop them or report them to the Cen-
tre Manager. Key things to look out for are:
 Any sign of smoking e.g. the smell of smoke, cigarette butts, socks/plastic bags on smoke alarms. These things must be re-
ported to the Centre Manager immediately.
 Naked flames e.g. playing with lighters, carrying candles/incense burners. Confiscate them or ask the GL to look after them.
 Hair straighteners/tongs – students sometimes rest them on carpet/soft furnishings or leave them turned on when they
leave the room. This is a common cause of very expensive damages, which the student/group will be charged for.
 Misused fire extinguishers. If an extinguisher has been discharged fully, or even if the seal has been broken, the extinguisher
might not work in the event of a fire and it will have to be replaced (the students will be charged).
 Fire doors being propped open
 Obstructions in the corridors/fire exits – they must remain clear at all times
 Any potential electrical/maintenance fault

Fire Drills
Fire Drills are an important part of our emergency preparations and all centres will conduct weekly fire drills in both accommo-
dation and classroom buildings. Normally a drill would be carried out without warning, but Group Leaders will be briefed on
their role beforehand.
Note: All alarm activations (scheduled or not) must be treated with the same seriousness as if it were an actual fire.

What to do in the event of a fire

 Take charge of the people around you – remember you are looking after students who will follow your lead
 Activate the alarm so that others know there is an emergency
 The designated person will call the fire brigade
 The adults in the building (staff and GLs) should evacuate everyone from the building
 Gather all the students together at the evacuation point and keep them there until you receive the all-clear or are told to
move them by management/emergency services. Don’t let anyone wander off!
 Take a roll call/register – if anyone is missing you must report it to the fire marshal immediately so that they can look for
them or report them missing to the emergency services
Note: You are not required to fight the fire unless it is necessary to the evacuation and your priority should always be to ensure
your own safety and that of the students in your care.

20
 Safeguarding
Safeguarding is the term used by UK law to describe the responsibilities of people working with children for ensuring that they
are kept safe. Churchill House is committed to ensuring that students have a safe and enjoyable stay with us and Group Leaders
must ensure that they understand the company’s safeguarding policy (available at the centre or on request).
The Churchill House Safeguarding Policy applies to all staff, group leaders, host families and contractors (such as DJs).
The safeguarding policy is in place to protect all students studying with all divisions of Churchill House from:
 Physical harm
 Emotional abuse
 Sexual abuse
 Neglect
 Harmful materials on the internet
Group Leaders
Churchill House terms & conditions of business require all groups to be accompanied by a Group Leader provided by the agent.
The agent will be required to provide a statement that the Group Leader has had appropriate checks on their suitability to work
with children. The GL must complete a declaration that they are not disqualified from working with children in the UK or abroad,
under the terms of the Children’s Act.
Management Roles
In the residential centres the Centre Manager is the person in charge of Safeguarding at each site and responsible for imple-
menting and managing child safeguarding and protection procedures at a local level. Any staff concerns at the summer centres
about Safeguarding should be reported to the Centre Manager in the first instance. If the Centre Manager is unavailable or po-
tentially involved in the concern, it should be referred directly to the Summer Centres Director at Head Office.
Concerns about Students
If you have any concerns about student wellbeing you should report it to the Centre Manager immediately. They will apply the
Churchill House safeguarding policy. Please do not attempt to investigate any issues yourself.

Policy on Physical contact with Children

Churchill House policy is to avoid any physical contact with children wherever possible, but we accept that the nature of our
work will occasionally make physical touch unavoidable.
The circumstances where physical contact is appropriate can be summarised under the headings: ‘Positive Touch’, ‘Negative
Intervention’ and First Aid. All staff must understand these concepts and their use in a school environment. However, staff
should also remember that these concepts are subject to interpretation and should take these precautions to avoid misunder-
standings:
 Never touch a child in private; try to ensure that a member of staff or another GL is present
 If you find yourself needing to touch a student in a small room (e.g. if you enter a bedroom to respond to a crying child), al-
ways leave the door propped open (not just unlocked)
 The touch must be appropriate for the context and only as much as is absolutely necessary for the current need
 Ask permission to touch the child, if they are crying you could ask “do you want a hug?”
Positive Touch
This can be to demonstrate skills (e.g. in sports coaching) or to reassure or convey approval/sympathy (e.g. Hugging an upset
student). If a hug is absolutely necessary, we urge the adult to use a side-way hug. Putting their arm across their shoulders and
“hugging” from the side to avoid front to front hugging. However, as the need for this type of touch is subjective it should be
avoided wherever possible.
Negative Intervention
This is the use of reasonable force for self-defence, to restrain a child from hurting themselves or others, or to maintain disci-
pline. It should always be used as a last resort – always try to talk to the student first (e.g. remind them that they could be disci-
plined) or find another way to control them
Again, Negative Intervention will be judged subjectively - according to the situation, the force used and the role of the staff
member. Avoid using it if possible.

21
 Code of Conduct for Group Leaders- Safeguarding
Group Leaders should take care not to place themselves in a
vulnerable position in relation to Safeguarding. Interviews or
work with individual students should be conducted in view of
other adults. Excessive touching of students must be avoided.
Physical intervention should only be used when a student is
endangering themselves and/or others and must be recorded
on an Incident Report form and, if possible countersigned by a
witness.
Good Practice
The following are common sense examples of how to create a  Swearing or making offensive remarks within earshot of
positive culture and climate. Good practice means: students
 Treat all children equally, and with respect and dignity
 Conducting yourself in a manner that sets a good example
to the participants
 Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than
negative criticism
 Never using physical punishment
 Do not offer medicines or medical advice to juniors, if they
are ill contact a first aider or take them to the Centre Man-
ager
 Observing the rules concerning social networking and elec-
tronic contact
Unacceptable behaviour
 Endanger students through any action or inaction
 Engaging in rough, physical or sexually provocative games,
including horseplay
 Engaging in any form of inappropriate touching
 Sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun
 Making comments of a sexual nature in front of students
 In residential situations, entering childrens’ bedrooms
(unless it is essential e.g. because a child is ill)
 Using force as a form of discipline
 Inviting children into your room
 Sharing a bedroom or bathroom with a child
 Taking a child to the bathroom/toilet without another re-
sponsible adult supervising
 Showing any favouritism to particular students or arrang-
ing to spend time with a particular student/group of stu-
dents
 Accepting children’s inappropriate language/behaviour -
This should always be challenged
 Reducing a child to tears as a form of control
 Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled
adults that they can do for themselves (e.g. apply sun-
screen)
 Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home
 Keeping photos of students or their contact details
 Making or responding to personal contact with students by
telephone, SMS, messaging services, email or social media,
either during or after a course
Relationships with Students
Physical or emotional relationships between adults and stu-
dents under 18 are completely unacceptable. As you are in a
Position of Trust it is against the law, under the Sexual Offenc-
es ACT of 2003, to have any sexual relations/activity of any
sorts, including sending/receiving messages of a sexual/
provocative nature to any Churchill House Junior Student even
those who are of the age of consent (16/17 year olds).
Anyone that suspects that an adult is having or attempting to
initiate such a relationship should disclose this concern to the
Designated Staff (Centre Manager) immediately.
All staff must be aware of the possibility that a colleague may
be innocently compromised by a student attempting to initi-
ate a relationship, which should also be reported to the DS
immediately so that steps can be taken to protect them.
22
 Safeguarding—Responding to Disclosures
 Remember to note what is said and how it is said
Concerns about Students
NOTE: It is not the role of a staff member to investigate any
Adults can play a vital role in helping students in need. Con- concerns – they should report them to the Centre Manager/
cerns may come to the attention of adults in a variety of ways, DL
e.g. through observation of behaviour or injuries or disclosure.
The concern may not be related to Churchill House itself -it Concerns Involving Members of Staff or Group Leaders
could be caused by the student’s personal/family situation or
bullying – but staff should still report the concern anyway. Any concerns that involve allegations against an adult should
be referred immediately to the Designated Staff (Centre Man-
Concerns could be raised by: ager) or the Designated Lead (Head Office). Upon a report of
 Changes in student behaviour, or behaviour in certain an allegation The Designated Staff should:
circumstances  Make sure the child is safe – away from harm and in a
 Absenteeism (NB: it’s important to record attendance/ safe environment.
illness thoroughly)  Liaise with the Designated Lead and obtain all infor-
mation on the allegation.
 Withdrawal
 Investigate the concern and assess the information
 Shying away from others carefully and quickly asking for further information if
 Physical signs of harm appropriate.
 Students being flirtatious with adults, rather than other  Whilst the investigation is underway, Gross Misconduct
students, or seeking physical contact rules apply. The adult may be suspended, during which
time they will be paid as normal. However, they will be
 Seeing the student in suspicious situations, particularly asked to leave the site and find alternative accommo-
those involving adults dation until the investigations are completed. If the
 The student acting suspiciously with regard to notes or investigation is proved to be just, the Local Safeguard-
text messages. Often this means being noticeably se- ing Children Board (LSCB) will be called and the Police.
cretive about their mobile phone/tablet  Should the allegation be of a physical nature, a Body
map form should be completed (see Appendix C)
 Information heard/overheard, either from the student,
Advice from both authorities will be followed.
their friends or their Group Leader
Any adult who has a concern about a student, however insig- Concerns Involving an Under 18 year old student
nificant this might appear to be, should discuss it with the
Centre Manager or the Designated Lead as soon as possible. If a student under the age of 18 is accused of inappropriate
Remember that there might be several small clues that, to- behaviour or abuse, the allegation with be investigated as
gether, point to abuse, which your information could be the soon as the Designated Staff has been informed. The DS shall:
key to. More serious concerns must be reported immediately  Ensure the child (victim) is safe. Stay calm. Support the
to ensure that any appropriate action can be carried out as victim.
early as possible.  Inform the Designated Lead in Head Office
 Speak to the child/adult reporting the allegation. If a
Responding to Student Disclosures child, speak to them with a member of staff. Record
If a student makes a disclosure of abuse to you, you should: the information and wherever possible ensure that the
written record is made by the child making the allega-
 Listen to what is said; allow the student to make the tion.
disclosure at their own pace and in their own way  Should the allegation be of a physical nature, a body
 Avoid interrupting except to clarify what is being said map form should be completed
 Keep your response short, simple and gentle - Avoid  DL to contact local authorities and follow guidance
given by local authorities.
making comments or judgement about what they are
telling you
Recording
 Only ask questions if you need to clarify something;
Incidents or behavioural changes that give cause for concern
don’t ask leading questions or probe for information
should be recorded on a Child Protection Report form, copies
that is not volunteered
of which are available from the Centre Manager. It is im-
 Reassure the student that they have been heard and portant that records are factual and reflect the words used by
explain what will happen next the student. Opinion should not be given unless there is some
 Do not promise to keep any secrets evidence base which can be quoted. Records must be signed
and dated with timings if appropriate. It is important to re-
 Inform the Centre Manager immediately
member that any issues are confidential and other people
 Record the conversation in writing on a Child Protec- should only be informed on a ‘need to know’ basis.
tion Report form as soon as possible. Do not ask the
child to make any written declarations.

23
 Professional Conduct
Group Leaders are required to follow the same code of
conduct as our staff:
 Appropriate behaviour – no swearing or inappropri-
ate hand gestures or body movements should be
displayed in front of students
 Alcohol should not impede your work. Alcohol must
not be taken to your rooms, and students must not
see, hear or smell the effects of alcohol.
 Your personal life must be kept completely separate
to your work life e.g. Customers should not become
aware of/involved in your personal life, you may not
invite guests of any sort into your accommodation
and you should not exhibit personal displays of
affection in front of customers.
 You must only smoke in designated areas and never
with students. Never offer a cigarette to a student or
Taking photos of students
This policy aims to provide controls on the taking of images
of the students in our care by staff, contractors or agents.
The aim of the policy is to provide a framework for using
photography for business use i.e. marketing purposes,
though the principles apply to the use of images in an activ-
ity environment.
Procedures for taking /managing photographs/videos of
students
 GLs are only allowed to take photographs of their
own students in the group
 Students must give their permission to have their
photo taken and we cannot use any photos that the
student or their Group Leader objects to.
 The Centre Manager has the right to ask to see any
resulting photos and can ask for inappropriate ones
to be deleted immediately.
 Churchill House staff have the same right to refuse
to be photographed as students do, and they cannot
be photographed without their permission.
Photos/videos that can be taken
 Wide shots of buildings/activities that do not identi-
fy students
 Interior shots of accommodation areas where no
students are present
 Group shots of activities in progress where there is
no focus on any particular students
Restrictions
 Photos or videos cannot be taken of students in bed-
rooms or bathrooms
 Students/staff must be dressed appropriately e.g.
never in swimming costume/night wear. No photog-
raphy/videoing is allowed in the swimming pool
while swimming is taking place
‘lend’ one to a student.
 Going into Dorms – you should not go into the dorm of the
opposite sex without a member of staff who is staying in that
building/floor.
 If you need to see a student in their room, make sure you
leave the door open or stand only in the doorway.
 You are never to invite a student into your room, or allow a
student into your room at any time.
 You must do your upmost to never be alone with a student. If
a student needs assistance, ask another member of staff or
one of their friends to join you. If this is not possible, make
sure the door to the room is left open.
 You must act professionally at all times, and understand that
you are the responsible adult in charge of the students. Moni-
tor your actions and behaviour in front of them.
 Images (photography or moving) should show groups (3
or more) of students rather than individual students.
 Images should show students at mid/long range and in
groups, no images or videos of students are allowed to be
in close-up/mid shot.
 Photography/filming in the classroom must be organised
in advance with the Director of Studies so that students
and other Group Leaders have the opportunity to object
 Photographs/moving images should be anonymous; no
information about the student should be discernible e.g.
check that the ID card isn’t visible.
 Photos/videos should not portray the students upset/
distressed in any way, nor should they cause upset, dis-
tress or embarrassment.
 They can’t disrupt the day-to-day activities of the school
e.g. they can’t stop the activities to take a posed photo/
video shot, they can’t be intrusive to a class and can only
take images at long range and not in close-up.
Consent
Under UK and European law images are considered personal
data and consent must be sought before processing (capturing/
using/storing) that data. If the subject does not allow their con-
sent, any image must be removed immediately.
Students over 16 years old can give their consent to use their
images but any students under 16 may not and we must seek the
parents’ consent. This consent must be given in writing and the
individual must understand the way the images are to be used
e.g. there is a difference between the image being used on social
media or in a printed trade brochure. Note that Group Leaders
or agents cannot give that permission.
24
 Major Incident Procedures
General Guidance for Staff Terrorist Attacks
In the event of a major emergency (e.g. traffic accident, fire, explosion) all staff While the chances of being directly in-
should follow these basic guidelines: volved in a terrorist attack are quite low,
we must be prepared for the possibility
 Take immediate control of the situation until the emergency services take over –
of being caught up in one, or in the
you are responsible for the safety and security of the students in your group
effects of one. This guidance covers ac-
 Assess the situation tual or suspected terrorist attacks; in
2005 we were initially told there was a
 Your first priority is to the safety of your group – Ensure that they are all safe and
fire on the underground – it turned out
supervised before you attempt to do anything else. Don’t allow any of them to
to be a planned attack on the London
wander off.
transport network - so if there is any
 Check if there are any injuries (see below) doubt we must play safe.
 Contact the Head Office or centre emergency number for support
Dealing with Injuries Guidance for staff on excursion
If you call emergency services (999 or 112) they will often give you advice over the  Call the centre to report in as soon as
phone while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. General guidelines: possible. Remember that you may
not have mobile phone coverage
 DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE INJURED PEOPLE. The only exception to this is if they
(the security services turn off the
are only slightly wounded and they are in danger where they are.
network) so you may have to find a
 Find out who is injured and who needs your help the most. As a guide, prioritise landline. Keep checking in for infor-
unconscious people first. mation and to keep the centre in-
formed.
 Perform basic first aid if you know how e.g. apply pressure to wounds, keep
airways open  If you need to wait for pick up find a
safe place to wait in, such as a park.
 Injured people need to be supervised at all times; keep them awake and talking
Be careful not to lose anyone!
 Keep checking everyone periodically – there could be injuries you didn’t see at
 In cities, any incident usually has a
first or someone you thought was only slightly injured could get worse
major effect on the transport net-
 If anyone is taken to hospital, find out which hospital before they leave. A Group work and roads may be blocked for a
Leader or a member of staff should accompany them if at all possible. considerable period of time, so you
may need to walk to a pick up point.
Looking after a group at an accident scene
If you do, avoid potential terrorist
If your group is present at an accident you may have to look after them for some targets such as Parliament, palaces,
time. Keep them calm and comforted, and keep them updated about anything we train/underground stations, Harrods
are doing to help them. If possible, and the group members are uninjured, take them etc.
to a safe place away from the scene of the accident.
 Try to keep everyone calm and en-
Remember to consider their emotional needs but also consider potential conduct courage them to be patient – if it’s a
issues e.g. stop them taking photos, keep them from getting in the way. real terrorist attack they may experi-
ence major delays.
Communications
In the event of any accident affecting your group:
 Call the centre or the Head Office emergency number (07419 373982) to report
the incident. Head Office will deal with calls to/from clients and make arrange-
ments to help you.
 Keep your phone line open and preserve battery life. Avoid making/receiving un-
necessary calls and keep calls brief.
 You will need to provide a report on the incident later so try to keep notes, espe-
cially names/phone number of witnesses/police etc
 Do not speak to the press or allow any students to. Also, ask students not to post
anything on social media sites. Apart from worrying their family, it could cause
distress to others

25
 Student Lost Procedure
If you are on an excursion/visit and you suspect you have lost a student, imme-
diately implement the following procedure:
Remain calm – students often get lost (even on a straight road) but rarely stay Tips to Avoid this Happening
lost
Stop the group in a safe place (i.e. not next to a busy road or blocking a path)
 Always check that the students have
on your normal route, preferably in a clearly visible place, so that the student
their ID card before they leave the centre
can find you if they are just lagging behind.
 Take a roll call before moving the group
Gather information:
from one place to another and take regu-
 Take a roll call to check who is missing and if they were alone (students lar head counts en route. Always check
often go missing in pairs) numbers yourself!
 Ask the group when they were last seen  Check that the group is all concentrating
before moving
Try ringing their mobile number (their friends might have it if you don’t)
 Adults should be posted at the front and
Don’t let the situation get any worse:
rear of any group. The staff member/
 If you can contact the student, ask them where they are and go and find Group Leader at the back should hurry
them. Don’t risk them getting lost looking for you. people along and the person at the front
should stop the group if they think the
 Never send a student alone to look for a student – you could end up with
line is getting too strung out. If there is
two missing students
only one staff member, we ask that you
 Make sure that no-one else wanders off help and go at the back of the students.
If there were other groups present where the student was last seen, phone
them to check if they have them – they might have picked them up
If someone needs to go to look for them:
 CHSC staff may as you to go with one of the student’s friends to act as an-
other pair of eyes. There’s no point in sending a staff member alone if they
can’t recognise the student.
 Check that you have exchanged mobile phone numbers
 Search for the student in the designated free time area or where they were
last seen.
 Provided the rest of the group is in a safe place, ask them to wait there. If
you do have to move on, don’t stray from the planned route and tell the
people you have sent out where to find you.
If you haven’t found the student after 5 minutes, the CHSC staff member will
call the centre to report them missing. We tell them to keep the phone line
clear as much as possible. When you find the student, call the centre to let
them know.
Wait for the student until told to leave by the CHSC Staff member.

26
Frequently Asked
Questions
Can I use a phone to call a student’s parent?
You will be able to use the office phone to call
a student’s parent in an emergency.
How can I get a SIM card for my mobile
phone?
You can buy a SIM card from most supermar-
kets, corner shops, news agents or specialist
mobile phone shops such as Car Phone Ware-
house. However, check which network re-
ceives a good signal at the centre. If you can
receive a strong Vodafone signal, Lebara offer
a good SIM card and it allows cheaper inter-
national calls. The Centre Manager will be
able to tell you the best place to get one.
I have a dietary requirement. Can this be
catered for?
Please tell the Centre Manager if you or any
of your students have a dietary requirement.
Ideally this information will have been passed
on before you have arrived at the centre as it
can take time to arrange, but if this infor-
mation wasn’t passed to us, please let the
Centre Manager know the exact details of the
dietary requirement or allergy and they will
inform the Catering staff immediately to see
what can be done.
If my student is sick or needs medical atten-
tion, what do I do?
We have members of staff that are first aid
trained. If your student is from the EU, they
may be able to receive free medical treatment
but you should check with their travel insur-
ance before taking them to any medical pro-
fession. If your student is from outside the EU,
you must check their travel insurance before
making an appointment. Some insurers re-
quire you to take your students to a designat-
ed doctor; others allow you to go to the near-
est doctor’s surgery. If your student needs to
see a doctor, you must accompany them to
the doctors and their travel is to be paid by
them. Sometimes this can also be claimed
back on their insurance if you keep a receipt.
I want to book my group an optional excur-
sion. What are my choices and how do I do
this?
If you speak with the Activity Manager, they
will be able to tell you the available optional
excursions for that week and a price each
student in your group needs to pay. The Activ-
ity Manager will give you all the necessary
details for you to pass on to your group.
Please note that we require at least three
days’ notice if you would like to book an op-
tional as arranging transport is difficult, and
we reserve the right to cancel optionals if we
don’t reach the required numbers of book-
ings.
When am I able to go offsite on my own?
After your daily meeting with the managers
and whilst students are in class you will have
some free time until lunch. This is the perfect
opportunity for you to go shopping/see the
local area.
Is transport arranged for me to go offsite?
At specified times in the week, transport will
be arranged to take a group of group leaders
to a local area where you will be able to
spend some time. At other times, not pre-
arranged, we will be able to assist you in call-
ing a taxi to get there but payment and ar-
ranging to get back will be your responsibility.
When is my laundry done?
We offer a weekly service for small items at
the centre. You will need to put your clothes
into a bag, each item labeled and given to the
centre on the designated laundry day. Please
remember that the individual is responsible
for sorting their own bag and we aren’t re-
sponsible for lost/damaged items The Centre
Manager will be able to tell you the days and
times laundry is collected.
One of my student’s is unhappy with their
room. What can be done?
We have a strict no moving policy within the
first 24 hours of anyone’s stay. This is because
future bookings may be disrupted if one per-
son moves. If you highlight the issue to the
Centre Manager, they can speak to the Bed
Bookings Manager at Head Office who assigns
all students (and GLs) their rooms. Once the
BBM has been consulted, the CM will act as
swiftly as possible. Due to numbers and all
requests by all parties it may not be possible
to move immediately and we appreciate your
patience and understanding. Occasionally, to
accommodate all requests, we reserve the
right to move you or your students to another
room throughout your stay.
Who do I see if I would like information on
teaching, activities or about accommoda-
tion/meals?
Our managers are always available to help
you. If you have any questions regarding:
Your students classes please see the Direc-
tor of Studies
Your students activities please see the Activity
Manager
Your student’s bedrooms, meals, time at the
centre please see the Centre Manager.
Complaints Procedure
Whilst we hope that you and your students
are happy and content with the course, we
understand that sometimes this is not always
the case. In the case of a student not being
satisfied with their stay, please ask them in
the first instance to speak with you and then
you can take it up with the correct Manager.
For example:
 If the student is unhappy with their
class/level, you can speak with the
Director of Studies.
 If the student is unhappy with the
activities, you can speak to the Activi-
ty Manager.
 If the student is unhappy with the
accommodation/food, then you can
take it up with the Centre Manager.
The Centre Manager also oversees all that
the DOS and AM do. Please do mention any
areas you are unhappy with at the time of
your stay and it gives us the opportunity to
do our best to solve the problem whilst you
are there.
If you feel the need to escalate the complaint
to Head Office, please write to:
summer.support@churchillhouse.co.uk
Important Telephone Numbers:
 Emergency services (Ambulance/
Police/Fire Brigade): 999
 Churchill House Emergency Number:
PLEASE SEE YOUR CHSC ID BADGE
 Churchill House Airport Transfer
Emergency Number: 07419 373983
Head Office Contact Details
42 Spencer Square, Ramsgate, Kent C11 9EQ
Telephone (Main Switchboard): (01843)
593630
Fax: (01843) 584827
Head Office Department Email
General Enquiries
summer.support@churchillhouse.co.uk
Sales Department
salesdept@churchillhouse.co.uk
27
 INDEX
Group Leader Responsibilities............................................................ 3
Group Leader Supervision Duties ....................................................... 4
Group Leader Daily Schedule ............................................................. 5
Arriving at the School ........................................................................ 6
Transfers ............................................................................................ 6
Centre Staff........................................................................................ 7
Student Illness and Injury .................................................................. 8
Travel Insurance................................................................................. 8
Accommodation ................................................................................ 9
Living on Campus ............................................................................... 10
Homestay Courses ............................................................................. 11
Teaching ............................................................................................ 12
Activity Programme ........................................................................... 13
Excursions.......................................................................................... 14
Optional Excursions ........................................................................... 15
Excursion FAQs .................................................................................. 15
Student Discipline .............................................................................. 16
Student Disciplinary Procedure .......................................................... 17
Care of Students ................................................................................ 18
Prevent .............................................................................................. 18
Travel Advice ..................................................................................... 19
Fire Safety.......................................................................................... 20
Safeguarding...................................................................................... 21
Policy on physical contact with students ............................................ 21
Code of conduct for group leaders—Safeguarding ............................. 22
Safeguarding—Responding to Disclosures ......................................... 23
Group Leader Professional Conduct ................................................... 24
Taking Photos of Students policy ....................................................... 24
Major incidents procedure................................................................. 25
Student Lost Procedure...................................................................... 26 28