FAQs - Information for students under 18

Kaplan International Languages schools accept 16 and 17 year old students in all schools and these students join classes with other students aged 18 and over. We also have programmes for closed groups of 12 to 17 year old students in most of the schools throughout the year these students are taught in classes on their own and are not with students aged 18 or over. Kaplan International Languages provide a safe, positive, pleasant and home environment for all students. Parents/ legal guardians need to be aware that students studying at Kaplan schools will be in an adult environment.

Kaplan International Languages understand that safety of Under 18 students is important and we have put in place specific measures to ensure that parents/ legal guardians feel assured that students are in a safe environment. We require the following information to ensure we are able to provide the correct to the student:

• provide us with details of any known medical conditions the student may have; and
• sign consent forms prior to arrival.

Kaplan International Languages schools support Under 18’s with the following:

• have in place a comprehensive Safeguarding Policy, available for all staff, hosts and parents that explains our  commitment to safeguarding students;
• are in regular contact with Under 18's with staff, hosts and group leaders subject to rigorous recruitment procedures and necessary police checks;
• hosts are visited regularly and assessed, references are taken for their suitability to accommodate U18 students;
• providing staff and hosts with appropriate support, training and guidance to ensure that they are able to deal with welfare related issues and give a high level of duty of care to Under 18 students;
• provide a named contact person for extra support, meet with them on a regular basis, monitor any accommodation issues and liaise with the home stay and students’ parents/ legal guardians if necessary; and
• immediately follow up with hosts and residence staff if students have missed over 30 mins of the start of their lesson.

Activities:

Activities are scheduled in all schools that are suitable for Under 18 students to participate in and inform them about learning and socialising outside of the classroom. Under 16's closed groups have their own scheduled programme and activities, it is compulsory students attend these, at other times will be supervised by their Group Leader

Homestay and Residential accommodation:

Make sure that all Under 18 students are back with their host family or in the residence for their evening meal and by curfew time at night.

The School provide the following:

• students aged 12-13 are accompanied on longer journeys to and from school and their activities;
• travel to and from homestay to school for students aged 14 to 17 is independent but remotely supervised;
• 24 hour emergency phone and information on what students if they have any difficulties; and
• host families also have the emergency phone numbers and will alert the school immediately if a student is not home by the arranged time/curfew.

For Under 18 students that wish to stay overnight or for short periods with friends and family they will only be permitted if there is approval from parents/ legal guardian and the person they wish to stay with.

Online safeguarding:

Kaplan International Languages offers online courses to students aged 16 and above and in junior groups to students aged 12 to 17. Safeguarding of children is paramount in these courses and is as relevant in the online world as it is in regular, face to face classes. With this in mind, the below is applicable to all online classes:

• All teachers are trained in Safeguarding with specific reference to online learning and cyber bullying
• All staff and students must use their full name for their zoom ID
• All students will be taken to a waiting room before accessing the class so that staff can ensure the correct people are present
• Private messaging between students is not permitted
• Teachers will circulate between break out rooms during group work
• All breakout rooms will have at least 3 students in them
• Only English is used on all digital platforms
• Staff are encouraged to use a neutral background for all classes
• All students and staff are required to dress appropriately for classes
• E-safety is included in new students’ induction
• Courses contain activities raising awareness of digital literacy
• Students have access to a welfare manager and can contact them via the online platform
• Students are unable to record lessons or share screens
• Students are encouraged to keep their camera on at all times
• No information other than name or email is stored on K+ Online
• All students are required to follow the online code of conduct at all times

If you require any further information, then please do not hesitate to contact a student advisor for more information.