Student welfare

For adults:

We have a 24-hour phone number for you to contact in emergencies. The emergency phone number is easily accessible and can be found on your Bell student card. Our student services team will explain our emergency procedures with you during your student induction. If you are staying with a homestay family, they will also be available to help you.

For young learners:

Staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a 24/7 emergency contact available for each school location – , and you can approach any member of staff who will be able to help you immediately – including houseparents, teachers, activity leaders or the Centre Manager.

Bell St Albans
Course Office: +44 1727 221 961
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397
Email: info.stalbans@bellenglish.com

Bell The Leys
Course Office: +44 7522 556 626
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397
Email: cm.leys@bellenglish.com

Bell Tudor Hall
Course Office: +44 7522 556 585
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397

Travel emergencies:
If there is an emergency during travel, please contact our Young Learner travel team: +44 7522 551 397

Firstly, try to stay calm and not to worry about your issue. Our team at Bell are here to support you, and we will work with you to find a solution as quickly as possible.

For adults:
If it relates to your academic studies and learning, you can arrange a 1-to-1 appointment your teacher or the Learning & Teaching Manager at your school:

Bell Cambridge:
Des Arnold, Learning & Teaching Manager

Bell London:
Jonathan Spoor, Learning & Teaching Manager

Student Services:
If it is not academically related, our Student Services team will support you with your specific matter. You can arrange to see them by:

1. Drop- In – The team offers a drop-in service, available Monday – Friday from 9am to 5pm, where you can come along and speak to someone in person.
2. Appointment – you can email the team at info.cambridge@bellenglish.com / info.london@bellenglish.com and ask to arrange an appointment with a member of our Student Services team.

For young learners:
Staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a 24/7 emergency contact available for each school location – , and you can approach any member of staff who will be able to help you immediately – including houseparents, teachers, activity leaders or the Centre Manager.

Bell St Albans
Course Office: +44 1727 221 961
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397
Email: info.stalbans@bellenglish.com

Bell The Leys
Course Office: +44 7522 556 626
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397
Email: cm.leys@bellenglish.com

Bell Tudor Hall
Course Office: +44 7522 556 585
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397

Travel emergencies:
If there is an emergency during travel, please contact our Young Learner travel team:
+44 7522 551 397

This international student travel insurance policy provides cover including emergency medical assistance and medical costs, protection in the event of cancellation or curtailment, cover for loss, theft of or damage to baggage and personal money.

Our insurance policy is available in multiple languages:

• Arabic
• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Polish
• Portugeuse
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional)
• Spanish
• Thai
• Turkish
• Vietnamese

We guarantee the provision of free international student travel insurance to non-UK domicile students (i.e. students who reside in the UK) for the duration of your course.

We are an inclusive learning environment and will implement additional requirements as much as possible. If your child has additional mobility requirements or has a long term health condition, we would strongly encourage you to let us know as soon as possible prior to arrival to ensure that all the relevant support arrangements can be put in place in advance and help to make the transition to Bell as smooth as possible.

It is also worth noting that if your child’s disability or health condition might have implications for their living arrangements, it is important to ensure we have as much time as possible to arrange suitable accommodation with you due to residences often being in high demand.

Students are only allowed to leave school grounds under the supervision of Bell staff or with an an family friend or relative that has been authorised by a student’s parent/guardian.

We can not allow an underage child to travel within the UK unaccompanied. Bell has responsibility for its students from the moment they arrive until they depart. They can either be met by a parent/authorised adult or taken to the airport/Eurostar station to travel back to their country.

We cannot allow an underage child to travel within the UK unaccompanied. Bell has responsibility for its students from the moment they arrive until they depart.

Young learners are only allowed to go out with an authorised adult – who will take on responsibility for their care and welfare during the weekend. Please simply contact our team and we will send a consent form for you to complete, which provides us with all the necessary details.

At each school, there are morning clinics available with the school nurse. We also have staff who can administer first aid and, providing that you have given consent for us to give non-prescription medication, our welfare team can treat minor ailments such as colds, coughs and headaches. Bell also has agreements with local health providers and a member of Bell staff will always accompany a student should they need to visit a doctor or dentist.

Please note: For the safety of all students, all medication, with the exception of an epipen, must be handed in at registration. This is stored safely in a locked area and, providing that the correct authorisation has been given on the young learner medical form pre-arrival, the welfare team will administer medicine as per your instruction.

Please carefully consider whether you wish to authorise us giving non-prescriptive medicine (e.g. paracetamol) to your child.

Medical charges

Please note that if your child is from outside of the EU they may have to pay for prescription medication. This can be invoiced to you.

Upon arrival at the school, we will encourage your child to contact home to let you know that they have arrived safely. For safety reasons, we recommend that every child brings with them a mobile phone and that they use this to stay in touch with you.

Each school has WiFi in the communal areas, as well as designated computer time, so we can support your child in contacting home via Skype or email. Your child can also purchase an International SIM card from all our schools.

You can also contact the school and arrange a suitable time to speak to them.

Bell St Albans
Course Office: +44 1727 221 961
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397
Email: info.stalbans@bellenglish.com

Bell The Leys
Course Office: +44 7522 556 626
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397
Email: cm.leys@bellenglish.com

Bell Tudor Hall
Course Office: +44 7522 556 585
Emergency Contact: +44 7522 551 397

As a standard, Bell provides full supervision to students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our wide network of staff includes:

• Houseparents – responsible for the care and welfare of your child outside of the classroom
• English teachers – responsible for your child’s learning in the classroom
• Activity leaders – responsible for the student’s afternoon and evening activities

Your child will have daily house meetings throughout their course to discuss what they have achieved and share any concerns. We have questionnaires, a suggestions box and a student council – and we act on requests right away.

Each evening, children have access to WiFi and computers so they can contact friends and family. We also have a 24-hour emergency helpline if you have any urgent concerns.

On Bell young learner courses there is a minimum ratio of:

• 1 Bell member of staff for every 6 young learners (11-17 year olds).
• 1 Bell member of staff for every 5 young learners (7-10 year olds).

Students have freedom to walk around the centre (in defined areas) during their free time and must be in their boarding houses by 10pm at the latest, and are not allowed back out after this time. On study tours, students are allowed free time (in defined areas) for periods of no longer than 1 hour. They may be allowed to check in with staff, and then have another period of free time.

Anyone working on a Bell young learner course must pass safeguarding checks including ISA Children’s Barred List clearance, a criminal record check and supply full references covering the last five years.

Staff also complete a course in child protection and every centre has a number of staff who hold the Advanced Safeguarding Certificate.

All students are expected to follow the school rules. The rules are listed below and are clearly laid out in Bell’s terms and conditions. All procedures are made absolutely clear to students upon arrival.

Students must:

• Go to all of their lessons, activities and study tours
• Be kind to others; ‘bullying’ is not tolerated
• Give in their travel tickets and passports when they arrive so that we can keep them safe
• Give in their money and credit cards and take it out from the ‘Bell Bank’
• Give in their medicine and ask for these when they need them
• Lock expensive things away in the space given to them or give them in at the Course Office so that they can be kept safely
• Stay in groups of three or more people when they have free time on study tours
• Respect the school building and equipment
• Be quiet after ’lights out’

Students must not:

• Leave the school without the permission of the Centre Manager
• Go into the boys’ house if they are a girl, or go into the girls’ house if they are a boy
• Download onto Bell computers
• Activate fire alarms or use fire exits unless there is an emergency
• Smoke or have cigarettes, electronic cigarettes or lighters
• Drink or have alcohol
• Use or have illegal drugs

Parents will be contacted if these rules are broken. Any students breaking these rules, English law, or persisting in anti-social behaviour will be disciplined and, in serious cases, may be sent home early with no refund of fees.

These rules are to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all Bell students.

Mobile phone usage
At Bell we encourage the positive use of mobile phones and other technologies for effective and engaging learning; in lessons students may use their phones to access content related to the topic as well as, during the elective programme, mobile phones can be used in a variety of activities such as photography and film-making.

When not being used, we encourage students to leave their phones and other mobile devices safely locked away.

There is access to free WIFI in communal areas at all our centres. Our centres also have computer rooms where students can communicate with home via Skype and other online platforms. Our internet has content restrictions to ensure student safety and we advise students how to be SMART online.

Students can also purchase an International SIM card, but if you are experiencing difficulties in contacting a student, please call the school directly.

We are an inclusive learning environment and will implement additional requirements as much as possible. If you have additional mobility requirements or have a long term health condition, we would strongly encourage you to let us know as soon as possible prior to arrival to ensure that all the relevant support arrangements can be put in place in advance and help to make the transition to Bell as smooth as possible.

It is also worth noting that if your disability or health condition might have implications for your living arrangements, it is important to ensure we have as much time as possible to arrange suitable accommodation with you due to residences often being in high demand.

Our Student Services team will support you with any non-academic matter – throughout your time at Bell. You can arrange to see them by:

1. Drop- In – The team offers a drop-in service, available Monday – Friday from 9am to 5pm, where you can come along and speak to someone in person.
2. Appointment – you can email the team at info.cambridge@bellenglish.com / info.london@bellenglish.com and ask to arrange an appointment with a member of our Student Services team.

An essential part of being an independent adult is developing and using basic practical skills such as cooking, laundering clothes, cleaning, budgeting, structuring the day. Supporting students to learn these skills before they come to Cambridge will help to give them confidence in their ability to cope and take care of themselves.

On arrival you will receive a warm welcome and a comprehensive introduction to the school. Here’s a taste of what you can expect on your first day:

Arrival
You will be greeted by our student services team and given your student welcome pack, which includes your Bell student ID, maps of the local area, emergency contact form, a pen and note paper.

Language test
Your language level is tested to ensure you are placed in the correct class.

Student induction
You will receive an introduction to the school and take a tour of the facilities.

Lessons
After morning break, you will start your lessons and meet your new classmates.

After lessons
End your first day by attending our Language in Action programme and meet some new friends. In Cambridge we run a city orientation tour every Monday and our London team hosts a welcome talk, where you can ask any questions about staying in the capital.

In each school, we have staff who are trained in first aid and our student services team can help you register with a local doctor. We also have a 24-hour phone number for you to contact in emergencies. The emergency phone number is easily accessible and can be found on your Bell student card.

Both Bell Cambridge and Bell London follow the same school rules. These rules are to ensure students benefit from their time at Bell and in the UK and apply to behaviour in School, on Bell activities and in Bell accommodation. Any students breaking these rules, or English law, or persisting in serious anti-social behaviour will be disciplined and may be asked to leave the school and their Bell-arranged accommodation with no refund of fees.

Bell accepts no responsibility for a student’s personal actions to another party while at Bell, or for the supervision of students out of lessons or scheduled activities.

All students must:

• Attend all classes, complete assignments and homework, unless they are ill
• Inform the School of any changes of address or circumstances while at Bell
• Follow Bell procedures as explained at the beginning of their course
• Observe fire procedures
• Comply with all UK laws and visa restrictions.

Students aged 18 and over must:

• Behave appropriately towards students aged under 18 who are considered to be children in UK law
• Smoke only in designated areas
• Never buy alcohol, cigarettes (including electronic cigarettes) or tobacco for students under 18 or give alcohol to under 18s
• Not allow students under 18 to visit Bell adult residences for students aged 18 and over.

Students aged 16 and 17 are considered to be children in the UK and must:

• Return to their Bell accommodation by 23:00 hours every evening
• Inform their homestay or Residential Supervisor in advance if they are taking part in a Bell trip or activity that will finish later than 23:00
• Not buy or consume alcohol, cigarettes (including electronic cigarettes) or tobacco as the minimum age to purchase this in the UK is 18
• Have written permission from their parent or guardian to join day trips booked by Bell, but organised and run by an Independent travel company.
• Not be absent overnight or go on holiday without informing Reception who will contact parents or guardians for written permission. (Please note: Bell does not book overnight trips for students aged 16 and 17)
• Not move out of Bell accommodation without written permission from their parent or guardian
• Not visit any Bell residences for students aged 18 and over.

We reserve the right to ask students to leave Bell immediately and with no refund of fees for these reasons:

• Not attending classes regularly
• Serious anti-social behaviour (e.g. verbal abuse or rudeness, drunkenness, sexual harassment, violence, assault)
• Bullying, intimidating or threatening behaviour of any sort
• Proof of or admission to an illegal act (e.g. theft, assault, drink driving, possession or use of illegal drugs or offensive weapons – such as knives, guns or other object with intent to cause harm etc.)
• Breaking any UK law
• Interference with fire or safety equipment and procedures
• Misuse of computers or downloading of any offensive material
• Any other act that brings the name of Bell into disrepute
• Refusal to obey reasonable requests from a member of Senior Staff

The Learning and Teaching Manager, Principal or Student Services Manager may recommend that a student is not re-admitted to Bell. Reasons for this include the following:

• Lack of academic progress in spite of everyone’s best efforts
• Illness making it impossible for the student to get full benefit from the course
• Poor attendance and lack of commitment to the previous course
• A poor disciplinary record in class
• Behaviour in School or accommodation which is inappropriate, disruptive or disturbing to others
• Failure to pay fees
• Breaking any UK law

Discipline: If the problem concerns behaviour in class your teacher will speak to you. If there is no improvement, a senior member of Bell staff will speak to you. A formal warning may be given to you, and your parents/sponsor will be informed. If there is a very serious problem you may be asked to leave Bell (expelled) without a refund of fees.

Students who are 16 and 17 are given special care and attention. If you are 16 or 17, you will stay with one of our host families or in a dedicated student residence, to ensure you are supported outside of school hours. You will be given a curfew of 11pm and advised of the UK laws regarding under 18s on arrival. In addition, you will meet with our student services team weekly to discuss your experience and any concerns you’re having.