This Charter serves to advise schools, overseas parents and agents on the response from AEGIS and our member guardianship organisations to the Covid-19 pandemic. Guardianship organisations that have adopted the AEGIS Covid-19 Safe Charter confirm that they will comply with government and Public Health guidance whilst supporting international students in the UK.
We recommend that overseas parents familiarise themselves with the rigorous inspection process undertaken by AEGIS guardianship organisations and choose an AEGIS accredited guardian. AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations are professional, fully insured, trained in safeguarding and offer 24/7 emergency assistance.
AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations have been praised by schools, agents and parents for their hard work and swift action during the COVID-19 crisis. They have been pro-active in assisting schools, students and parents.
Without exception, AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations are committed to assisting schools and parents in the safe return of students and continued support of students.
It is likely that some travel arrangements will need to be planned at the last minute as flights become available. AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations support parents with travel arrangements and provide assistance on arrival 24/7.
The guardian will ensure that the student or parent completes the online Passenger Locator Form via the link below below before arrival in the UK. The form cannot be submitted until 48 hours before arrival in the UK. The student will need to carry a copy of the completed form with them and the form will be required on arrival at the UK border, either a printed version, or a copy on a mobile phone.
https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk
Guardians will ensure students also travel with the standard Permission to Travel Letter, as per Appendix 11 of the AEGIS Inspection Handbook & Quality Standards.
When travelling to England, what is required on entry depends on where that person has been in the 10 days before arrival. If they have been in a country or territory on the:
For further details please visit: https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control
For lists of green, amber and red countries and territories please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england
Test to Release (available in England only)
If a student has been in a country or territory on the amber list in the 10 days before arriving in England they must quarantine for 10 days on arrival. Under the Test to Release scheme a student can choose to pay for a private COVID-19 test. If the result is negative, quarantine can be stopped early. The test cannot be taken until 5 full days after arrival in England. Those who have been in or through a country or territory on the red list in the 10 days before arriving in England cannot take part in the scheme.
For further details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-test-to-release-for-international-travel
Rules for travelling to:
Wales: https://gov.wales/rules-foreign-travel-and-wales-coronavirus-covid-19-html
Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice
AEGIS guardians will follow government guidelines on self-isolation and ensure that parents and students understand the requirements.
Students are able to quarantine at their boarding school. Guardians are also able to provide quarantine in homestays for children travelling from Amber List countries.
Public Health England advises that guardianship organisations should risk assess the appropriateness of each household for the students and their particular needs before arranging for them to quarantine in a household. If facing a set of circumstances that are not covered by government guidance, queries can be emailed to dhsctesttrace.customerfeedbackteam@nhs.net and/or it is advised to contact the local authority in that area for advice.
Please note the guidance for quarantine in a homestay:
“Quarantining safely
As soon as you arrive at your place of quarantine you should, as far as possible, avoid contact with other people in the place where you’re quarantining to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
You should stay in a well ventilated room with an outside window that can be opened, separate from other people in your home.
If you’re staying in a hotel or guest house, you must stay away from others who did not travel with you. You must not use shared areas such as bars, restaurants, health clubs and sports facilities.
Stay 2 metres apart from other people staying there at all times.
Visitors
You cannot have visitors, including friends and family, unless they’re providing:
Going out
Unless you’re at risk of harm, you cannot leave the premises where you’re in quarantine. You must only exercise inside the place where you’re quarantining or in the garden. You cannot leave the place where you’re quarantining to walk your dog. You will need to ask friends or relatives to help you with this.”
Full quarantine guidance available here:
England https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when-you-arrive-in-england
Wales https://gov.wales/how-isolate-when-you-travel-wales-coronavirus-covid-19
Northern Ireland https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice
Guidance for boarders arriving from Red List countries allowing boarders to quarantine at school: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966528/Boarding_school_students_from_red_list_countries_quarantine_arrangements.pdf
Unfortunately guardians cannot provide quarantine for students arriving from Red List countries as the quarantine must take place at school. For Red List countries please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england
Please note the following advise:
“Unaccompanied minors
Children arriving in England from a red list country should not be travelling alone. Arrangements should be made by the parent or guardian to travel with their child and to enter managed quarantine with them on arrival.
If it is not possible for someone with responsibility for the child to travel with them, the parent, guardian or appropriate adult will need to notify DHSC at MQS_new_Exemptions@dhsc.gov.uk at least 14 days before the date of travel, and request a specific exemption for them to travel alone. Exemptions will only be provided in exceptional circumstances.
In general, a child will not be able to travel alone unless the parent, guardian or appropriate adult already in the UK can enter managed quarantine with the child on their arrival. Adults completing the booking on behalf of a child they have responsibility for should include details of an appropriate adult who will be in the in UK who is designated to enter managed quarantine.
If you are the parent or guardian of an unaccompanied minor who is attending boarding school, they may be able to quarantine at their boarding school.”
The Test to Release scheme cannot be used by students travelling from red list countries.
Boarders from red list countries are able to quarantine at boarding school.
Wales: https://gov.wales/how-self-isolate-when-you-travel-wales-coronavirus-covid-19
Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice
Note that students travelling from or through red list countries should never quarantine with students travelling from non-red list countries.
It is confirmed that international students do have residence rights and are therefore able to enter the UK from countries on the Red List: British and Irish Nationals, or third country nationals with residence rights in the UK are able to enter the UK if they have been in or transited through a ‘red list’ country in the last 10 days. Residence rights includes those with an entry clearance/visa that grants such leave e.g. students, holders of existing leave to enter or remain e.g. those students with biometric residence permits, and holders of EU Settlement Scheme (“EUSS”) leave.
Please note that unaccompanied stays in hotels are not advised, we refer you to the UKVI Student Visa Sponsor Guidance:
The self-isolation requirements in place for Child Students must meet the safeguarding requirements as stipulated in Appendix Child Student to ensure suitable care arrangements are in place for a Child Student’s care and reception within the UK. For Child Students who are 16 or 17 years old, they are able to live independently, so if the parent consents for the Child Student to be living independently within the UK for the self-isolation period (as per the consent requirements in CS. 9) before moving to the full accommodation this would be acceptable, provided the sponsor maintained their sponsorship duties in regard to the Child Student’s care and reception within the UK.
For Child Students below 16 years old, it is not acceptable for a Child Student to be placed in a hotel for the self-isolation period, this is because the care requirements in place for a Child Student under 16 must always be in accordance with one of the types of care stated in the Child Student rules:-
• Boarding at a residential boarding school
• Living in a Private Foster Care arrangement
• Living with a close relative who holds settled status within the UK (ILTR)
• Living with a Parent of a Child Student (if the Child Student is under 12)
We recommend that parents choose an AEGIS accredited guardianship organisation to organise airport transfers with drivers who are screened and experienced in transporting international students. They also adhere to social distancing and hygiene standards.
The guardian is to ensure that:
– There is a named, safe adult to meet the child and comply with any social distancing guidelines at that time and follow strict hygiene procedures. The named person will have a face covering and sanitiser hand wash. A spare should also be carried for the child being collected whilst at the airport or point of entry and whilst in the transport.
– The transport to the school is a direct route without detours.
– The transport has enough sanitiser, wipes and spare face coverings. Should there be any toilet stops relevant guidelines must be followed.
– A welcome pack with snacks and drinks is made available within the transport. The packets etc will need sanitising in advance.
– The student is encouraged to contact home shortly after arrival in the country and when arriving at school.
– They keep in contact regularly with the child and reinforce that they are there to listen to the child’s voice and any concerns that they have.
Several countries have banned or limited UK travel meaning some students will be unable to return to their home country. For individual country guidance please visit: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Hong Kong – Guidance taken from the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, full guidance available here: https://www.hketolondon.gov.hk/info-uk.php https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202106/24/P2021062400893.htm and https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/
From 28 June 2021, the UK will be specified as Group A2 specified places (very high risk) where arrivals from the UK to Hong Kong would be subjected to tightened quarantine requirements of 21-day, and no shortened quarantine arrangement would be provided to those who have been fully vaccinated.
For persons who arrived at Hong Kong from the UK from 7 May 2021, they will be required to (a) undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in a designated quarantine hotel; (b) self-monitor in the subsequent 7 days; and (c) do 4 tests during the 21-day compulsory quarantine and another test on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong.
The UK will be specified as Group A2 specified place (very high risk) from 28 June 2021 where the same boarding, quarantine of 21-day and testing requirements will be imposed on persons arriving at Hong Kong, regardless of whether they have been fully vaccinated or otherwise. Between 4 June and 27 June 2021, persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in the UK (Group B specified place) but are yet to be fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines will be subject to a 21-day compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels, with four tests to be conducted during the period. Those who have been fully vaccinated will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels, with three tests to be conducted during the period, followed by a seven-day self-monitoring period as well as compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th day of arrival at Hong Kong. Fully vaccinated means that the suggested dosage has been administered in accordance with relevant guidelines of a COVID-19 vaccination course at least 14 days prior to arrival at Hong Kong. The relevant vaccines administered should be those included on the List of COVID-19 Vaccines Recognised for Specified Purposes.
Please kindly note that 26 June 2021 onwards, the relevant test must be a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nucleic acid test. Results of tests conducted using other testing platforms (e.g. reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification, RT-LAMP) cannot be considered to have fulfilled the relevant specified boarding requirement.
PLEASE CHECK WITH THE AIRLINE WHICH PCR TEST IS ACCEPTABLE.
From 0.00am on July 1 (Hong Kong time), all passenger flights from the UK will be prohibited from landing in Hong Kong. The UK will also at the same time be specified as an extremely high-risk Group A1 specified place to restrict persons who have stayed in that place for more than two hours from boarding passenger flights for Hong Kong, so as to stop persons from the relevant place from travelling to Hong Kong via transit. Full details can be found here: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202106/28/P2021062800825.htm?fontSize=1
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk
Hong Kong Immigration Department’s 24-hour hotline, provides assistance to HK residents overseas: (852) 1868
https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/Assistance_Outside_Hong_Kong.html
Japan – Japan is only accepting negative Covid-19 tests which indicate the test taken is a nasopharyngeal test. See: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/japan/entry-requirements
AEGIS accredited guardianship organisations follow Public Health and government guidance. Public Health and the Department for Education advise that Covid positive or symptomatic international students should self-isolate where they show symptoms/test positive and should not be moving to different locations.
Host families and educational guardians are therefore not in a position to take over the care of students who have symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19 at boarding school. Schools also follow Public Health advice and that of the Safe Schools UK and BSA Charters and provide isolation on school premises.
Where schools are unable to keep their boarding houses open, AEGIS guardians will provide homestay accommodation for healthy students.
If there is a school closure and students at the affected school are displaying symptoms and/or awaiting test results for COVID-19, guardians are unable to accommodate these students in host families due to the risk to the host family and wider community. Any such student will need to remain within the school’s isolation provision until they receive the all-clear or are admitted to a medical facility. If a student receives a negative test result, guardians will then accommodate them as stated above.
If a student develops symptoms after being placed in a homestay and the school is closed, the guardian will instigate the proper testing and isolation procedures and accommodate the student until they are given the all-clear, or admitted to a medical facility.
If a student develops symptoms during a residential course the responsibility for the care of the student will remain with the course provider.
Guidance on self-isolation:
How to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
England: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-reducing-the-risks-in-schools/
Wales: https://gov.wales/operational-guidance-schools-and-settings
Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-schools-colleges-and-universities
Please note that Public Health England has advised carrying out an individual risk assessment and discussion with homestays regarding any hosting arrangements. Hosting arrangements would need to be compliant with any current local guidance for households which might vary depending on local incidence levels. Currently international students are classed as part of the household bubble.
Unless the student was a confirmed case or contact of a confirmed case self-isolating or quarantining following travel from a country where this is required, there is no reason why they should not go to their homestay. If a member of the homestay is self-isolating as a Covid-positive case or contact then this hosting would not be advised.
It is recommended by Public Health that students continue to participate in a twice weekly asymptomatic LFD testing outside of school, during stays with host families and in residential holiday settings.
Regular rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) tests if you do not have symptoms – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
In an instance when any household bubble member tests positive and/ or develops symptoms of COVID-19, all household bubble members and contacts will need to self-isolate appropriately as per:
How to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Host families would continue to care for students who display symptoms whilst at their home. They would follow medical advice and government guidelines on self-isolation:
How to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
And would liaise closely with the guardianship organisation who would keep the school and overseas parents fully informed of the situation.
International students are considered part of the family bubble that is hosting them.
If possible the children being hosted should be from the same school bubble.
International boarders are able to stay with allocated homestays just as British boarders are able to return home to stay with their families.
Yes, they would be able to return to school.
Yes guardians are able to provide long stay accommodation with host families.
Where a hosting arrangement for a student under the age of 16 lasts for 28 consecutive days or longer, AEGIS guardians are aware that this is classed as a private fostering arrangement and subject to local authority checks. AEGIS guardians understand that they have a duty to report the hosting arrangement to the local authority as soon as they become aware that the arrangement will meet the private fostering threshold. Further guidance on Private Fostering can be found here: Private Fostering
DfE coronavirus helpline
Telephone: 0800 046 8687
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
AEGIS member guardians following the AEGIS COVID-19 Safe Charter will be displaying the safe logo:
The link from: https://aegisuk.net/aegis-covid-19-safe-charter/