Care of under-18s
CARE OF UNDER-18s AT BETHNAL STUDENT ACADEMY
According to British Law, everybody under 18 years of age is considered a child. BSA primarily caters for students over 18 years old and whilst we welcome students aged 16 and 17 years old, it should be understood that we do not provide 24 hours supervision.
BSA recognises its responsibilities with regards to students under the age of 18 and is committed to a practice which protects children and young adults from harm. The school's Child Protection Policy is available at the bottom of this page. We do not accept students under the age of 16 on any course.
Prior to arrival at the school:
Parents or guardians of students aged 16 and 17 must sign an underage consent form before they begin their course. No confirmation will be submitted unless the consent form has been received. The school will liaise with all adults who might be in contact with under-18s, including admin staff, teachers and group leaders, if applicable. Parents, legal guardians or their nominated representatives will be asked to be in touch with the school and provide a 24 hour contact number and full address in London. We strongly advise parents of students aged 16 and 17 to organise taxi transfers upon arrival and before departure to avoid any problems.
Our staff:
All of our staff are DBS checked. Our staff are trained in the safeguarding of underage students. Our approachable teachers and members of staff contribute to providing a safe environment for our students. All of our staff are aware of our safeguarding and child protection policies.
Accommodation:
We ensure our accommodation providers respect our criteria regarding the care of 16- and 17-year-olds. Students booking accommodation with BSA will be subject to a curfew. Students aged under 18 should not share a room with any adult unless the parent(s)/guardian(s) has given signed consent to BSA to allocate them with a particular adult (friend/family).
All the accommodation provided by BSA is self-catered. There are sufficient places to buy food within walking distance of the school. You should ensure that your child has enough money to pay for lunches. The accommodation of the school is located in the same building, but if alternative accommodation is arranged privately by parents/guardians, the school will also require full contact details and consent to travel.
Time outside school hours:
BSA welcomes students who are aged 16 and 17 but does not provide 24 hour supervision. When the classes are finished students are welcome to stay at the school and use the school's facilities, the garden and common area. Students must be back to their accommodation before the curfew. Students aged 16-17 might travel independently on public transport. Students under the age of 18 must NOT smoke, drink alcohol or attend events for over-18s.
Students under 18 will not be supervised unless they are in the school or a supervised social activity. If they have booked accommodation in the residence with us they will be supervised from 10pm (curfew).
BSA’s social programme is not compulsory, nor is it specifically designed for this age group. Certain activities are not suitable for students under 18. All school social activities are supervised by school staff who can assist the students attending the activity. We strongly advise all students to return to their accommodation with a friend, or by taxi, particularly in the evening
Social activities:
All the social activities organised by the school are suitable for students aged 16 or over. The social activities are not compulsory nor are they specifically designed for under-18s. All social activities are supervised by school staff.
It should be noted that students attending any social events are expected to arrange their own travel home. We strongly advise all students under 18 to return to the accommodation with a friend or by authorised taxi, especially during the evening.
Student cards:
The student will be given a student card on their first week and every student should carry this card with them. This card has the 24 hour school emergency telephone number.
Emergency contact
The school provides a 24 hour emergency number.
If you need to contact us:
Monday - Friday 08:30 - 17:30 +44 20 8981 1457
24 hour emergency number +44(0)7985571541
Emergency services (police, ambulance, fire): 999
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us hello@bethnalstudentacademy.com
Important documents for parents and Under-18 students