Host Family Guidelines 2024Welcoming a student from Germany to your home
Information for our Host Families

! 24/7 Emergency Phone !

If you have any problems with our longstay student(s) which you feel you cannot solve without us, please contact the J.M. Office on EB 744020 during office hours. If you have an emergency with your student(s) after office hours please use our 24/7 Emergency Phone: 07713-739702. For non-emergency calls after office hours please dial: EB 744 020 and leave a message on the answerphone which we will deal with straight away the next working day.

Allocation of students

Student allocation to our regular host families:
We work closely with more than 400 regular host families in Eastbourne. In October we contact everybody and ask for an update on family details and availability for the following year. 
We send the details of our Easter students to our regular families during November and December and start with the summer allocations in the New Year. Names of the Whitsun and autumn students as well as school trips follow later in the year.

Student allocation to our new host families: 
New host families apply all year round. First of all we make an appointment for a visit. We look at the accommodation, explain everything and answer any questions.
Our students come to England to improve their English and to learn about the English culture. The main part of this experience is the stay with a family. Please treat your students as you would expect to be treated if you were a guest in a foreign country and make them feel part of your family.

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Alcohol

Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited for all our students under 18 years of age. Students caught drinking alcohol will receive a warning and their parents will be informed. If they are found drinking again, they will be sent home on the next available flight. We do not allow the small number of our students who are over 18 to drink alcohol during official programme times (except on the pub quiz night for students 18+).

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Arrival and Departure

All arrival and departure details will be sent out via email 2 weeks before arrival. Most groups arrive in Eastbourne from 11 am to 9 pm with a few exceptions arriving from 9 pm till 11:45 pm. EB departure is in most cases from 8 am till 3:30 pm with a few exceptions departing between 3 am till 8 am. Regardless of the arrival and departure times, it is the host family’s responsibility to pick the students up on arrival and take them back for departure.

Arrival:
Please try and meet your students personally. Each coach will display the coach number in the front window. Please take the arrival details with you. The leader on the coach will find your student(s) for you! If you have more than one student arriving on the same day we always try to pair up students with the same arrival time. Please note that this is not always possible. Please check your arrival details carefully - you might have to pick up your students at different times! The times on the sheet are given in the 24h clock.

Taxi for arrival:
If you cannot pick your student(s) up personally we can ring a taxi for you when the coach has arrived. We will then put your student(s) in a taxi on your expense, as long as you are waiting at home to welcome them. Please inform the J.M. Office in advance during office hours if you require this service on arrival day. Please do not call a taxi yourself as coach delays are always possible.

Departure:
On the day of departure please take your student(s) to the coach 15 minutes before the stated departure time. Please do not take your student(s) to the coach earlier than 30 minutes before departure. There will be no leaders and no coach present and it is unfair to leave your student(s) waiting alone.

Taxi for departure:
If you have to send your student(s) to the coach by taxi the fare is to be paid by the host family NOT the student(s). The leaders do not carry spare money at the coach park so the taxi driver will be sent back to the host family for payment, which could result in a double fare.

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Cancellations

We normally replace students who cancel. If students cancel within 48 hours prior to their arrival, and we cannot replace them, we will pay a cancellation fee of 10% of the host family payment of the total trip. We cannot however be held responsible for any students we are unable to replace.The cancellation fee will not be paid if we can offer you other students for similar dates, and you refuse for whatever reason.

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! Curfew times !

Our students have been given the following times to be at home in the evenings:

11-12 yrs: 9pm (10pm if evening activity on J.M. programme)
13-14 yrs: 10pm
15-19 yrs: 11pm (11:45pm after pub quiz night, 18+ only)

Please make sure your students follow these times given and inform the Emergency phone on the programme if they don’t.
Any student found out after the above curfew times will receive a warning and their parents will be informed. If they continue to ignore these curfew times they will be sent home.
To avoid unnecessary worry on your part please discuss these return times with your students before they go out. We do not allow our students out after the above stated curfew times. If they are found out later without you reporting it to us it will reflect on you as a caring host family.

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Damages and Losses

Please note that we cannot accept liability for damage reported after the students have gone home. If damage occurs in your home please inform the J.M. Office immediately so that we can inspect the damage straight away. Please make sure you check the students bedroom before they leave! We will pass your claim on to the German parents and/or their insurance company. An original receipt must be provided. An assessor may need to make a detailed report on behalf of the insurance company. German insurance companies do not operate a ”new” for ”old” policy. They will deduct money for age and normal wear and tear. To settle a claim may take up to three months.
Please note that JM will not be able to compensate for any loss of earnings if students are ill or for any other reason.

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! European Hosting Directives !

The student’s parents trust us to obey the European directives regarding host family accommodation.
Therefore families hosting our students agree to the following:
1) Not to host more than a maximum of 4 students in their home in total
2) Not to put more than a maximum of 3 students in one bedroom
3) To supply each student with their own key to the house on arrival for the entire stay

If any of our students complain for any of the above reasons we will have to move them to another family at your loss.

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Homesickness

Some students are away from home for the first time. Please treat them with a warm heart and help them to settle in.

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J.M. Evening Bus Services

After all excursions and evening activities we provide privately hired buses to take our students home. We have 44 drop off points around the town which are marked on the J.M. Street Map as J.M. BUS STOPS.

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J.M. Hosting tips and requirements

BEFORE ARRIVAL:
Please write a letter or an email to your student(s) as soon as you receive their name and address.
ON ARRIVAL DAY:

• Supply each student with their own key
• Discuss likes and dislikes of breakfast, packed lunches and dinners
• Mark on student’s J.M. Street Map:

1. your home
2. next public bus stop (both directions)
3. next J.M. BUS STOP (for the London excursion pick up and J.M evening bus drop off)

• Walk with your student(s) to the next public bus stop and J.M. BUS STOP

FIRST MORNING:

• Take your student(s) to the pier for their J.M. Town Tour starting 08:00 or 09:20 am(ask your student(s) for the time on yellow info sheet)
  FROM THEN ON YOUR J.M. STUDENTS FIND THEIR OWN WAY AROUND TOWN:
  J.M. holds a 3 hour introduction meeting with all students after their Town Tour explaining all aspects of the stay in Eastbourne incl. how to use the public transport to and from activities.

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J.M. medical service

We will take your longstay student(s) to the doctor if they become ill. Just ring the J.M. office. If one of your school trip students has to see a doctor, please contact their teacher.

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Laundry, towels & bedding

As students have to limit their luggage they cannot bring enough clothes for the entire stay. Therefore, please do a normal weekly wash for them. This includes jeans, jumpers etc., not just underwear and socks. Please provide fresh towels and change bedding every week. We thank you for your co-operation.

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Leaders accommodation

The leaders make their own way to your home after arrival and departure. Please ask your leader(s) if they require packed lunches on a daily basis and also for their journey home.

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Making your own arrangements

You are always welcome to take your students out with you and make them part of your family life - regardless of what is written in the programme - just let the J.M. office know in advance.

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Meals required

Important: Please do not do a full shop before your students arrive. Once your students arrive, please discuss with your guests your meal times as well as likes/dislikes of food to avoid disappointment. We cannot reimburse you if your students have cancelled their trip or do not like the food you have purchased.

• Breakfast
• Packed Lunch (also for the long journey home)
• Warm Dinner (also on excursion days - return 7:30 pm)

Breakfast
The English breakfast is not only very good but world famous.Your students will be more than happy if you cook at least one traditional English breakfast during their stay. A normal daily breakfast of cereals, toast, jam, marmalade and drinks is expected.

Packed lunch
2 rounds of sandwiches, 2 rolls or a baguette (buttered and filled with ham, cheese etc.), chocolate biscuits/cakes/pastries, 1 pack of crisps, 1 fresh piece of fruit (apple, banana etc.), 1 drink.

Dinner
In Germany it is very common that the whole family has dinner together. It would be appreciated if at least one member of your family sits down for dinner with the student(s). This is not only very important for them to improve their English but also for their understanding of English family life. If you have more than one student please do not hesitate to tell them to speak English if they start to speak their own language at the dining table.

Special Diet
If one of your students needs a special diet you will find some helpful information on our website ("Host Families -> Special Diets").

Meals on late arrivals
Please offer a light evening meal if students arrive after normal dinner time.

Meals on excursion days
Please provide a packed lunch, including a drink, for all half day and full day excursions and a hot meal on their return.

Barbecue
Part of the summer programme is a barbecue on the beach (weather permitting). Please give your students some rolls, sausages, burgers, tomatoes or cucumbers and a soft drink for their beach barbecue instead of their dinner. If it rains during the day, barbecues will not be cancelled prior to the time stated on the programme, rain sometimes stops at the very last minute.

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! One key for each student is required !

The student’s parents expect from us that we obey the European directives stating that their children have access to their “English home” at all times. This is in case of an emer- gency, illness, bad weather or if they have simply forgotten something they need for the activities. Since no host family can be at home 24 hours it is a requirement that you supply each student with a key on arrival day (expendable on school trips).

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Payment

Payment is made by bank transfer in full after the arrival meetings. If students are moved for whatever reason, we only pay for the number of nights they stay. We will correct the amount before we forward the payment or offset it with your next payment. Payments normally take 3-5 working days before visible on your account.

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Pocket Money Shortage

If your student(s) run out of money, please ask them to contact their parents to arrange money to be transferred to the German J.M. bank account. All details are stated in the student’s guide- lines. As soon as the money has arrived in the J.M. account your student(s) can pick it up converted into £ at the J.M. office.

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Politeness

We emphasise to our students the importance of the two ”magic words” please and thank you. In Germany these words are not used quite as often as in England. Please do not feel upset if your students forget to use them. Do not hesitate to point out the cultural differences as this will not only help their relationship with you but also with other people.

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Programme

A detailed programme listing every days afternoon and evening activities as well as the excursions will be sent to you via email 2 weeks before arrival.

Activities and Excursions
We provide sport and leisure activities almost every afternoon, two full day excursions to London and a half day excursion to Brighton. Our programme also includes four evening activities per week. For their London excursions our students are picked up and dropped off at their J.M. bus stops near your home. Please make sure that your students get up in time so that they do not miss the coach in the morning.

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School

You will find the school address on the printed programme. Mini group students are taught at the teachers homes and will receive the address at the Introduction Meeting on the first morning. During the first few days in town the students have to get used to the bus routes. Please help your student(s) to get to know the bus timetables and show them the nearest bus stop to your home and also their nearest J.M. bus stop. Please point out the best routes to their school and their activities on the J.M. Street Map they are provided with. If student(s) do not attend school, please inform the J.M. office.

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School Trips

Our school trips differ from our normal holiday language courses: The school trip students come over with their own teachers and mostly out of season. They usually arrive in Eastbourne in the evening and stay for 4 to 6 nights. Each school trip has its individual programme which you will receive with the arrival and departure details. On school trips the teachers are responsible for their students. Please note there is no additional JM leader. If you have any questions with regards to the students or e.g. the curfews please contact their teacher. You can find the teacher’s mobile number on the group’s programme. The JM emergency number (07713-739702) is only switched on after office hours for the school trip arrivals and will be switched off afterwards. The school trips’ curfews vary. Therefore please always check their programme. Please contact the teacher immediately if students are not home for the time stated on the programme. We ask all school trip students with special diets (e.g. gluten free, fructose/lactose intolerance, vegans) to bring their own basic food. This does not include vegetarians.

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Telephones

Our students are advised not to use your phone - only in emergencies, and then only to the J.M. Office lines or to 999. Since all students have a mobile phone with them nowadays they normally use their own phone anyway.

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Your house rules

Please point out to the students what is important to you, such as taking off shoes etc.

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Additional Information - By Law

In compliance with the law we have to inform you that as a result of the Children’s Act from 1989 the following people are not allowed to accommodate children:

1. Anyone who has had a child removed from their care by order of a court.
2. Anyone who has been convicted of an offence against a child.
3. Anyone who has had an order made against him/her refusing or cancelling registration under the Nurseries' and Childminders' Act from 1948 or under Children's Act from 1989.

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