Not all our private home accommodation is with a traditional family of a couple with children living at home. Your host(s) may also be a couple without children (typically because the children have left home) or a single person. If a family environment is very important to you, please tell us.

London is a cosmopolitan city and some of our homestay families are not English by birth, although they all speak English at home.  For example, you may find your host family is a couple and the wife is English and the husband is French, but he has lived in the UK for many years.  It is important is that you do not come here expecting a narrowly ‘English’ experience.  What you will get – in the school but also outside – is a rich and culturally varied experience, which is ideal preparation for the real world of international communication.

Whoever your hosts are, they will be accustomed to having visitors stay with them. They will want to make sure you are happy and comfortable in their home.

You may not be the only guest staying in this accommodation. If there is another visitor he/she will speak a different language to you, so you will have plenty of opportunity to practise speaking English.

You may find the home and lifestyle different to your normal routine, but we are sure you will settle down quickly and enjoy the experience of living in an English-speaking environment. We know this is an important part of your stay in Britain and hope it will be successful. But please remember that you are staying in a private home. We expect our host families to make you feel welcome in their home, but your host(s) will also want some privacy and to lead their own lives, so do not expect them to be there all the time just for you. Remember also that the facilities and service will not be the same as in a hotel - and may be quite different to what you are used to in your own country.