Students aged 11 to 17, as individuals or in groups. The school may occasionally accept a slightly younger or older student from the same school year as others in a group. The recommended minimum age for homestay in Southampton is 13.
With local hosts who are personally approved by the school and regularly inspected. Students share a twin room with a friend or with a student of the same or a different nationality, according to preference. There are no more than four students per house, towels and bedding are provided, and the host does laundry weekly.
Homestays are 10 to 35 minutes from the school by public bus. Students receive a bus pass, and staff accompany them to the bus stop after lessons or activities each day.
Full board. Hosts provide breakfast and the other meals at home, a hot lunch is served at the junior centre on school days, and a hot dinner is served at the centre before evening activities. A packed lunch is provided for trips.
Fifteen hours of project-based English a week, with a maximum of 18 students per class and all levels accepted. Topics change weekly, so students can start in any week, and lessons may alternate between mornings and afternoons.
Each centre has a welfare officer and a 24-hour emergency phone number. Activities run at a supervision ratio of 1:20, and all staff, hosts and adult household members are DBS-checked and trained in safeguarding. Students travelling without a group leader are placed under the care of a dedicated Lewis School guardian.
