by Nicki Ridden-Angus

What you can expect from your student

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We expect your student to integrate into your home and become an active member of the household. To do this, we expect the following from them

Information on their whereabouts:

Your student's safety is very important. You need to know where your student is at all times. We expect our students to meet reasonable curfews and follow your expectations. 

We would expect your student to be at home in the weekday evenings, unless it is a special occasion. If your student is over 16 there is a little more flexibility, we would expect students to be at home before 8pm on Sunday to Thursday and by midnight on Friday and Saturday. If a student is going to be later than 10pm, we would expect them to take a taxi. Before this time, they can use public transport as usual.

Sleepovers

This is what we have told the students regarding  sleepovers: 

  • "If you want to stay at a friend's house overnight, your host family needs to investigate where you will be and they must speak to the responsible parent/s at your friend's home in advance."

If a student wants to stay overnight somewhere else, they must have your permission and this should only be given if you are satisfied with the arrangement and have spoken to the adults at the other home - please make sure that you get a contact name and phone number. If you're not happy, you are within your rights to say no


Assistance with some family chores:

The student is expected to maintain their own bedroom to a clean standard and help with family chores such as laying/clearing the table, emptying the dishwasher etc - all part of being in a NZ family. The student is NOT expected to do excessive housework or gardening unless they offer to assist.

Note: For some students, these things may be new, or done differently to how they do them at home. Check in that your student knows what 'normal' looks like here.

Their willingness to listen to your advice:

It is expected that the student must learn to accept good advice and guidance in their studies, about learning NZ culture and in their social experiences.

Participation in family life:

While some students may find it difficult to feel involved in the daily routines of NZ family life, they must be encouraged to take an active part in all aspects of your family, including in shared meals, outings etc. In the long run, it will not only help their smooth integration into the family unit, but it is also an excellent way to develop English language skills and has academic benefits.




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