About College Guardians
We care when you can’t be there
College Guardians is an established company offering a wide range of guardianship services for children at school in the UK whose parents are based abroad. Our head office can be found in Malvern, Worcestershire.
The team at College Guardians recognise the importance of working together to build a strong relationship between parents, children, schools and teachers. We spend time working with all parties on both a formal and informal basis, ensuring that regular feedback is given and addressing any concerns or issues that may arise.
For further information please contact either Jane or Caroline directly.
The team at College Guardians recognise the importance of working together to build a strong relationship between parents, children, schools and teachers. We spend time working with all parties on both a formal and informal basis, ensuring that regular feedback is given and addressing any concerns or issues that may arise.
For further information please contact either Jane or Caroline directly.
Jane Eldridge - Director of Guardianship Services
Jane, our Director of Guardianship Services has spent time living and working abroad in Serbia, Croatia, Taiwan and Thailand. She has first hand experience of the issues and concerns that face parents when making the decision to send their children to the UK to be educated.
Jane has two boys both of whom were educated at independent schools with large boarding communities. She has a sound understanding of the UK boarding school system and realises the importance of ensuring that children are in a happy and caring environment which will enhance their educational experience in the UK.
Jane holds a global MBA from Lancaster University and she is the designated safeguarding lead for College Guardians.
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Caroline Lloyd - Guardianship Manager
Caroline, our Guardianship Manager has experience of working within boys and girls boarding houses as well as in primary education. She therefore understands the need to provide a supportive and caring environment in order for children to thrive. She has two children, both at boarding schools within the UK and enjoys travelling. She has recently travelled to Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and America. Caroline was educated at an all girls school and then went on to study Classics at Royal Holloway University and has now also completed her Level 3 safeguarding training.
caroline@collegeguardians.co.uk
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Mel Aitchison - Guardianship Coordinator
Mel Aitchison is the Guardianship Coordinator, based at Malvern College. Mel has more than 24 years of experience working in Higher Education, liaising with staff and students at international colleges. She has also worked closely with students in the UK, helping them to find school placements.
Mel’s background is in IT and she has a Postgraduate Diploma in Technology for Teaching and Learning. She enjoys walking on the Malvern Hills, yoga and gardening.
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Jane Collinson - North East
Jane Collinson joined College Guardians in 2017. Jane has over 25 years of experience of working with young people accessing education opportunities. With a background in caring, she is passionately committed to ensuring all young people receive the support they require to be happy and fulfil their potential.
Jane lives in Newcastle with her husband and they have 2 daughters, one at University and one on a Gap year. The family love to travel and have enjoyed hosting foreign students.
janecollinson@collegeguardians.co.uk
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Caroline Elder - Glasgow
Caroline joined College Guardians in May 2020. She brings 30+ years’ experience in careers guidance and student advice. Her aim is to ensure that student’s choosing Glasgow as a place to study find it welcoming, supportive, safe and enjoyable. Enabling students to thrive and be a success is what motivates her most. Caroline has previously lived and worked in Africa and Greece. She enjoys cooking, film, theatre, live music and choir. During lockdown is new to baking and gardening.
caroline.elder@collegeguardians.co.uk
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Eleanor Ross - Aberdeen
Eleanor lives in Aberdeen and has enjoyed a life-long career in education as a French and Spanish language teacher in secondary schools. In her earlier career, she lived and worked in South East Asia. Eleanor has been Head of a Modern Languages Department in two different schools before being appointed to the role of Depute Head Teacher in Cults Academy where her remit included Child Protection & Safeguarding, Health & Wellbeing and Pupil Support, both Curricular and Pastoral. Also, Eleanor maintains an interest in languages and in education and working as a College Guardian allows her the opportunity to support young people as they settle into university life in a new country.
enquiries@collegeguardians.co.uk
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Kirsty King - York & North East
Kirsty is based in Yorkshire where she lives with her husband and two young children. Kirsty was educated at an independent boarding school, she graduated from Cambridge University with a Bachelor of Education and currently enjoys providing regular learning support in her local primary school. Kirsty loves her role as a guardian, she is passionate about providing first class support so that each child can reach their full potential. Kirsty has enjoyed travelling throughout South East Asia, Australasia and Europe.
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Jo Norbury -South West
Jo joined the team in September 2021 to support students in Bournemouth, Southampton, Warminster and Bath. She lives in south Wiltshire. Jo was educated at an independent school and was a boarder for 10 years so has a good understanding of the boarding school system and the importance of supporting overseas students to settle in and find their feet here in the UK. Alongside working for College Guardians, Jo continues to work in supported living, enabling adults with a disability to live a full life. When not at work, Jo loves spending time with her chocolate Labrador, going on adventures, meeting up with friends and baking.
Annabel Rusling - London & South East
Annabel lives near Tunbridge Wells on the Kent/Sussex border and can access all the South East within 1.5 hours. Her older son is studying at Edinburgh University, her younger son boards at a large boys school in Kent and her daughter is a day pupil at a girls school. She has been with College Guardians since 2015 and enjoys using her first-hand experience and knowledge of schools in the South East and London. In her spare time she enjoys horse riding, dog walking and tennis and is a listening volunteer for a large charity that offers emotional support to people in crisis. She has the Level 3 qualification in Safeguarding for Children and is a mental health first aider.
annabel@collegeguardians.co.uk
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581600
Clarissa French - Student Support Assistant
Clarissa joined College Guardians in November 2021 after returning from Shanghai, where she lived her with her husband and two teenage children and has previously lived and worked in Hong Kong.
Having lived abroad, coupled with her own childhood experience of attending boarding school, Clarissa has empathy and knowledge of the practical and emotional requirements needed to help settle a child into a new environment away from ‘home’.
Now living in the North West, Clarissa has over five years’ experience working in local secondary schools (exam delivery and general administration). She loves travelling, spending time with friends and family and walking her dog.
clarissa@collegeguardians.co.uk
Telephone + 44 7955 855734
Fiona Bates
Fiona lives near Cambridge on the Hertfordshire/Essex border and has worked in an international boarding school for the past 23 years, up until a year ago as Registrar, but now she works as a House Tutor in a boarding house looking after over seventy 11-14 year-old girls. Fiona has three children, two of whom have been through university and are now living and working in London and one son who is about to join Sixth Form. She is about to complete a Yoga Teacher Training Course and hopes to use the qualification in schools. In her spare time she enjoys walking her whippet, yoga and travelling.
Khun Nop - Thailand
Khun Nop, joined College Guardians as our Thailand Representative in October 2016. Currently living in Bangkok, Nop worked as an Educational Counsellor for 10 years, a role in which she supported Thai students who were looking to study overseas. Looking after students of all ages, from high school through to university who wish to study in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Nop thoroughly enjoys working with parents and students to ensure they’re happy with our care and support.
Katie Hawksworth - Marketing Manager
Katie supports the College Guardians team with the marketing of the business, having worked in the industry for over ten years. Since joining in 2019, Katie has supported a number of partners across the globe with successful recruitment campaigns.
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581605
Victoria Walker - Commercial Accountant
Victoria is our Commercial Accountant and deals with the finance side of the business. As a qualified management accountant, she has previously worked in the defence industry and for a retail design company as well as running her own business before joining College Guardians. She has two teenage children at a local secondary school and enjoys sewing and knitting in her spare time.
Telephone + 44 (0)1684 581577
Our Students
We pride ourselves on the care we give to all our students.
Guardianship Services
College Guardians offer four comprehensive guardianship packages.
Host Families
Our hosts are carefully selected and interviewed to ensure your child is happy during their stay.
Our son is having a good time with the Rogers family, which is really great to hear and he's lost his American accent to a lovely British accent - it's very charming! Thank you for taking good care of him.
Thank you very much for the feedback and positive comments about Shaun's stay…you found a very good host family for him and I am very grateful for all your efforts!
