Watanabe Office

Working together in partnership

Educational consultancy and Guardianship for families from Japan
日本人向けガーディアンシップサービスのご提供について

In 2012, The Guardian Family Network (GNet) was set up in collaboration with well-established Japanese consultants, WATANABE Office (WO), to provide joint guardianship to 30 of their Japanese students who were already studying at top boarding schools in the UK.

The Guardian Family Network（GNet）は、日本における老舗教育コンサルティング会社である渡邊オフィス（WO）の協力のもと、2012年に設立されました。設立当初の目的は、すでにWOのサポートにより英国のボーディングスクールに通っていた日本人留学生を支援することでした。

WATANABE Office & TIEC

WO together with partner Education Consultants, The Independent Education Consultants Ltd (TIEC) advise on initial UK Boarding School Placement, furthermore, offering ongoing educational support in addition to guidance at key times such as 11+ and 13+ entry, Senior School decisions, tutoring and University choices. Throughout their time in the UK, each student benefits greatly from the on-going support of all three organisations.

WOはもう一つのパートナーである教育コンサルタントのThe Independent Education Consultants（TIEC）と連携し、ボーディングスクール選び・受験のサポートのみならず、11才・13才でのシニアスクール受験、家庭教師手配、そして大学受験まで一貫した教育サポートを提供し続けています。留学生は英国滞在中の様々な場面において、WO・GNet・TIECの3社による継続的なサポートを受けるという大きなメリットを得ています。

WO has been supporting families with boarding school placements and guardianship services for the past 42 years and over 950 Japanese children have successfully navigated their UK boarding school careers under the careful guidance of the professional team based in Tokyo. This close partnership between WO and GNet has enabled Guardianship provision to evolve and thereby to continue to meet all the requirements of Japanese families and students.
WOは42年の長きにわたりボーディングスクールの受験、そして留学中のガーディアンシップサービスを提供し続けており、英国教育に精通したコンサルタントチームのサポート下でボーディングスクール生活を送ってきた留学生は、のべ950名以上にも上ります。現在もWOとGNetの連携により、数々の日本人留学生及びご家族のニーズにお応えし続けることが可能となっています。

Guardianship for Japanese students is therefore offered only in partnership with WO. GNet is responsible for all day-to-day issues and logistics, in close liaison with WO, who act as invaluable intermediaries and interpreters for their clients at home in Japan. Jointly, the two companies now support students at over 60 schools across the UK, with students aged from 8 to 18.

以上により、日本人留学生向けのガーディアンシップはWOと合同でのみのご提供となります。WOとの連携のもと、GNetが日常的に起きうるあらゆる問題や、留学生の移動、休みごとの滞在先手配等の対応を担当します。WOは日本にいらっしゃる保護者の皆様と英国との橋渡し役兼調整役としてサポートをします。現在2社が共同でサポートする留学生の通う学校は60校を超え、留学生の年齢も8歳から18歳までと幅広い年齢をカバーしています。

WO are a Boarding Schools’ association (BSA) certified agent for educational consultancy and as such, are proven to offer parents the best professional advice on the best school for their child. GNet are also certified through the BSA and a member of AEGIS, The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students. Both companies have completed extensive training and inspections to ensure that they are meeting stringent criteria in place to best support their families from Japan.

渡邊オフィスは英国ボーディングスクール協会(Boarding School’s Association, BSA)の認定を受けた教育コンサルタントであり、お子様にぴったりの学校選択を行うため、プロのアドバイスをしております。GNetもBSAに認定されており、AEGIS(イギリスのボーディングスクールやガーディアンシップエージェントの所属する非営利団体)の会員でもあります。日本からの留学生とご家族へのサポートを磐石にするためにも、BSA及びAEGISの厳しい審査と研修を受けています。

Reassurance

WO and GNet are on hand to guide the student throughout their academic journey in the UK. This close working relationship between the companies provides total peace of mind to parents, knowing that their child is being given all of the tools that they require to achieve their potential and to become confident and capable young adults as they enter the next stage of their lives.

Trust

The role WO play in supporting GNet is one of great importance, ensuring that GNet has an in depth understanding of cultural differences and parents’ expectations. Parents are making a significant investment in their child’s education and future, and it is only reasonable for them to expect a tangible return.

GNet senior staff visit each student annually at their school. This provides an opportunity to discuss any concerns face to face with the student, their tutor and houseparents. It also builds trust between the student and GNet team member so that they feel able to talk about any pastoral or academic issues. A detailed report is provided to WO, who discuss this with parents and action points are raised and addressed with the school.

Communication

GNet are the registered Educational Guardian for the student whilst they study here in the UK, as appointed by the parents. As such, GNet is the school’s first point of contact in event of emergency. GNet is responsible for communicating concerns directly to WO who in turn, ensure that parents are kept informed in a timely manner.
Homestay families are however actively encouraged to build good relationships with the school whilst understanding they are not able to give permission or consent or make educational decisions without the prior approval of GNet, who ensure parents, through WO, are involved at every stage of decision making for their child.

Homestays

Local homestay families are nominated to care for the student on behalf of GNet. These families are located within an hour of the school and are personally visited, and vetted in order to ensure the safety of any student who may be placed with them. GNet and WO have a policy of one student, one family which provides the opportunity to build a close relationship with the family and to feel that they have a comfortable and happy place to be outside school.

The homestay family is expected to attend parents’ meetings and other events at school, reporting back to parents via GNet and WO.

Together, the homestay, GNet and WO provide wraparound care to the student. This care and attention to detail ensures that the student feels fully supported whether they be at school or staying with their homestay family during the holidays.

息子が留学生活を有意義に過ごせたのはガーディアンに負うことが大きかったと思います。彼らは息子の自主性を常に大切にしてくださり、年齢なりのプライドを尊重してくださいました。その結果、息子はガーディアンを尊敬し、信頼し、あるときは親より大事に思うようになっていきました。彼を家族の一員として扱い、なおかつ身元引受人としての責任を持って育ててくださったガーディアンに感謝です。

Parent of Hidehiko Tatsuno

先日イギリスを訪れた際に、留学時代にお世話になったガーディアン宅へ遊びに行きました。留学を終えてからも数年に一度のペースで会っていますが、彼らの中では私はいまだに出会った当時の15歳のようで、大人になった今でも帰りのタクシーや飛行機の時間などを心配されます（笑）。来年は自分の結婚式にご夫婦を日本へ招待する予定です！

Yuki Sugimoto, alumni