Host Family Accommodation
A Home Away From Home
For students coming to Cardiff from overseas, staying with a host family can be a great way to settle into a new environment. Students have a safe and welcoming place to live while getting to know Cardiff and experiencing everyday life in Wales.
Host family accommodation gives students the chance to become part of a household, practise their English and have support around them outside of college. It can also make the move to a new country feel much easier, particularly during those first few weeks.
St. David’s College works in collaboration with only the best quality accommodation providers. Quality, safety and support are the most important for our visiting students.
Barnes Educational Services is our key associate
Providing a Safe and Supportive Environment for Students in England and Wales. Here is what makes them different in their own words.
We are a small, family-owned organisation dedicated to personalised attention and quick response.
We meticulously select families based on their desire to share their lives and culture with students. They ensure a balance between family activities and private space and encourage academic success. Our deciding factor is that we would place one of our four daughters with the host family.
Time is taken to carefully match students to host families to help create special relationships.
We place students in schools with low international-student ratios, maximising opportunities to build friendships with English-speaking peers and learn the local way of life.
We act as your legal guardian in England and Wales, providing support and ensuring your child’s welfare 24/7. We have a network of local representatives who are readily available to address any concerns.
We assist with school placement pre-departure preparation and help parents connect with their child’s host family. We also organise meetups with other Barnes students in the area.
We follow strict UK guidelines, ensure the property is safe, and conduct background checks on all adult members of our host families to ensure the safety of our students.
Guardianship and support
Our international team is here to support students throughout their time at St David’s, providing a familiar point of contact for students and their families while they are living in the UK.
We also offer additional help and guidance for those who need it through the Learner Support Centre, which provides an inclusive and individualistic learning experience for neurodiverse learners. The LSC is the place for support and advice, for students struggling with any aspect of College Life, including those with Additional Learning Needs (ALN).
The LSC team work with students in many different ways, depending on the nature of the specific difficulties and what best suits the individual student. For example, they offer:
- Additional, quiet working space
- One to one academic support
- Advisory appointments
- Referral to welfare services, including College Counselling
- Coordination or support and reasonable adjustments for students with ALN
- Small group support sessions
- Referral to external support
International Student Support at St David’s College
Receive individual guidance from our International team to help you understand the enrolment process and prepare for your studies. One-to-one meetings, online or in person, provide an opportunity to ask questions and discuss your individual needs.
When you arrive, you’ll have the opportunity to meet members of the College community and take a tour of the campus. This will help you become familiar with key facilities, feel comfortable in your new surroundings and begin building relationships.
Our team will help you set up your College account and guide you through the practical arrangements needed to get started, so you can focus on your studies and settling into College life.
Our International team will remain available throughout your time at St David’s, offering advice and guidance as you adjust to college life and studying in the UK. Whether you have questions about College procedures or need help settling in, you’ll have a point of contact to support you.
At St David’s College, we want every international student to feel welcomed, included and ready to make the most of their experience. Through personalised guidance, a warm introduction to the College and ongoing support, we aim to help you settle in with confidence and feel part of our community.
Pastoral Care
Moving away from home and starting at a new college is a big step. Our pastoral team is here to make sure students feel comfortable, supported and part of the college community.
Pastoral Reflection lessons take place once a week with a Pastoral Tutor who will also provide you with mentoring, coaching and support during year time at St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College.
The Pastoral Programme focuses on five skills:
Managing emotions and behaviours to achieve one’s goals.
Managing emotions and behaviours to achieve one’s goals.
Showing understanding and empathy for others.
Forming positive relationships, working in teams, dealing effectively with conflict.
Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behaviour.