English
Local Coordinator Close to your School
Your local coordinator visits your child, attends parents' evenings on your behalf and stays in touch throughout your guardianship programme.
British Guardianship at St Bees School
Nominated Guardian for St Bees School. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for St Bees School? UK boarding schools generally require international students under 18 to have an accredited UK guardian in place throughout their studies. British Guardianship provides a fully accredited boarding school guardianship service for St Bees School students, including a dedicated local coordinator, safe accommodation with vetted host families during half terms, exeats and holidays, attendance at parents' evenings on your behalf, and 24-hour emergency support.
Guardianship Fees
Our UK boarding school guardianship services for St Bees School start from £350 per term.
Dedicated Guardianship Manager
As soon as your application is received, a dedicated member of our guardianship team becomes your main contact, managing every aspect of your nominated guardian arrangements.
Local Vetted Host Family
We work with a network of vetted host families across the UK. For exeats and half terms, we aim to place your child with a local host family matched to your preferences, so weekends away from school feel settled and safe.
Our Services
UK Boarding School Guardianship
An accredited nominated guardian for international boarders at St Bees School, with a dedicated local coordinator, vetted host families for half terms, exeats and holidays, and 24-hour emergency support.
Learn More →Boarding School Placement
Our admissions team supports international families through the application to St Bees School, from choosing the right year of entry through to an offer and enrolment, with Child Student visa guidance and guardianship arranged alongside.
Learn More →Student Exchange Programme
St Bees School accepts students for short-term boarding. Our exchange programme and short stay guardianship let students experience British boarding before committing to a full placement.
Learn More →St Bees School Overview
St Bees School is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in the coastal village of St Bees in west Cumbria, on the edge of the Lake District National Park. Founded in 1583 by Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury, it is one of the oldest schools in England. The school closed in 2015 and reopened in 2018 after refurbishment, and it is a small school of around 100 pupils.
Pupils follow what the school calls a fusion curriculum, combining British and Chinese approaches, with Mandarin taught as the first foreign language and a global awareness programme. Younger pupils study Key Stage 3 courses before IGCSEs, and older students choose from around ten A Level subjects, and a Pre A-Level Programme prepares students for sixth form study. St Bees also has a twin campus, St Bees Dongguan in China, which follows the same curriculum and educational approach.
Boarding at St Bees School
Around 40 pupils board, both boys and girls, from Year 7 to Year 13. UK families can choose full, weekly or flexi boarding, while international pupils board on a full-time basis, staying at school at weekends. International students can also board for a term or two on the Intensive English Programme, or join from St Bees Dongguan on exchange.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
School House is the main boarding house, where boarders study, dine and spend their free time together. Pupils sleep in single, double or triple rooms and share large common areas and kitchen facilities. A dedicated house team, including houseparents, looks after boarders' day-to-day wellbeing.
Boarding Life
Evenings include supervised study time, and the school runs a weekend programme of activities and trips for boarders. Weekend activities make use of the coast and the fells of the Lake District, from canoeing and Wainwright walks to film nights and visits to nearby towns.
Academic and Pastoral Support
Small class sizes allow teachers to know each pupil well. A weekly Bee Well drop-in session, supported by trained Wellbeing Ambassadors, gives pupils space to talk and learn simple coping strategies. Learning support and pastoral care are provided; families should discuss individual needs with British Guardianship.
International boarders at St Bees School are generally expected to have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at St Bees School
Every accredited UK boarding school offers a range of sport, arts and academic facilities for international students, together with an extended programme of activities in the evenings and at weekends. For full details of the facilities and activities available, please visit the official St Bees School website.
Information for International Students and Parents
St Bees School accepts international boarders from Year 7 (age 11) through to the Sixth Form, with entry possible in Years 7 to 11 and in Year 12. Most international students join in September; entry in other year groups is considered individually. British Guardianship supports international families through every stage of the application with our boarding school admissions service.
English Language Requirements
The school does not publish minimum IELTS levels for mainstream entry, and English is assessed as part of the application. Students aged 11 to 14 (Years 7 to 9) who are not yet ready for mainstream lessons can join the Key Stage 3 Intensive English Programme, which accepts students at CEFR A1 to A2 and aims to bring them to B1 or above before they move into mainstream classes or the Pre A-Level Programme. The typical placement lasts two years, with progress of at least one CEFR level expected each year.
Child Student Visa
Students coming to the UK from overseas will usually need a Child Student visa. St Bees School is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register, and the visa application itself is submitted by parents. Our Child Student visa guide explains the requirements and process, and families holding a British National (Overseas) visa can contact us for guidance on the BN(O) route.
UK Guardian Requirement
UK boarding schools generally require international boarders under 18 to have a UK guardian, and British Guardianship confirms each school's specific requirements as part of placement.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for St Bees School boarders. Our boarding school guardianship service covers regular contact with the school, travel coordination and safe accommodation with vetted host families during half terms, exeats and holidays.
Short-Term Stays and Exchange Placements
Shorter placements of one term, two terms or a summer term are available on the Intensive English Programme, with students living as full boarders and taking part in weekend enrichment and after-school activities. Students at the twin campus in Dongguan can also spend a few weeks, a term or a year at St Bees. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for St Bees School, book a free online consultation or apply for a nominated guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
UK boarding schools generally require international students under 18 to have a UK-based guardian, and British Guardianship confirms St Bees School's specific requirements as part of your application. The guardian acts on behalf of parents in the UK, is the school's point of contact in an emergency and looks after the student whenever they cannot be at school. We provide this as an AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship service.
Whenever your child cannot stay at St Bees School, for example during half terms, exeats or holidays when boarding houses close, they stay with one of our vetted host families. Every host family is visited in their home, provides professional and personal references and holds an Enhanced DBS check for all household members aged 16 and over. British Guardianship remains your child's educational guardian throughout every stay.
We have guardians available and ready to be assigned. The overall timeframe depends on how quickly the required paperwork is completed and communication with St Bees School is finalised. As every case is different, timelines can vary, but we aim to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible.
Boarding school guardianship is charged per term and starts from £350, with host family stays, travel arrangements and other services added as your child needs them. Full details are on our guardianship fees page.
A UK student guardian must be a responsible adult, usually aged 25 or over, who lives permanently in the UK, speaks fluent English and is close enough to the school to respond quickly in an emergency; many boarding schools set a maximum travel time. The guardian must be contactable 24 hours a day and hold an Enhanced DBS check where they or their household host the student. St Bees School may also ask for the guardian's details before the start of term and set additional requirements of its own. As an AEGIS accredited guardianship provider, British Guardianship meets these requirements on your behalf, with vetted guardians, Enhanced DBS checked host families and 24-hour emergency support.
Yes. Our boarding school admissions service supports international families through the application to St Bees School, from choosing the right year of entry through to an offer and enrolment, with Child Student visa guidance and guardianship arranged alongside.
Disclaimer: Logo, images and videos are shown courtesy of St Bees School and remain the property of their respective owners. British Guardianship is an independent AEGIS-accredited guardianship provider, and this page is not published or endorsed by St Bees School. School information is provided as a general guide and may change.
