A Home Away from Home for International Students
Who Looks After International Students During School Holidays at St Edmund’s Canterbury?
When parents choose St Edmund's Canterbury for their child's education, most of their attention is understandably focused on the school itself. They research academic results, boarding facilities, extracurricular opportunities, and how their child will settle into school life.
What often receives less attention is what happens when the school closes for exeat weekends, half terms, holidays, or unexpected circumstances.
For international families, these periods can create uncertainty. Where will their child stay? Who will look after them? Will they feel comfortable? And perhaps most importantly, will they be okay?
As someone who hosts international students in Canterbury, I've learned that the answer involves far more than simply providing a room.
Why Many Families Leave Arrangements Too Late
One of the biggest misconceptions parents have is believing they can organise accommodation when they need it.
In reality, the best hosting and guardianship arrangements happen when families plan ahead.
When arrangements are made early, there is time to find the right host family, discuss expectations, understand the student's needs, and build trust before they arrive.
When decisions are left until the last minute, families often find themselves choosing from limited options while feeling stressed and under pressure.
The difference is often the difference between finding the right fit and simply finding somewhere available.
In my experience, the biggest challenge isn't finding accommodation. It's finding the right accommodation when time is running out.
The Importance of Communication
What International Students Really Need
When students can't return home during school breaks, they need more than accommodation.
They need consistency.
They need reassurance.
They need somewhere they feel comfortable enough to relax and be themselves.
Many students are navigating homesickness, cultural differences, academic pressures, and the challenge of being away from their family.
A warm and welcoming environment can make a huge difference to how supported they feel during these periods.
The goal isn't simply to provide a bed for the night. The goal is to create an environment where students feel safe, comfortable, and genuinely cared for.
Creating a Supportive Environment
It's Often the Small Things That Help Students Settle
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Many international students arrive feeling overwhelmed.
They're entering a home they've never been in before, meeting people they don't know, and trying to understand a new routine.
What seems obvious to a host family can feel uncertain to a student.
Where is the bathroom?
How does the shower work?
What's the Wi-Fi password?
Where is the nearest bus stop?
Can I help myself to a drink?
These details might seem small, but they help remove uncertainty and make students feel far more comfortable.
Sometimes it's having a bottle of water ready in their room.
Sometimes it's showing them around the house.
Sometimes it's making sure their favourite food is available.
I've found that these small gestures often create the biggest sense of belonging.
A Safe Haven for Students
Understanding Parental Concerns
Parents Often Worry Their Child Will Feel Lonely
One of the most common concerns I hear from international parents is that their child will feel lonely, isolated, or uncomfortable.
It's an understandable fear.
After all, they're sending their child to another country, often thousands of miles away from family, friends, and everything familiar.
The reality is often very different.
Most students settle much more quickly than parents expect, especially when they're matched with the right host family and given time to find their feet.
I've also learned that when students say they're "fine", they're not always fine.
Many young people don't want to worry their parents or feel like a burden.
That's why regular check-ins matter.
Sometimes it's not about solving a problem. It's simply about creating opportunities for students to talk, ask questions, and know that support is available if they need it.
Homesickness is normal.
Feeling nervous is normal.
Every major transition in life requires courage, whether it's moving from primary school to secondary school, starting university, or studying in another country.
The goal isn't to remove every difficult feeling.
The goal is to help students feel supported while they navigate those feelings.
From Awkward Silence to Genuine Connection
Many students arrive feeling understandably nervous.
Some are naturally confident. Others arrive quiet, reserved, and unsure of themselves.
I've seen students who barely said more than a few words when they first arrived.
Yet by the end of their stay, they were chatting freely, laughing, joining in conversations, and telling me they would miss being here.
What changed wasn't a programme or a process.
It was simply taking the time to build a genuine human connection.
Sometimes that starts with small conversations.
Sometimes it's finding common interests.
Sometimes it's a little bit of humour or friendly banter that breaks down the awkwardness and helps everyone relax.
I like learning about who students are beyond school.
What music do they enjoy?
What do they like doing in their spare time?
Who are their friends?
What are their goals and ambitions?
Those conversations help build trust and create a picture of who they are as a person, not simply as a student staying in a room.
Students don't need to become part of a family overnight.
They simply need to feel accepted enough to be themselves.
Building Bridges
From Awkward Silence to Genuine Connection
Many students arrive feeling understandably nervous.
Some are naturally confident. Others arrive quiet, reserved, and unsure of themselves.
I've seen students who barely said more than a few words when they first arrived.
Yet by the end of their stay, they were chatting freely, laughing, joining in conversations, and telling me they would miss being here.
What changed wasn't a programme or a process.
It was simply taking the time to build a genuine human connection.
Sometimes that starts with small conversations.
Sometimes it's finding common interests.
Sometimes it's a little bit of humour or friendly banter that breaks down the awkwardness and helps everyone relax.
I like learning about who students are beyond school.
What music do they enjoy?
What do they like doing in their spare time?
Who are their friends?
What are their goals and ambitions?
Those conversations help build trust and create a picture of who they are as a person, not simply as a student staying in a room.
Students don't need to become part of a family overnight.
They simply need to feel accepted enough to be themselves.
Essential Questions for Parents Considering a Host Family
When parents send their child to boarding school in another country, they're not usually worrying about policies or paperwork.
They're wondering one simple thing:
"Is my child okay?"
As a parent and grandparent myself, I understand that feeling.
When my daughter leaves my grandson with me, she doesn't worry because she doesn't trust me.
She worries because she loves him.
Like most parents, she simply wants to know how he's getting on.
That's why I understand the importance of communication.
Recently, I sent my daughter a photo of my grandson happily eating homemade bread covered in chocolate spread.
He had chocolate spread all around his face, in his hair, and somehow seemed to have managed to get it absolutely everywhere.
Yet despite the mess, he looked completely happy.
His big blue eyes were shining, he was smiling from ear to ear, and he was clearly having the best time.
The photo wasn't important because of what he was eating.
It was important because it showed he was safe, content, and enjoying himself.
For parents of international students, a quick photo, a short video, or a simple update can provide exactly the same reassurance.
Sometimes it's not the long updates that make the difference.
It's seeing a smile.
Hearing a laugh.
Knowing your child is settled and comfortable when you're thousands of miles away.
Understanding Parental Concerns
Final Reflections
When St Edmund's Canterbury closes for holidays, half terms, or exeat weekends, students need more than somewhere to stay.
They need somewhere they feel they belong.
The right host family provides reassurance, routine, support, connection, and stability during what can be a significant transition.
Because ultimately, students aren't simply looking for accommodation.
They're looking for a home from home.
And parents aren't simply looking for a place for their child to stay.
They're looking for peace of mind that their child is safe, supported, and genuinely cared for while they're away from home.
Welcoming Students to a New Home
Creating a Home Away from Home
About Me
My name is Becky, and I’m the founder of Home From Home Canterbury.
Alongside providing hosting and guardianship support for international students, I’m also a qualified counsellor with experience supporting both adults and young people. This background has given me a deep understanding of the challenges that can come with change, transition, confidence, homesickness, and being away from the people and places that feel familiar.
I believe students need more than somewhere to stay during school holidays and exeat weekends. They need an environment where they feel safe, welcomed, understood, and able to be themselves.
My approach is simple. I take the time to get to know each student as an individual. Whether that’s learning about their interests, favourite foods, future goals, or simply making sure they know where the nearest bus stop is, I believe the small things often make the biggest difference.
For parents, I understand how important communication and reassurance can be when your child is studying abroad. That’s why I aim to provide regular updates, photos, and check-ins, helping families feel connected and confident that their child is settled, supported, and well cared for.
My goal has always been to create a genuine home-from-home experience where students feel comfortable, parents feel reassured, and everyone knows there is support available when it’s needed.
More Than Guardianship. A Home From Home.
When students are away from home, they need more than accommodation. They need support, reassurance, and a place where they feel they belong.
As a qualified counsellor and host, I provide a warm and welcoming environment where students can relax, settle in, and feel supported throughout their time in Canterbury. Through regular communication with families and a genuine focus on wellbeing, I help both students and parents feel confident, connected, and reassured.
