Our Boarding Houses

James Galvin is the Senior House Parent at Tripos Court. He was previously the Deputy Head of House at Chethams School of Msuic Manchester for 6 years and has extensive experience with looking after young people. He has had experience working in childcare roles such as Children’s Child Care Rep with Esprit Ski, Camp Counsellor in The United States and coached junior Rugby League & Rugby Union in his home town of Rochdale.

I have really loved working at St Andrew’s.  It’s been amazing to work in such a supportive and friendly environment. The highlight of my time here so far have been the bonds I’ve formed with my students. It has been an amazing experience looking after students from over ten different countries and helping them to settle in and enjoy St Andrew’s College and Cambridge as a city.

I run the Hall of Residence alongside my husband, and we always give our best to every task to ensure the welfare and happiness of the students! As someone who loves cooking, and has a young family, being a House Manager allows me the freedom to enjoy my family life, whilst at the same time exploring my passion of cooking for and caring for young people. I have previously worked in the restaurant and hospitality sector where I was trained in cooking cuisines from all the over world. I love being able to surprise my students with dishes from their own countries!

In my spare time I enjoy being with my family, reading, jogging and travelling. I have many wishes and aspirations, a few are to learn how to play a few instruments and travel to Asia and Australia.

I look forward to welcoming future cohorts of students into my Hall, and providing them with the care and individual attention that will help them flourish here at St Andrew’s.

I am an enthusiastic person with an outgoing personality and a confident approach to life.  I studied Business, Technology and Education and graduated with Distinction. I pride myself in successfully communicating and building good relationships with students from different backgrounds and cultures. I am adept in assessing and understanding the unique needs of each student and ensuring that the requirements of all students are effectively aligned and fulfilled.

One of the best aspects of my job is the supportive environment of the school. Everyone shares the same vision and together create an atmosphere of support for the students and other staff. This truly creates a family environment where everybody is there for each other. It is an incredible experience to be part of such an international environment, and I love learning about the student’s different cultures and backgrounds.

No day at work is ever the same, and the diversity of the work that I do ensures that every day is interesting and challenging. I am always focused on bettering my skills and it’s great to challenge myself to improve the quality of care that I provide for the students. In my spare time, I enjoy reading non-fiction books and running, I have done two half marathons and in the coming years would like to attend the London Marathon!

I look forward to welcoming new students to St Andrew’s and helping them settle into their new lives here in Cambridge.

I have been working for St Andrews for over ten years and alongside my role as House Manager I also provide support and training for new House Managers. It is great to be able to share my experience with new members of the team and help make sure that all the Halls run professionally and our students are cared for to the highest standards.

Before I joined St Andrew’s I was the Head Nursing Assistant at Leicester Royal Hospital. My background in healthcare has been very helpful in my current role and I enjoy combining my professional training of caring for people with my role as House Manager. In my experience, international students benefit from the extra attention and individual care that I can provide. Helping new students settle into UK life, make friends and embrace the opportunities that Cambridge has to offer is one of my favourite aspects of my job.

Over the course of a year, I form a real attachment to my students and it is a great privilege to be able to help them all in whatever way I can. For some students this can be as simple as making sure they are up in the morning to get to class on time or helping them get to grips with their new timetables! Other students can find the transition to living and studying in a new country a little harder and, for those students, I am always on hand to provide the emotional and practical support that they need to flourish during their time at the College.

In the rare moments that I am not looking after my students, I enjoy reading. When I was younger, I competed in speech and drama competitions and won many medals and trophies of which I am very proud. My other hobbies are going to the gym and walking around Cambridge. Cambridge is a fantastic city and has many hidden treasures. It is a real joy to be able to share my knowledge of the city with the students, and help them discover everything that the city has to offer.

I love working as a house manager, watching students grow and achieve their goals and giving them the confidence to follow their dreams. 

I have worked at St Andrew’s College for the last few years and enjoy the challenges that come with looking after a house full of students!

Much of my time is spent looking after the students – cooking, cleaning and laundry! It can be a tiring job, but it is important to me that the students feel at home, and that they are well looked after. I think that by providing a warm and welcoming environment my students feel supported and encouraged to embrace their studies, and their new lives in Cambridge.

I like my work as a House Manager because it gives me the opportunity to talk to different people from different backgrounds. It is interesting to learn from my students about their different countries and different cultures. St Andrew’s College is a remarkable multi-cultural community and I feel like all my students gain a great deal from being part of such an international community at such a young age.

I would describe myself as an honest person, with a real positive outlook on life and willing to discover and try new things. This is seen in my cooking, where my students can expect to try recipes from all round the world! One of the things I love most about my job is learning new recipes from students – especially if it is food that they miss from home!

I like to spend time with my family. Being a new mum, I love to spend time with my little boy, playing and singing with him. I also like travelling, reading and playing the mandolin. From the moment students join St Andrew’s I welcome them into my Hall and my family, and will always go the extra mile to make sure their time at St Andrew’s is a happy one!

Working in boarding is one of the most rewarding aspects of life at a school such as St Andrews College and something I have always enjoyed. An amazing life experience, with ups and downs and lifetime connections. It’s a great pleasure to be part of because it has a rich tradition and history.

One of the great things about my role as a house parent is the pastoral care. My aim is to unable our students to grow up and mature in an environment where they have to make their own decisions by communicating and compromising with one another. To provide a safe, secure, welcoming home like community where each child can thrive and achieve excellence in all they do. I want to be a place where lifelong friendships are made and when a child leaves, it should be with happy memories.

Being involved in a house of nine boys, inevitably will bring challenges and a key part of the experience for students is learning to live with others and appreciate the differences between culture and outlook. It is my hope that all the boys who pass through St Andrews during my time here, will come out of it having learnt a lot about themselves and have a better idea of the kind of adult they wish to become.

I celebrate birthdays, multicultural dinners, special events such as Christmas dinner, Chinese New Year, Korean Thanksgiving meals and so much more. I found pleasure taking students out to museums, galleries and doing small projects like Pick-A-Litter and it is so rewarding.

I describe myself as a positive-proactive personality, trustworthy with genuine kindness and a bit of fun, sometimes more. What I enjoy the most is seating in a corner chair, with an open lamp, reading a book and having a cup of tea on a side. I also love travelling. Finland was my recent city break where I found out that they are the happiest country in the world and the biggest coffee consumers in the world. So, coffee lovers add Finland on your bucket list!

Spending time with my own family recharges my batteries and give me a sense of not just responsibility but understanding the importance of working with students where their families are so far away.

My name is Lidia and I am the House Parent at Coleridge Road where I live on site with my husband, Marius, who does the maintenance at St Andrew’s and my two children.

I have been working at St Andrews for six years and really love the atmosphere and comraderie at the college.  I spent most of my time looking after students at our Coleridge Road Residence and it is very important for me to know that students feel at home and are happy.

I like my job as House Parent because it gives me the opportunity to talk to different people from different backgrounds and we have students from all parts of the world.  It is so interesting to learn from my students about their different cultures and where they come from.

In my spare time I am a real family person.  I love spending time with my husband and my two children.  I am also very keen on travelling and exploring new places.

I really look forward to welcoming you to Coleridge Road.