ABOUT US
When can you visit?
Throughout the year, UWC Atlantic Experience hosts a range of events and activities for the local community. Pre-booking these events via our website is essential.
Whilst we value our place within the local community, it is our important to balance this with our priority of safeguarding our students to ensure they are safe within their environment, their home. That is why, when we do not have events scheduled, we are not open to visitors and unplanned visitors will be denied entry to the grounds.
UWC Atlantic Experience
UWC Atlantic Experience is the home of events, outdoor activities, education and training programmes, corporate development and arts and entertainment at UWC Atlantic College (United World College of the Atlantic) based in the grounds of St Donat’s Castle. Our venue is hard to beat – a stunning Grade 1 listed 12th Century castle by the sea in South Wales, surrounded by 122 acres of seafront, woodland, valley and farmland that we’ve been sharing with the community since 1962.
We’ve now developed our commercial activities into a wraparound service, sharing our team’s expertise, outstanding resources and exceptional facilities at St Donat’s Castle to offer an unforgettable experience that’s as unique as you are – ultimately to support scholarship funding for the diverse group of students who join us every year from across the globe. UWC Atlantic Experience will help to give these students the unique UWC educational experience that will transform their lives and give you the ultimate experience that will transform yours!
As a College and a charity, a key focus of our activities beyond teaching and learning is to generate income to fund scholarships for the students that study here. UWC Atlantic, founded in 1962, is the flagship college of the inspirational UWC movement comprising 18 schools and colleges worldwide and is the co-creator of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Every year, students aged 16-19 from over 90 nationalities come here to study the IBDP for two years and are selected on their personal motivation and potential. The diversity of the student body is based on our ability to reach out to attract and encourage new students from vastly differing environments, political, religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and to provide access to this transformative education, thanks to a robust scholarship programme. UWC Atlantic Experience is here to support that.
All around to our place
Our focus for the future is to build an even stronger educational offer, to attract the best employees and to preserve the fabric of our historic buildings - what we call our People, Purpose and Place approach. Having the opportunity to invite more people around to our ‘Place’ for a range of unique experiences, is a hugely exciting way forward.
Discover UWC Atlantic
Association and Professional Standards
Learn more about UWC Atlantic's membership to professional bodies and affiliation to regional representation
The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) came into existence in April 1996. It is currently sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Health and Safety Executive is currently designated as the AALA.
Adventure activities licensing ensures that activity providers follow good safety management practices.
These should allow young people to experience exciting and stimulating activities outdoors without being exposed to avoidable risks of death or disabling injury.
We are an Approved Training Centre providing the NPLQ (National Pool Lifeguard Qualification) First Aid and the NWSMP (National Water Safety Management Programme)
The Institute for Outdoor Learning is the professional body for organisations and individuals who use the outdoors to make a difference for others. We are driven by a vision of Outdoor Learning as a highly valued form of development, education and employment in UK society.
We are organisational members of the IOL with staff accredited through Professional Recognition
Throughout the UK there are now companies offering a variety of Coasteering experiences from the Isle of Man to Cornwall and Pembrokeshire to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Ireland and the Channel Isles.
With the growth in popularity and many companies expressing a view that Coasteering is the most popular activity they run it is now represented by an advisory organisation, the National Coasteering Charter.
Atlantic Experience is an organisational member of the NCC with staff trained and assessed to the standards of the charter.
The South Wales Outdoor Activity Providers Group (SWOAPG) is the representative organisation for all providers of Outdoor Adventurous Activities in South Wales and Brecon Beacons areas. We represent our membership to a wide variety of public sector bodies and other organisations, ensuring a collaborative and positive approach to activity provision and development in our area.
The Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter Group (POCG) is made up of ‘like-minded‘ people who share their passion for adventure with their love of the Pembrokeshire coast and its wildlife. Members include individual adventurers, outdoor adventure businesses, environmental education centres and conservation groups/organisations.
AdventureSmart UK is a rollout of the safety campaign AdventureSmartWales which was launched in 2018.
Adventure Smart Wales was a 2 year project (2017-2019), funded via the Welsh Government’s Tourism Product Innovation Fund which aims to encourage new innovative product ideas working in partnership which will have a greater impact and attract more visitors.
The aim is to reduce the number of avoidable incidents which the rescue and emergency services deal with each year. The objective is to establish a comprehensive set of safety messages and to work with the outdoor sector to promote these far and wide, get people outdoors, confident that they have prepared for a great day.
COVID-19 Industry Standard
In Partnership with The National Tourist Organisations of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
In recognition that this business has confirmed that they have followed government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, ensuring processes are in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social/physical distancing.
Visit Wales is Wales’ main international gateway for tourism.
It’s a hub of inspiration and information for those looking to find out more about Wales as a place to visit on a short break or holiday, or for business. It’s also our gateway for further information about Business Events and Travel Trade opportunities.
St Donats Arts Centre and St Donat’s Castle are Visit Wales registered venues.
St Donat’s Castle and St Donats Arts Centre are approved premises for marriages and civil partnerships.
Marriages contracted in approved premises are only lawful if the building has been granted a licence by the local authority.