King’s Ely Prep Boarding Information for Parents
Prep Boarding
Essential Pre-Arrival Checklist
o Arrange Guardian Support: Please ensure a guardian is appointed who lives within a reasonable distance and can provide support as needed (see Page 10).
o Uniform & Sports Kit: All school uniform and sports kit must be purchased and clearly named.
o Complete Medical Forms: Ensure all necessary medical forms are fully completed and submitted.
o Label Personal Clothing: All personal clothing should be clearly named to prevent loss.
o Year 7 & 8 Laptops: Students in Years 7 and 8 must have a laptop that meets school regulations.
o Book Travel Arrangements: Please book all travel arrangements in advance for the start of term and any exeat weekends.
o Understand Pocket Money & Spending: Familiarize yourself with the school's guidelines on pocket money and student spending (see Page 7).
o Review Term Dates & Exeat Weekends: Take note of all term dates and scheduled exeat weekends for planning purposes.
Welcome...
Welcome to the King's Boarding Community! We are absolutely delighted to welcome your sons and daughters to their new home away from home. At King's, we offer two vibrant and supportive boarding houses: Priory House for our girls and Walsingham for our boys. Both houses are places where friendships are forged, personal growth is nurtured, and a sense of belonging is cultivated. Our dedicated staff are committed to ensuring that each student feels supported, safe, and inspired as they embark on this exciting chapter of their journey.
In Priory House, we have Mrs. Hughes, who lives on-site with her husband, their three children, and three friendly dogs. Meanwhile, in Walsingham, Mrs. Perceval-Maxwell and her husband, along with their two older children and two lovely dogs, create a homely atmosphere that helps boys feel grounded and supported. Both house-parents bring a personal touch to their boarding houses, ensuring that every student is well cared for and encouraged to thrive.
We look forward to watching your children flourish in this dynamic and enriching environment, and we are here to make their time at King's both memorable and rewarding.
With warm wishes,
Hughes and Mrs Perceval-Maxwell
Mrs
Nikki Hughes
Housemistress (HsM), Priory House
Loveday Perceval-Maxwell Housemistress (HsM), Walsingham House
King’s Ely Statement of Boarding Principles and Practice
At King’s Ely, the pastoral care of every child is at the heart of everything we do. Our boarders are supported by a dedicated and caring team, both during school hours and throughout their time in the boarding house. While we are part of a larger school community, we strive to create a warm and welcoming environment where the boarding houses feel like home.
We encourage respect and kindness, fostering an environment where boarders and staff embrace different views, beliefs, and cultures. Rooted in Christian values, our cathedral services provide important moral and spiritual guidance. Our aim is to help boarders grow with responsibility, self-respect, and the confidence to thrive in the future, always acting with accountability for their actions.
We respect personal privacy as much as possible, with staff knocking before entering dorms and maintaining discreet monitoring for safety.
Childrenareencouragedtosharetheir thoughtsthrough discussions and house meetings.While not all suggestions canbe actedupon immediately, wealwaysprovide feedback.
In our boardinghouses, wekeeprules simple and fair,treating everyonelikefamily. Insteadof strictpunishments, wemay temporarily remove a privilege,assign a helpfultask, or setan earlierbedtime. Sometimes, weuse “time out” forchildren to reflecton theiractions. Our staffuse their discretion, ensuring fairnesswhile treating each child as an individual.
The Houseparent, Head of Boarding, and Head arealways heretooffersupport and advice. Minor incidentsarelogged, while moreserious ones arerecordedbythe Head.
The Houseparent leads the team of staff, including Matron, tutors, and Gap tutors, who work together to ensure the happiness and well-beingof the children.
Our boarding children are cared for by the whole team on duty, with a clear rota so they know who is available each night. If a child has any concerns, they can approach any staff member, and the Houseparent or Head can always be contacted in an emergency. If necessary, the Houseparent will work with teaching staff to ensure continuity of care.
We value open communication between the boarding house and home. If any issues arise, we aim to contact parents or guardians promptly, working together to provide the best care for the children.
Your child's safety and well-being are our top priorities. We have a dedicated safeguarding team that covers every corner of the school, ensuring a secure environment. We maintain robust safeguarding policies and provide comprehensive training to all staff members, equipping them to recognise and appropriately report any safeguarding concerns.
We also empower our students by giving them access to vital support. Helpful phone numbers, including Childline and the school's Independent Listener, are prominently displayed on all boarding noticeboards.
Our boarding houses undergo regular inspections by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISIto ensure the highest standards of care. Our most recent Inspection Report (March 2025), the inspectors found that King's Ely meets or exceeds every one of the Standards. Furthermore we were judged to have significant strength in the way in which the school interweaves high-quality pastoral care and a dynamic enrichment programme.
“Boarding house staff operate as a unified team. They provide a nurturing atmosphere where positive relationships help pupils to feel safe and valued and enhance their wellbeing. Boarders live together successfully in inclusive houses.”
Independent School Inspector (March 2025)
Priory House
Housemistress: Mrs Nikki Hughes
Email: NikkiHughes@kingsely.org
Tel: 01353 662521
Mobile: 07341 730047
Assistant Housemistress: Mrs Jude Yazicilar
Email: JudithYazicilar@kingsely.org
Tel: 01353 662521
Mobile: 07551 157509
Walsingham House
Housemistress: Loveday Perceval-Maxwell
Email: LovedayPercevalMaxwell@kingsely.org
Tel: 01353 668655
Mobile: 07393 014503
Matron: Miss Lucy Shute
Email: LucyShute@kingsely.org
Tel: 01353 668655
Mobile: 07554 455098
House Tutors
A team of tutors from the Prep School support the house staff and take regular duties in house.
Gap Tutors
Gap Tutors are also a key part of the house team and work in the house at evenings and weekends.
“You learn how to be independent, but you can still ask for help if you need it”
Prep/Homework
Plenty of time is given in the evenings for children to complete their homework and the house staff on duty support and supervise this as needed.
Instrumental Practice
There are opportunities on a daily basis for children to practise their instruments, either in house or at school.
Weekend Activities
As well as the activities that take place during the week, there are often weekend trips and activities.
Last year, outings included bowling, Laser Quest, trampolining, swimming, cinema trips and roller skating, among others, trips to the London Aquarium and many more.
These trips are charged as extras and will be added to your end of term school bill
There is an opportunity for students to purchase items from town on weekends as and when required. Children will always be accompanied by a member of staff.
Tuck
Fresh fruit is always available for the children in the boarding houses. We also have an in-house tuck shop were children at set times may purchase at cost price healthy snacks, savoury snacks (crisps) and sweet treats such as chocolate bars. Items purchased will be added to the end of term school bill. Please do not send your child with sweets or food items.
Pocket Money
We recommend providing your child with up to £100 in cash per term. This is intended for small expenses like school trips, gifts, toiletries and treats when visiting town. Please do not send £50 notes, as these can be difficult to use for purchases. For larger or more frequent spending, we strongly advise providing your child with a debit card that you control. This offers a secure and convenient way for them, and you, to manage their money.
Beginning and End of Term
At the beginning of each term details of the routine for the beginning and end of term will be emailed to the parents.
Trunks/cases will be stored by the school for the academic year but at the end of the summer term all belongings must be taken home. We advise a small over night bag/case for half term holidays and exeat weekends.
Boarders are encouraged to become independent in packing and unpacking.
Weekend arrangements and exeats
At weekends, parents and guardians are welcome to take children home/out but notice must be sent in writing to the Housemistress the week before as arrangements for the weekend activities and meals are made in advance. Children are welcome to invite another child to come home with them, but invitations must go via the Housemistress who will get the relevant permissions.
Two exeats take place in the Michaelmas term, one either side of Half Term. There are no exeat weekends in the Lent Term and one exeat weekend in the Summer Term. Details will be sent out in advance by the Housemistress.
Personal Belongings
All boarders have storage areas in their dormitories. If in any doubt, it is always better to check the suitability of an item with house staff before bringing it into the house. Remember that breakages occur more easily here than at home, so please be sensible with what is brought back to the house. Everything needs to be labelled.
Games Consoles and Computers
There are computers available to use in the boarding house. The School intranet site is linked to the boarding houses and emails can be sent to the pupils’ school accounts. Laptops and other personal computers (such as iPads are allowed in the boarding houses, but such items should be insured. Time on these is carefully monitored to encourage healthy interaction between boarders. They are not allowed upstairs in the dormitories. Please note that we cannot take responsibility for the loss or damage of any electronic devices. Years 7 & 8 should have their own laptops, as required by the school.
Birthdays
We are quite happy for parents of the birthday boarder to provide a cake for him/her to share with the other boarders. Parents are very welcome to take boarders out for supper. Please let us know if you would like us to provide a cake which will be charged to the school bill.
Visiting Priory and Walsingham
If you would like to take your child out for a meal please contact the HsM via email. in advance of the proposed visit. Visitors are asked to ring the door bell on arrival.
“The boarding house was very good; a wonderful ancient building with modern facilities. The staff were so helpful and organised us really well. The boarding experience is wonderful for me, and I would recommend it for sure”
Communication
Boarders may bring a mobile phone to use in the boarding house. A landline is available for use in emergencies.
The boarding house is also linked to the school Wi-Fi network and so FaceTime and Skype calls are supported too.
When the timetable allows, boarders are able to contact home every night. The HsM may use their discretion to restrict this if they feel it is having a negative effect on a pupil’s wellbeing, but restricting contact home will never be used as a sanction.
Laundry
Staff gather and organise laundry, which is then sent out on different days to be washed by the school Laundry. Some small items are washed in the boarding house.The children will be expected to place their laundry in baskets for collection.
ALL CLOTHING MUST BE NAMED AND SUITABLE FOR MACHINE WASHING AND TUMBLE DRYING.
Fire Practice
Children will be made aware of the evacuation procedure for both day and night. By law, a practice must be held at the beginning of each term.
Medical Matters
Full details of prescribed medicines should be given to the house staff and appropriate forms signed. They will be kept in a locked medicine cabinet. Vitamins and medication are administered in the mornings and evenings. A close link is kept with the school Medical Centre, and we are emailed/ phoned as soon as medicines are administered. If a boarder is admitted to the Medical Centre, their parents are informed by the nurse on duty.
On Monday to Friday, the Medical Centre is open from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with a nurse on call from home overnight for boarding students. On Saturday, the Medical Centre is open from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with a nurse on call from home overnight. On Sunday, the Medical Centre is closed, but a nurse is on call from home all day and night.
If a boarder has suffered from vomiting, diarrhoea, or is deemed contagious, they will need to be collected by their guardian/parent immediately. If a pupil requires quarantining, we would try in the first instance to transfer them to their guardian. Failing that, we have four ensuite rooms where we will look after the pupil until they are well.
“The Housemistress and matron are extremely kind and supportive. The breakfasts are delicious. I like spending more time with my friends.”
Pupil Guardian Requirements
For our international pupils, a UK-based guardian is a crucial part of their boarding experience, acting in loco parentis when you are abroad. This partnership ensures your child has consistent support, especially during school breaks, exeats, and in emergencies, such as needing care if they can't attend a school trip due to illness.
Guardians are responsible for providing a safe home during all school holidays and exeats, whether at their own residence or by arranging suitable alternative accommodation. They also serve as the primary emergency contact for the school if we can't reach you, making important decisions about your child's well-being. Beyond logistics, guardians offer vital pastoral care, providing a consistent adult presence, and often assist with travel arrangements.
You can choose a trusted relative, close friend, or a professional guardianship agency. When making your choice, consider the guardian's proximity to the school, their availability, and establishing clear communication among everyone involved. Please ensure all necessary contact information and any legal agreements are provided to the school before your child's arrival. This collaborative effort is essential for your child's happiness and success at Prep Boarding.
As part of the newly extended UKVI process, designed to safeguard international students, Guardians will need to complete and return an extended 'Letter of Undertaking'. This will be sent out by the school's Admissions team as part of the admissions process.
King’s Ely Prep Boarding Principles and Practice
The boarding community at King’s Ely is a warm, welcoming place made up of a rich mix of UK and international students, each with their own unique backgrounds and needs.
At King’s Ely, we base our boarding on the following principles:
• Fostering the development of the whole person—physically, spiritually, intellectually, morally, socially, and emotionally—in a supportive atmosphere.
• Promoting mutual respect and the right to be treated as an individual.
• Ensuring that every child is free from any form of abuse.
• Offering equal opportunities for all.
• Respecting each child’s right to privacy.
• Building strong, supportive relationships with parents and guardians.
In addition to meeting the children’s physical needs and ensuring their safety, we aim to nurture a sense of belonging, self-esteem, self-respect, and personal growth in every child.
Aims and Objectives
The aims of each boarding house may vary depending on age and circumstances, but all seek to:
• Offer experiences that promote self-development in all areas: physical, spiritual, intellectual, moral, social, and emotional.
• Foster an open, trusting environment where boarders feel respected as individuals.
• Create a culture where bullying is not tolerated.
• Encourage responsibility for oneself, others, and the environment.
• Develop leadership skills and the ability to work well in a team.
• Promote supportive relationships between boarders, staff, and parents
King's Ely Values
Purpose - To prepare each individual to live positive, productive, successful and fulfilled lives, for the betterment of themselves and the world around them.
Practice - To ensure every child feels that they are known, and receives an excellent academic education that inspires curiosity and intellectual adventure.
Place - To give a sense of place and belonging to all our pupils, and to celebrate our unique environment and make the most of its ecological, historical, artistic, spiritual and economic resources.
People - To create a genuinely diverse community, outward and forward-looking and with a shared purpose. To bring into this community the best teachers, pastoral and support staff and students, and to be a source of friends for life.
Prep School Values
Confidence, Compassion, Courage, Integrity
Policies
All King’s Ely policies can be found on the school website www.kingsely.org. Please look under ‘About Us’ and then under ‘Our Policies’. Below are a few of these important policies:
Complaints Procedure
King’s Ely is committed to offering education, pastoral care and communication of the highest quality. We welcome comments from parents about the quality of services which we provide - good or bad.
If you are not happy with any aspect of the school, or about your contact with us, we need to know so that we can take action to make improvements. The school receives very few complaints from parents and we hope that the majority of problems can be resolved through informal, friendly discussions without the need to resort to formal procedures.
The staff take all complaints very seriously because we put the welfare of all our pupils and our service to parents at the top of our list of priorities. In the event of a complaint it is our aim to:
• ensure a full and fair investigation;
• respect the desire for confidentiality, should it be requested;
• address all the points at issue and provide an effective response;
“The boarding staff are very helpful and assist with your every need. You can talk to them whenever you feel like it”
• deal with the matter as quickly as possible, either immediately, or otherwise within two working days of receiving a communication (if it is going to take longer, we will explain to you what action is being taken and will keep you informed thereafter).
The procedure for making a formal complaint is available from the Chief Operating Officer.
King’s Ely has long prided itself on the quality of the teaching and pastoral care provided for its pupils. However, if parents do have a complaint about the school, they can expect to be treated in accordance with the following procedure:
First Stage – informal complaint
Second Stage – formal complaint
Third Stage – panel hearing
Parents can be assured that all concerns and complaints will be treated seriously and confidentially. Correspondence, statements and records will remain confidential except insofar as is required by paragraph (2) (j) of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/3283), whereby disclosure is required in the course of the school’s inspection; or if any other legal obligation prevails.
Child Protection
King’s Ely seeks to provide an environment in which children will be free of abuse of any kind. This will be achieved by:
• having in place procedures for ensuring that all employees do not present a risk of abuse;
• having in place training to ensure that members of staff and other key members of the community can recognise abuse and report it to the appropriate member of staff who has been identified and trained as the Designated Safeguarding Officer;
• generating an ethos and providing information which ensures that pupils feel able to report concerns to any member of staff or other appropriate body.
The school has in place procedures to support any pupil who has been subjected to abuse.
The full policy is in accordance with locally agreed interagency procedures and is available to parents on request. It is available on the school’s website. It is to be read in conjunction with the school’s recruitment policy.
