Boarding
Nelson College Boarding accommodates students from throughout New Zealand and across the world – including the Pacific Islands, Asia and Europe.
We endeavour to provide a supportive family-like environment that encourages our boys to flourish academically and emotionally.
The two boarding houses of Nelson College are Rutherford and Barnicoat. They are situated in the park-like grounds of the college close to the centre of Nelson City. In addition to the boarding houses, there is an onsite dining room and fully staffed sanatorium. Each house is supervised by a resident Housemaster and a team of staff who work hard to meet the needs of each individual. There is a strong sense of unity in each house.
This diversity makes up the ‘International Boarding Community’ at the heart of college life.
Boarding students at Nelson College enjoy a varied lifestyle with relative freedom within defined boundaries. Full participation is encouraged in all aspects of boarding and college life.
Boarding scholarships are available. For information and criteria please contact the Director of Boarding Samme Hippolite.
Nelson College Boarding offers
A sense of belonging
- Safe & supportive
- Diverse
- Family-type atmosphere
- Strong links to the school
- Opportunities – academic, cultural, sporting & leadership
- Activities – organised & spontaneous
- Impressive Facilities
Strong Links Between Boarding & School
- Most boarding staff work at school
- Boarding supervisors double as homeroom teachers
- Academic Supervisors liaise with teachers
- Mentoring
- Boarding is located on school campus
Academic
- Multiple curriculum pathways
- School-wide computer platform
- Specialist Trades Centre subjects
- Sporting Academy subjects
- Scholarship tutorials
- Structured prep in the evenings
- Tutorial support at prep times
- Academic Supervisors
- Careers Advisor in boarding
Cultural
- Music tuition & facilities
- School bands
- Kapa haka
- Haka competition
- International cooking
- Singing & concerts
- Diversity Day
Sporting
- Football
- Gymnastics
- Hockey
- Indoor Cricket
- Karate
- Mountain Biking
- Rugby
- Softball
- Swimming
- Taekwondo
- Touch
- Volleyball
- Windsurfing
- Cricket
- Badminton
- Kayaking
- Climbing wall
- Snowboarding & Skiing
- Basketball
- Archery
- Athletics
- Futsal
- Golf
- Ki-o-Rahi
- Pyramids
- Ultimate frisbee
- Tennis
- Rowing
Leadership
- House mentoring
- House competition
- House & boarding activities
- Pyramids
- Duty groups
- Mataki Lodge leaders
- Guides for school events
Boarding Activities
- Kaiteriteri Beach Day
- River swimming & wharf jumping
- Mid Winter lake swim
- Hydro slide
- Paintballing
- Flip Out
- Shared dinners
- Sports Weekend
- Winter Boarding Catch Up
- House Dinners
- Old Man’s Supper
- Mountain bike rides
- Sports
Facilities for Boarding Use
- Barnicoat & Rutherford
- Dining room
- Sanitorium
- Gyms
- Weights room
- Pool
- 4 playing fields
- Staff accommodation
Keeping you informed
We like to keep in close contact with our boarding families. In addition to informal contact, twice a year, in Terms 1 and 3 we look forward to our traditional Boarders’ Weekends which include parent-teacher interviews, concerts, sporting events and commemoration services. Parents are kept in touch through regular boarding and school newsletters each term. We encourage parents to check this website often for updates, daily notices, information and photos of school events.
How to Apply
We welcome all boarding enquiries and if you would like to apply go to our Enrolment page. Complete the online enroment and we will be in contact with you.
All applicants and their parents will have an interview as part of the boarding enrolment process and an offer of place will be confirmed after a successful interview.
Social Media