Tuesday 26 May 2026
Guiding our students toward their unique futures is the heartbeat of the King's College educational experience. Beyond academic teaching and guidance, we are deeply committed to fostering co-curricular engagement and personal growth — essential pillars of our philosophy for an all-round education.
True character development happens when we empower our rangatahi to become the best possible versions of themselves. From the very first day, students are welcomed into a House: a supportive network that fosters lifelong friendships and encourages them to explore their passions.
Central to this experience is the Mentor-Mentee relationship. Rather than just being assigned an advisor, students partner with a dedicated Mentor who supports them to achieve their goals. By building these trusting, meaningful relationships, we create a safe and positive foundation where students develop their resilience and character.
This week, we talked to Mentor and professional staff member Ms Jess Borgfeldt about her experience.
Ms Borgfeldt has been a Mentor at King's College for three years, working with up to 10 students per year. Alongside the supportive relationships she builds with each Mentee, she also builds effective relationships with their Housemaster as a member of the House - ensuring that there is open communication and support.
Aiming to meet with each student at least three times a term, Ms Borgfeldt oversees the academic and extracurricular progress of each Mentee, getting to know them and keeping an eye on their wellbeing. At the end of each session, she writes brief comments for their record, and occasionally, refers students on for complex issues requiring more specialised advice.
When asked, "What does being a Mentor mean to you?", Ms Borgfeldt replied:
"Being a Mentor has given me a better understanding of the school and its students. I enjoy getting to know my Mentees – find out a little bit about their favourite subjects, what they want to do when they leave school etc - and establishing trusting relationships them. This relationship is a personal one and not connected to any activity or subject, which means I can hopefully help and support them during their time at the College. I hope that I make myself approachable — especially in their senior years when they can experience high levels of pressure. I also enjoy solving problems with them when I can!"
In her personal experience, Ms Borgfeldt says that her favourite aspects of mentoring include "just being a friendly face for them around the College, and the pride I feel when I see one of my Mentees go on to achieve their goals. I love seeing the students do well and most importantly enjoy their time here.”
While mentoring works to support students during their journey at King's, Mentors often gain a wealth of valuable experiences as well.
"Mentoring has allowed me to see the College from both a student and staff perspective. Students at King's have a diverse range of backgrounds and places, and every student has a different experience here. King's College offers such a wide range of opportunities to their students, which I am learning about along with them.
Getting to know my Mentees has also given me insight into some of the issues that young people face today; the stresses that come with exam preparation, choosing the right tertiary pathway, and maintaining a good study-life balance. The main role I have is to listen to them and support them where I can."