Tuesday 20 October 2026
As Term 4 is now underway, and many of our boarding senior students are either in the midst of, or soon to begin, their examination period, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere thanks to our entire boarding community - our students, parents, and of course our staff members, for an outstanding year of boarding in 2026. It has been a busy year, filled with genuine community spirit, which is precisely what makes boarding such a valuable addition to a young person’s education. It has been wonderful to see this spirit thriving through the wide range of activities and experiences that our boarders have been involved in.
It's important for me to acknowledge our boarding staff who all work so tirelessly to provide a high level of duty of care and support for our 340 students who live onsite as well as our fabulous kitchen, cleaning and support staff members who ensure boarding continues to run smoothly day after day. 
Students who have remained on campus over weekends have enjoyed a varied programme of activities both onsite and around Auckland. It has been especially pleasing to see the Houses get together for their weekend plans, attending sports games including watching the Black Ferns, Auckland Blues and Auckland FC teams, as well as attending Warbirds on Parade earlier in the year. This term, we are looking forward to two more combined activities: a trip to Hobbiton on 1 November, and the following weekend attending the Auckland FC vs Phoenix A-League derby match at Go Media Stadium.
A highlight for our Year 13 boarding community last week was sharing a meal at White and Wong’s in Newmarket. It was a wonderful occasion, bringing together all of our Year 13 boarding leaders and Housemasters as we mark the final weeks of these students’ time at King’s.
Throughout 2026, we have also continued our work with Hazlett Tutoring. Each evening, they have supported a number of our boarders by providing academic assistance in areas where it has been most needed. Alice and her team are genuinely passionate about working with our students, and we are exploring ways to strengthen this connection further to our own curriculum, ensuring our boarders continue to benefit fully from a King’s education.
Finally, I would like to thank the parents who contributed their voices to the boarding survey at the end of last term. Overall, the feedback was very positive, reinforcing many of the strengths of boarding at King’s, while also highlighting areas we are keen to review and explore in greater depth. I look forward to sharing these insights once the data has been analysed more comprehensively.
To our students moving into their exams - I wish you every success, and for our junior students who will stay on until the end of term, I encourage you to finish the year strongly - building a solid foundation to carry into 2027 and beyond.
Daniel Rattray - Head of Boarding