King’s Ely Prep is home to approximately 40 boy and girl boarders who enjoy two spectacular buildings as their homes. With medieval origins, both Walsingham House and Priory House are our boarders’ peaceful havens at the end of their busy school days.
Each House is run by a Housemistress who lives in the building with her family and offers a close-knit and caring environment for our youngest boarders. A feature of the family-orientated Houses is the close bond between parents and the House teams. Aspirations are shared and communication is strong to ensure the most productive experience for those able to board at King’s Ely Prep.
Boarding at King’s Ely Prep is intentionally flexible to suit the requirements of a broad range of families. Some of our boarders live locally to Ely, some travel quite a distance from other regions to attend the school as boarders and, additionally, the King’s Ely Prep International programme sees children travelling from across the globe to enjoy all that the school has to offer.
We encourage any prospective boarding family to visit and for the child to enjoy a taster of boarding ahead of admission.
Walsingham House
Walsingham House is home to boys aged 8 to 13, some of whom are Cathedral Choristers. Named after Alan de Walsingham, the house is near the east end of Ely Cathedral and dates from the 14th century. The facilities include taylor-made practice rooms for all musicians and dedicated spaces to play after a busy day’s work at school. The House and garden provide a friendly atmosphere where the boys have a chance to relax.
The Houseparents and their children live in the same building, as well as a resident full-time Matron. The Houseparents and tutors take the boys on exciting visits during the choir’s special out-of-term-time stay-overs. The team also supports the choristers in their essential instrumental practice and theory.
Priory House
Many of our youngest boy and girl boarders tell us that coming to Priory House made them feel like they had arrived at Hogwarts! It is hard to deny the magic of the House, with its twisting staircases, painted ceilings, vaulted undercroft, magnificent fireplaces and wooden panelling, but the entirely modern approach means that Priory boarders have a very special experience.
Priory House has been modernised to offer our boarders comfortable and homely accommodation in the heart of the former monastery in Ely. Priory is very much a home-from-home, thanks to the range of activities, special trips and treats organised by the Housemistress, her family, Matron, and the tutors.
Our vibrant boarding community lies at the heart of King’s Ely. British and international students from around the world are able to live, work and socialise together, sharing all aspects of school and boarding house life. Young adults leave King’s Ely confident in their ability to communicate readily and easily with those from different cultures and backgrounds and to take their place in an interconnected, globalised world.
The dynamic boarding environment at King’s Ely encourages pupils to live their lives to the full. This could be competing in an inter-House sports match, acting in a drama production or singing in a choir in Ely Cathedral. Boarders appreciate what it means to be part of a highly supportive community and actively encourage each other to achieve their potential. Living and growing together, students understand how their actions affect others; they learn to be considerate and tolerant of different views as well as resilient to the challenges that life and learning can bring.
At King’s Ely, we are extremely proud that our boarding houses, some of which date back to the Middle Ages, reflect the world in the 21st century. The rich cultural diversity that our students from 40 different countries bring to our community is a cause for celebration.
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