Boarding offers a special dimension to life at Columba College and boarders fill significant numbers in the lists of academic achievers, sporting stars, expert musicians and theatrical talents to come out of Columba College. Boarding school offers everything in one neat package: access to a broad academic curriculum, varied co-curricular activity through involvement in sport and the arts, connection with others of the same age and stage plus 24/7 supervision in a safe, caring and supportive environment.
Life at Columba Boarding House
Our on campus living in the heart of the city of Dunedin means that a whole new world of opportunity is available. Boarders have the ability to get involved in activities all week long, which means more time to try new things.
Boarders are surrounded by people who genuinely care about their welfare. With an emphasis on fun and laughter, the boarding environment is always bustling with life and staff are available to offer advice, help co-ordinate busy lives or just chat.
As the lifestyles of New Zealander’s have changed, so has boarding school. Columba College has adapted to these changes and offers a boarding solution for girls and young women from year 7 to 13 that emphasizes trust and doing the right thing, through using praise, constructive role modelling and positive reinforcement.
Our Commitment
Boarding is committed to excellence. However, we recognise that excellence is a relative, not an absolute concept and should be viewed in terms of personal growth. Boarding is an integral part of supporting excellence in personal growth and development. As such, we acknowledge that boarding must provide opportunity and personal choice and help empower young people to be better citizens who can more effectively contribute to society.
Boarders have the opportunity through living in a community to develop vital social skills such as perseverance and self-management. They are able to figure out where their strengths lie and what their passions are. Further boarders are better able to adapt to change, to get on with all types of people from a variety of different walks of life and cultures and most importantly, through changing circumstances, develop resilience.
Exciting news!
Unparalleled Boarding Facilities
Columba College is opening the pages on another new chapter with the creation of a purpose-built Boarding Village with the 21st century boarder in mind.
Stage One will include the development of a light, airy, inviting 46-bed boarding facility. This purpose-built space will offer open, modern communal spaces with single or double rooms and individual bathrooms to provide boarders with a living and learning environment that is second to none – complete with spa pools!
The new facility will be situated on site, where International House, year 13 House and the intermediate playground are currently located to retain our on-site boarding facilities within the wider campus. This development will offer easy access from Sargood Street, the convenience of school facilities on the doorstep and the warmth of a family atmosphere
The College has teamed with Parker Warburton Architects to create this special environment. Construction is anticipated to start near the end of Term 2 2021 and be completed near the end of Term 3 2022.
When Stage One has been completed, it provides the opportunity to repurpose Katharine Buchan House for our Middle School, so that students in Years 7-10 can experience a state-of-art, bespoke learning environment suited to the needs of Columba learners.
These are exciting innovations and we encourage you to keep helping us write our story.
