Life in the Boarding House

A place to call home

Boarders live in our historic Manor House which dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries. It was the family home of the eminent nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale. The former living areas of the house maintain a homely, country-retreat feel with oak panelled walls, stone fireplaces, antique furniture, other period features… and secret doorways.

Our bedrooms situated across three floors in the Manor House, each with views of the school’s stunning 130-acre historic parkland. Boarders share rooms with others of a similar age and there are a number of single rooms available as an option for Sixth Form students. We also like to ensure that each room has a mix of nationalities to help promote English and to provide our boarders with the opportunity to share and gain an insight into different cultures.

There are a number of common rooms, complete with comfy sofas to relax in; a boarders’ kitchen for evening snacks and continental breakfasts at the weekends; and a games room. Boarders also have access to our extensive library and their own ICT suite.

Time for food

Boarders enjoy delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which are all prepared daily by our resident chefs using fresh and, wherever possible, locally sourced ingredients. There is always a variety of menu options to choose from, catering for different tastes and dietary needs.

To start the day, boarders can enjoy a full cooked or continental breakfast. A two course buffet lunch is served each day and this includes freshly made soup, a salad bar, several options for main course and desserts and fruit. Our boarders enjoy a two-course supper every evening, with a salad bar and cheeseboard.

Celebrating special occasions

On special occasions, boarders sit together in the Old Library, one of the beautiful Manor House rooms, for a family dining experience full of character and tradition. As a multi-cultural boarding house, we celebrate birthdays along with national and international events of importance and traditions with themed food, music and decorations – from Christmas and Easter to Chinese New Year and Songkran Festival.

To experience boarding at Embley for yourself, please get in touch. We’d be delighted to show you around the boarding house or arrange a taster stay. Please email boarding@embley.org.uk or follow our boarding story on Twitter @EmbleyBoarding