The King's School, Ely

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The King's School, Ely
Established 970
Type Public school
Religious affiliation Christian
Head Mrs Susan Freestone GRSM MEd LRAM ARCM
Deputy Head Dr Graham Parry
Founder King Henry VIII
Location Barton Square
Ely
Cambridgeshire
CB7 4DB
England Flag of England
LEA Cambridgeshire
Staff 100 (approx.)
Students 890
Gender Boys and Girls
Ages 13 to 18
Houses 7
School colours Navy & White

         
Publication The Elean
Former pupils Old Eleans

The King's School, Ely, is a coeducational independent school in Cambridgeshire, England. It is among the oldest schools in the World, founded in c.970 [1] . The school consists of a Nursery, a reception, Junior School, Senior School, and an International Study Centre. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

Contents

[edit] History

The King's School in Ely is one of seven schools established, or in some cases including this one re-endowed and renamed, by King Henry VIII in 1541 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries for the education of 'poor friendless boys'.

The school has its origins in the religious house founded in Ely by St. Etheldreda in 673 A.D.. Before the re-endowment it was called the Ely Cathedral Grammar School.

The school keeps a strong link with the cathedral by which it is overshadowed. A teaching institution has been established on the site since 970, making it the seventh oldest school in the United Kingdom. One notable school tradition is the Hoop Trundle, an event where the King's and Queen's scholars beat sticks against a wooden ring along the lane up to the south door of the cathedral.

All King's Senior pupils belong to one of eight houses: Hereward, School, Hill, Etheldreda, Osmond, Wilkinson, Withburga and Torfrida – the latter two being named after sisters of Etheldreda, the founder of Ely Cathedral.

The school also has an International Study Centre, a Junior School and a pre-prep school as well as Nursery. In its entirety, the school has over 900 pupils. Spread over a wide campus, different parts of the school occupy different buildings, distributed around the centre of the city. However, all the sections do make use of certain facilities, such as sports facilities and the Monastic Barn.

[edit] Monastic Buildings

The Porta Library, and entrance to the college of the Cathedral
The Porta Library, and entrance to the college of the Cathedral

Many of Ely's monastic buildings are leased by Ely Cathedral to the school. These include:

  • The Porta Library - this building is the gateway into the Monastic buildings of the Cathedral, and now house the school's library, classrooms and a conference room, as well as the school's archives.
  • The Monastic Barn - this at one time stored the Abbey's crops, but is now used as the school's dining hall.
  • Prior Crauden's Chapel - Built in 1324, this is used as a place of worship for the school, normally for smaller services.
  • The Infirmary - one of the oldest buildings surviving in the monastery, this long rectangular building once housed sick monks. It is now the boarding house for the Ely Cathedral Choir.
  • Queen's Hall - Situated next to Prior Crauden's Chapel, and finished at roughly the same time (1330's), this is the residence of the Head of School.

In addition to this, School House is part of the monastery, and the Religious Studies department is housed in the Hermitage buildings. The school uses Ely Cathedral as a place of worship three times a week, and for major school services.

[edit] Music

In 2001, the Gibson Music School opened, moving the entire music department from the Hereward Hall building to a purpose built center adjacent to the Hayward Theatre. The new building contains a large Recital Hall, several practice rooms, a classroom and two music technology rooms.

There are dozens of music groups, chiefly the Chapel Choir, an Orchestra, Jazz Band and Concert Band. There is also a barbershop choir, formed almost exclusively by boys who were choristers in the Ely Cathedral Choir. Recently, a girls choir has been formed with the same musical styling as The King's Barbers.

Annually, the school holds a Music Festival, where pupils represent their house in a competition, culminating the in a Finalist's Concert. There is also a major school musical each year, where the Music and Drama departments collaborate. A less serious music competition is held in the Michaelmas term, where all Senior School houses represent themselves in a Unison and ensemble class.

The school offers music scholarships to pupils who show an aptitude in at least one musical discipline, and who can contribute to the school's music groups. The Music Department has a Concert Society, which showcases visiting professional musicians for concerts, several times a term.

[edit] Sports

King's also has many sports facilities, including an artificial turf pitch, swimming pool, tennis courts, sports hall and several outdoor pitches.

In June, 2002, then headmaster Richard Youdale announced that the school would be phasing out rugby from the school, which aroused criticism and concern, reaching the national media. [2] In 2005, the school reinstated the game. Other sports played include:

  • Football
“ We know that sport is a sure route to the development of self-confidence, camaraderie, team spirit and self-fulfilment, so we ensure that there is every opportunity for students to try, participate and practise a vast range of physical activities. ”

—King's website
  • Hockey
  • Netball
  • Basketball
  • Badminton
  • Squash
  • Rounders

The school also has its own boat house, next to Cambridge University's on the River Great Ouse. The activity is open to Senior School pupils, and has produced teams and single sculls that have competed at Regional and National level.

Sports scholarships are available for pupils that demonstrate talent for sport and who frequently represent the school.

[edit] The Ely Scheme

the Ely Scheme, was launched as an alternative to the Combined Cadet Force over 30 years ago. Since then it has developed into a unique outdoor adventure programme with its own timetabled activities for Years 9 and 10. Its aim is to develop self-confidence, team-working, problem-solving and personal skills in a variety of activities. Pupils have the opportunity to become Ely Scheme leaders as they move up the school. Many choose to embark on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Senior School prospectusPDF (5.62 MiB)

King's has a dedicated climbing wall and all-terrain course, as well as access to an even larger obstacle course at nearby Braham Farm. In recent years, the school's climbing club has traveled to Corsica, the Alps and the Himalayas.

[edit] School traditions

[edit] Scholars

Up to 12 of the top scholars in Year 12 are nominated as King’s Scholars (boys) or Queen’s Scholars (girls). They become members of the Cathedral Foundation and also qualify for other privileges. King’s Scholars were inaugurated by Henry VIII in 1541 and Queen’s Scholars at the request of Queen Elizabeth II in 1973. There is no application process for these honorary scholarships, the positions instead being awarded based on pupils' GCSE results. The most famous scholar was King Edward the Confessor.

[edit] The Hoop Trundle

The Hoop Trundle
The Hoop Trundle

The Hoop Trundle commemorates the re-founding of The King’s School Ely by King Henry VIII in 1541. Having dissolved Ely monastery, which had educated children for centuries, he gave the school its first royal charter and established the 12 King’s Scholars . One of the privileges he allowed them was to play games, including the bowling of hoops, in the Cathedral precincts.

In 1970, the school admitted girls for the first time in its 1,000-year history, and three years later the King’s Scholars were joined by Queen’s Scholars (girls) at the request of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the school in 1973.

Pupils are nominated as scholars in the Sixth Form for their academic achievement. They become members of the Cathedral Foundation and also qualify for other privileges. The winners are given the prize of a memorial tankard. [3]

[edit] Houses

[edit] Boarding Houses

  • Etheldreda Previously called Canonry, this is a girls' boarding house, established in September 2006, for the Girls Choir of Ely Cathedral, all of whom are pupils in King's Senior School. The house is located very close to the Cathedral itself for ease of access to the Cathedral for practice and performance (in evensong, each Wednesday and every other Monday).
  • Hereward Hall is a boys' boarding house, situated on Barton Square in Ely, on the site of an old Cambridge college. It contains about 55 boys.
  • Hill House, situated on the corner of Barton Square and Back Hill, was until recently a boy's boarding house, being converting to housing girls as their numbers swelled. Until September 2006, it was the only girls' boarding house, when the Girls Choir house was formed. It is the largest of all the boarding houses. It was renamed Etheldreda House in the 1970s, following the introduction of girls into the school, but was renamed to Hill House recently.
  • School House is a boys' boarding house based along The Gallery, on the road up to the west tower of Ely Cathedral. It houses approximately 60 boys. According to the school's official website, it is the "oldest inhabited residential building in Europe" [1] although the veracity of this is uncertain.

[edit] Day Houses

There are four day houses in the Senior School. These are:

  • Osmond
  • Wilkinson
  • Withburga
  • Torfrida

[edit] King's Junior School

The school has its own Junior School, which is separate from the Senior School, although shares many of its facilities. It is for pupils from Year 3 (approximately 7) to Year 8 (aged 13). The Junior School has its own faculty of staff, own administration and management and a self contained block of classrooms. This was complemented in 2003 by a new building which contained classrooms and other facilities, primarily for Year 7 and 8 pupils. The majority of Year 8 pupils can expect to transfer into King's Senior School. The Head of the Junior School was Tony Duncan until his retirement at Easter 2008 a new head is to be appointed.

The Junior School has 4 day houses:

  • Goodwin
  • Queen Philippa
  • Queen Emma
  • Saunders
  • Priory - a co-educational house for Junior School boarders.

[edit] King's Acremont

King's Acremont Nursery and Pre-Prep occupies a Georgian house in Egremont Street, Ely, ten minute walk from the main school campus. Boys and girls are admitted to the Nursery from two-and-a-half and almost all pupils transfer into Year 3 in King's Junior School at age seven. King's Acremont pupils join the rest of the school for major events in the cathedral where they also stage their annual Christmas production.

[edit] Fees and charitable status

The fees for a full boarding child in the Senior School are £21,510 (2007-08). Like most public schools, King's (as a non profit educational body) is a registered charity, and as such benefits from substantial tax breaks. It was calculated by David Jewell, master of Haileybury, that in 1992 such tax breaks save the school about £1,945 per pupil per year.

[edit] Saturday School

In trend with many other public schools, as from September 2006, children in year groups up to Year 5 (age 9) do not have Saturday school. Year 5 and 6 children will have optional activities. Years 7-11 inclusive will have normal Saturday school. Pupils in the sixth form do not have regular lessons on a Saturday, but instead there are other activities available, such as languages, sports and music.[2]

[edit] Ely Cathedral Choir

The boy choristers of Ely Cathedral are all educated at and boarders of the school. The amount of choristers numbers between 18 to 22 boys, varying per year. The choristers perform evensong 4 nights during the week, evensong on Saturday and Sunday, as well as a Morning Service on Sundays. They practice in the mornings before school. The choristers are joint to day houses as well as their boarding house, Choir House. The choir is currently under the directorship of Paul Trepte. The assistant organist is Jonathan Lilley.

The choristers are aged between 8 years old and 13 years. Two members of the group, Patrick Aspbury and CJ Porter-Thaw who formed part of The Choirboys, were Ely Cathedral choristers. The choir has toured many countries in the past, including The United States, Canada, Malta as well as extensively in Europe. [3] The choir is also regularly engaged in concerts, both in the Cathedral as well as other prestigious venues (such as the Royal Albert Hall) and has produced a number of Compact Discs.

Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir was also launched in 2006, comprising fifteen girl choristers from the Senior School, which has allowed a slightly reduced weekly schedule for the choristers.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Oldest UK Independent Schools", Emetis, 2007-11-8. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 
  2. ^ "Public school drops rugby", BBC, 2002-6-19. Retrieved on 2008-01-08. 
  3. ^ "Hoop Trundle Hurrah", The King's School, Ely, 2007-3-9. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. 

[edit] External links

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