King's Ely

The School now known as King's Ely is the result of over a millennia of history which originally began with the education of child oblates on the site now occupied by Ely Cathedral in 673 AD at the abbey founded by St Etheldreda. In 840 the site was burned down by the Danes. In 970 the monastery in Ely was restored by Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester and St Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, and with it the school was re-established, and has existed continuously since then (The School therefore states its establishment as being in 970 as it has operated continuously since then). Following the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1541, many schools connected to monasteries were at risk of abolition, however the school was re-endowed and renamed to The King's School, Ely, by King Henry VIII as one of the seven King's Schools.[14] In 1562 Queen Elizabeth I issued the school its second Royal Charter. The name was not retained for long however as in 1653, under Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell the school was renamed Ely Cathedral Grammar School. In 1666 the school was awarded its third Royal Charter by King Charles II. In 1702, upon the accession of Queen Anne the school became known as Queen Anne's School.[15] This was due to the fact that the country now had a Queen, and was an exception in this time period as no other Queen has resulted in a name change. In 1720 the name The Kings School, Ely returned, until it was shortened in March 2012 to King's Ely as to distinguish the school from the six other King's Schools established or renamed by King Henry VIII in 1541.[16]

When Hereward the Wake led the last Saxon rebellion against William the Conqueror in 1071, the monks of Ely, and therefore the teachers at the school, gave William access to a secret passageway that led to the defeat of the Rebellion and the capture of Ely.[15]

An article in The Illustrated London News from 1882 provided the following which showed the state of the school at that time:

"The head master, after some allusion to the former history of the school (in which Edward the Confessor had been educated, and which, in the seventy years after its new foundation by Henry VIII, had developed, into a school of upwards of 300 boys, among whom were many of distinction), recounted the honours achieved in the past year. Among these were successes in the Civil Service and Indian Civil Service examination, an exhibition at Worcester College, Oxford, a first in the May examination at Queens' College, Cambridge, and a second at Peterhouse."[17]

In his memoirs from 1955, the Reverend Christopher Campling described the school's state when he became chaplain. "Academic standards were not high, but a few boys gained admission to Oxbridge each year. The music in the school was especially good, because the choristers of the cathedral choir stayed on after their voices had broken."[18]

The first girls were admitted in 1970 and the school has since become fully coeducational. In 2004, Susan Freestone was appointed its first female Head, taking over from Richard Youdale who had been headmaster for 12 years.[19] In 1973, Queen Elizabeth II came to the school to celebrate the anniversary of the monastery, and also attended the school's Visitor's Feast[20] The school keeps a strong link with the cathedral by which it is overshadowed, forming a key part of school life with pupils attending services in the Cathedral at least once per week in Acremont and the Prep School, and twice per week in the Senior School, and being the venue for Start of Term, End of Term, Admission of Scholars, and Prize Giving services, alongside purely religious services.

A Roll of Honour in School House lists 24 Old Eleans who were killed during World War I.[21] Another Roll of Honour is located outside of the Hayward Theatre and features the names of 89 Old Eleans killed while in service of the British Armed Forces during The First World War, Second World War, and The Troubles.[22]

In November 1999, a 14-year-old pupil was kidnapped as he left the school premises, and held by three men. Police were able to stop the kidnappers' vehicle as the victim was being driven away from a hotel in Essex three days later; it is thought the boy was about to be drowned in the River Thames, as a 20 ft length of cable, ropes ties, handcuffs and a 56lb weight were found in the gang's vehicle.[23] The parents of the boy received mobile phone calls demanding £250,000, which the police were able to trace. The men were found guilty of false imprisonment and blackmail and sentenced to custodial terms of 11–12 years.[24]

In June 2002, the Principal Richard Youdale aroused media interest and criticism with an announcement that the school would be phasing out rugby[25] which had been introduced in the place of football in the early 1950s. Youdale cited, among other reasons, the increasing popularity of football. The school reinstated rugby in 2005.

In 2015 the school scrapped Saturday School, instead lengthening the regular working week, and leaving Saturday morning free for non-academic, non-compulsory activities.[26]

15th Century

• John Douham (c. 1448)

16th Century [27]

• Ralph Holland (c1541 - 1562)
• James Speight (1562 - 1596)
• John Lucke (1596 - 1598)[27]

17th Century [27]

• Mark Holdred (1598 - 1604)
• William Pamplin (1605 - 1609)
• Daniel Wigmore (1609 - 1619)
• William Hitch (1619 - 1664)
• Charles Chadwick (1664 - 1674)
• Richard Peachey (1674 - 1681)
• Stephen Hutton (1681 - 1690)
• William Silvertop (1690 - 1699)

18th Century [27]

• Edmund Tenant (1699 - 1725)
• Henry Gunning (1725 - 1763)
• William Irwin (1763 - 1776)
• Caesar Morgan (1776 - 1790)
• Richard Jeffreys (1790 - 1793)

19th Century [27]

• Stephen Stephens (1793 - 1816)
• George Millers (1818 - 1833)
• Solomon Smith (1833 - 1834)
• Office Vacant (1834 - 1838)
• William Keatinge Clay (1838 - 1843)
• David James Stewart (1843 - 1848)
• James Henry Henderson (1848 - 1852)
• John Ingle (1852 - 1861)
• John Chambers (1862 - 1870)
• Richard Winkfield (1870 - 1894)

20th Century[27]

• Frederick William Hawes (1894 - 1904)
• Edward Henry Blakeney (1904 - 1918)
• Thomas James Kirkland (1918 - 1941)
• Geoffrey John Cross (1941 - 1947)
• William Brown (1947 - 1955)
• Benjamin Edward Noble Fawcett (1955 - 1969)
• Hubert Ward (1970 - 1992)

21st Century

• Richard Youdale (1992 - 2004)
• Sue Freestone (2004 - 2019)
• John Attwater (2019 - )

Many of Ely's monastic buildings are leased to the school by the cathedral. The imposing Porta is the gateway into the monastic buildings of the cathedral, and now houses the school's largest library, classrooms and a conference room, as well as its archive.[28][29]

The monastic barn is close to the Porta. At one time it housed the abbey's crops and tythes but it is now primarily used as the school's dining hall for pupils in year 3 to year 11. It is also used to hold formal dinners, such as the Visitor's Feast.[30]

Prior Crauden's Chapel, Ely

Prior Crauden's Chapel was built in 1324. Small and intimate, it retains much of its original wall decoration. It is used by the school for small congregations and private prayer, its organ played by pupils and staff.[28][29]

The Queen's Hall, Ely. The primary residence of the Principal. In the background you can also see School House.

Prior Crauden's Chapel is next to Queen's Hall, another 1330s building, which as the Priory housed boys aged 11–12 in the 1950s. It now serves as the residence of the Principal and his family.[28][29]

The Infirmary is one of the oldest surviving of the monastery's buildings, constructed in the 12th century.[31] Located on Firmary Lane near the south transept of the cathedral, the building once housed sick monks, but is now the boarding house for the Ely Cathedral choristers.[32]

School House is part of the monastery, and the religious studies department is housed in the Hermitage buildings. The school uses the cathedral as a place of worship three times a week, and for major school services.[33]

Prior's House is used as a boarding house for the Prep School house, Priory House.

Old Hereward Hall was built in the 1800s and is now used by the school to house classrooms, alongside a portion Wilkinson House.[34]

Hereward hall was originally the Ely Theological College, constructed in 1876 and used until 1964 when it transferred into the possession of the school.[35]

The palace was built in the 15th century by Bishop John Alcock and was one of the official residences of the Bishop of Ely until 1941. During the Second World War the palace was used as a base for the British Red Cross, and then as a home for disabled children until its closure in the 1980s. Following this the palace was purchased on a 99-year lease by the Sue Ryder Care organization, although the palace went up for sale again in 2010. Later that year King's Ely took over the lease and had the palace refurbished to be used as the school's Sixth Form Centre. It was opened by the Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester on Friday 25 January 2013.[36] In 1674 a Great London Plane Tree was planted by the Bishop of Ely at the time, Peter Gunning. In June 2002 the Tree Council designated the Great London Plane Tree of Ely as one of the 'Top 50 British Trees'.[37]

Up to 12 of the top scholars in Year 12 are nominated as King's Scholars (boys) or Queen's Scholars (girls). Alongside the King's and Queen's Scholars there are also two International Scholars installed each year. They become members of the Cathedral Foundation and also qualify for other privileges such as being married in the Cathedral and being buried in its grounds. King's Scholars were inaugurated by Henry VIII in 1541 and Queen's Scholars at the request of Queen Elizabeth II in 1973 upon her visit to the school. There is no application process for these honorary scholarships, the positions instead being awarded based on pupils' GCSE results.[38]

The Hoop Trundle is performed to mark the re-founding of the school by King Henry VIII, in 1541. After he dissolved the monastery, he bestowed a royal charter on the new school and introduced the first scholars. The bowling of wooden hoops within the precincts of the cathedral, along with other games, was one of the privileges that they were afforded. Female competition was added when Queen Elizabeth II introduced Queen's scholars to the school, who have taken part since. There are both male and female heats leading to a final for which a separate tankard is awarded to both sexes.[39] The course is a 75-yard dash to a post and back along the east lawn of Ely Cathedral bowling the hoop with a wooden stick.[40][41][42]

Every year on the week leading up to Valentine's Day The King's Barbers, the school's barbershop group comprising former Ely Cathedral male choristers, will, in return for a donation to their charity of choice, serenade another pupil anonymously on the commissioning pupil's behalf either in person or online in the form of a video. The 2022 performance raised £1,413 for the Bethesda Life Center (James 1v27 Foundation).[43]

The Bowman Lecture was launched in 2014 to promote the creative and liberal arts at the school and is funded by the Old Eleans' Club. It takes place during the Michaelmas Term.[44] It is named after James Bowman, who is an Old Elean and world-renowned counter-tenor.[45] Since its founding, speakers have included: James Bowman, Lord Browne of Madingley, Dame Fiona Reynolds, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Richard Pinto, Dr. Harry Sidebottom, and Dr. Mathelinda Nabugodi.[46][47][48][49][50][45][51]

The Osmond Lecture is an annual event established in 1982 and endowed by the Old Elean's Club to commemorate Leonard Osmond, who taught Science at King's Ely from 1930 to 1972.[52] Speakers in the last decade have included: Professor Lord Robert Winston, Dr. Patricia Fara, and Quentin Cooper.[53][54][52]

Every year, Sixth Form leavers are given the opportunity to carve their name into a brick of their choice around the school site, allowing each student to leave a physical mark of their time at the school.[55]

The annual Sword and Dagger competition is a competition where the boys and girls senior houses compete to be the fastest in teams of 6 to go around the school assault course. Years 9 and 10 compete for the Dagger prizes, with a mounted dagger being awarded to the fastest boys and fastest girls house. The same system applies for Years 11-13 but they instead compete for the Sword Prizes, with a mounted sword being awarded in a similar fashion to the Dagger Competition.[56]

The annual Martin-Doyle Endurance Challenge is a gruelling endurance competition where each house nominates a team of two pupils to compete in a series of mentally and physically challenging competitions involving a 5km run, 3km canoe, climbing, memory challenge, tyre flip, assault course, swimming. The competition is named in memory of Kit Martin-Doyle who was one of the founders of the Ely Scheme Outdoor Education Program.[57][58] In 2015 the competition, along with the wider Ely Scheme Initiative, was the subject of an article by The Telegraph as an example of the benefits of outdoor education initiatives.[59]

There are five boarding houses in the senior school, two for boys and three for girls, one of which is for the girls' choir. Hereward Hall is a boys' boarding house; previously sited opposite the Porta, it is now on Barton Square in Ely on the site of the old Cambridge theological college. It contains about 55 boys.[61] School House, previously known as Headmaster's House as it was where the Headmaster lived, is the other boys' boarding house. It is on the Gallery, the road leading to the west end of the cathedral and houses about 60 boys. According to the school's official website, it is the "oldest inhabited residential building in Europe",[11] although the veracity of this is uncertain. In the 1950s it also housed the refectory which then became the library which had been in the tythe barn. Etheldreda, previously called Canonry and housing boys under eleven years old, is now a girls' boarding house, established in September 2006 for the Girls Choir of Ely Cathedral, mostly senior school pupils. The house is located close to the cathedral, providing easy access for practice and performance.[62] Hill House, situated on the corner of Barton Square and Back Hill, was until recently a boys' boarding house, being converted to housing girls as their numbers swelled. Two houses were formed on the introduction of girls into the school, Etheldreda and Withburga, the latter to house day pupils. Until September 2006, when the girls' choir house was formed, Etheldreda was the only girls' boarding house but is now the largest of all. Originally situated on Cambridge Road, it has moved to Hill House and been renamed. The current Etheldreda house was originally known as Canonry when it first split from Etheldreda (now Hill). Wendreda house was created as a dedicated boarding house for girls in years 9-11.[63][64]

In the most recent Ofsted report of boarding at the school, inspectors reported that "the school provides very good care and support to boarders and there was an obvious caring culture within the boarding houses" although they said that "the school would benefit from harmonising boarding practices across the entire boarding provision."[65]

There are four-day houses in the senior school. Students are assigned into studies, usually with 3 or 4 others, although the number usually decreases as the pupil moves into higher years. In these studies there is a work space and storage area. There are various activities annually between houses, including sports and Ely Scheme competitions. There is also a debating competition, quiz and popular house music competition. Pupils in each house meet weekly for a meeting, and also have a personal tutor who guides them throughout their time at the school.[66]

Rugby is taught as a major sport for boys in years 3-13 and the school has seen much success, notably in 2019 with the 1st XV and the Under 15A teams completing the year's campaign without a single defeat with the 1st XV winning all 11 matches they played and as a result placing the team at the very top of the UK schoolboy rugby tables.[85] The School's rugby program was run for almost 5 years by former Scottish Rugby player Jim Thompson.

Hockey is taught as a major sport to girls and boys from years 3-13 as the primary choice for girls and an alternative to football for boys. Welsh Hockey player Rebecca Daniel is a former student.[86]

Football is taught as a major sport to all boys from years 3-13 and is also participated in by some girls on request.

Netball is taught as a major sport from years 3-13 to all girls. In 2020, the school hosted a 'High 5 Netball Tournament' in partnership with several local state schools.[87]

Tennis is available as a major sport to all boys and girls from years 3-13 and the school has had success in Lawn Tennis Association events.[88] In 2022 the Senior Girls' team competed in the Lawn Tennis Association Schools Autumn League final against Eastbourne College, Bradfield College, and Wycombe Abbey.[89]

Cricket is taught as a major sport from years 3-13. The school's Cricket Festival is a week of matches against all levels of competition at amateur, club, and school levels, ending with the 1st XI v. Old Eleans Match and the Old Eleans v. King's Ely Staff match [90]

The King's Enzymes is a Cricket Team made up of Old Eleans, parents, staff, and current pupils which hosts friendly internal and external games during the Summer Term against Pupil Teams, Staff Teams, and other Cricket Clubs.[91] The team was launched in the 1990s by the then Head of Biology but eventually fizzled out until it was revived in 2022.

Athletics is taught both as part of the Physical Education curriculum and as a Games option. Several notable athletes have attended the school, including Olympic Medallist Goldie Sayers.[92]

The school has its own boat club which is affiliated to British Rowing (boat code KSE)[93] and its own boat house which is next to Cambridge University's on the River Great Ouse. The river is wide, straight and uninterrupted.[94] Sculling is open to Senior School pupils and year 8 pupils, and has produced teams and single sculls that have competed at regional and national level,[95][96] The club's blade design is duck egg blue with dark blue cheque.[97]

At the 1987 British Rowing Championships the club won the men's U-16 single sculls.[98] In 2017 at the British Rowing Championships the women's J16 quad sculls won the national title at the 2017 British Rowing Junior Championships.[99] In 2021 the club came second place in the J18 Double Scull category of the National Schools Regatta.[100]

The school has its own equestrian team. Its achievements include: 7th place at the Royal Windsor Horse Show,[101] Qualifying for the NSEA Championships several times,[102] and 1st Place at the British Riding Club's NAF Horse Trials Qualifiers.[101]

Information about income and expenditure for the last five years is available to the public on the Charity Commission website.[129] Income has steadily increased over recent years and as such expenditure has increased accordingly, excluding the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Richard FitzNeal, Lord High Treasurer, 1156–1196 [137]
• Sir Antony Buck, QC, Conservative MP[138]
• Tom Hunt, serving Member of Parliament for Ipswich[139]
• Thomas Willett, first mayor of New York.
• Syed Iftikar Bokhari, Pakistani politician and cricketer
• Desmond Crawley, British diplomat
• Sir Guy Pilling, British colonial administrator and Governor of St Helena
• Clifford Henry Fitzherbert Plowman, British Diplomat and Colonial Service administrator

• Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1042–1066[5][140]
• Sir Robert Fairbairn, 7th Baronet

• Lord Browne of Madingley, former CEO of British Petroleum[6]
• Tonye Cole, Nigerian businessman
• Oswald Sanderson, English Businessman known for the Wilson Line of Hull

• Dame Joanna Smith, British High Court Judge[141]

• Harry Sidebottom, author and historian[142]
• Patrick Collinson, historian[143]
• Aschlin Ditta, television and film writer[144]
• Andrew Taylor, author
• John Tipler, automotive writer
• Jeremy Taylor, English writer, editor, and publisher
• Gytha Lodge, Sunday Times bestselling writer and multi-award-winning playwright[145]

• Suzy Lishman CBE, former President of the Royal College of Pathologists
• William Sole, British Apothecary and botanist
• Harry Swift, English medical practitioner and researcher[146]
• Robert Chartham, sexologist

• Matthew Amroliwala, BBC News 24 newsreader[147]
• Nigel Colborn, broadcaster and gardening expert, former presenter of BBC Gardeners' Question Time[148]
• Julian Bennett, television presenter, best known for British Queer Eye and The Only Way Is Essex[149]

• James Bowman, English countertenor and former Ely Cathedral chorister[150]
• Gus Unger-Hamilton, Keyboardist for the Indie Rock Band alt-J[151]
• David Pickard, Director of the BBC Proms, and Former Director of the Glyndebourne Opera[152]
• Darren Jeffery, English Bass-baritone singer[153]

• Ed Blum, film director, known for the film Scenes of a Sexual Nature[154]
• Richard Everitt, Television and film producer, with credits including Coronation Street[155]
• Fiona Laird, Theatre director, composer, and writer.
• Hugh Miles, cinematographer and filmmaker, specialising in wildlife films
• Alan Yentob, television executive, producer and presenter of BBC's Imagine series[156]

• Aubrey Powell, designer, noted for designing Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy album cover[157]
• Edward Stott, Painter
• Rupert Sanderson, British shoe designer[158]

• Donald Kingaby, World War II flying ace[159]
• Commander Alwyn Thomas Lavender Covey-Crump, author of Alphabetical Glossary of Naval Terms and Abbreviations.
• John W. R. Taylor, British Kremlinologist and military aviation expert

• Oliver Jarvis, British racing driver and winner of the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona[160]
• Benedict Jackson, English professional golfer[161]
• Oliver Oakes, Team Principal and Director of Hitech GP, 2005 World Karting Champion, and former British Formula Three and GP3 racing driver[162]
• Goldie Sayers, Olympic medallist – Javelin[163]
• Nick Pope, England and Premier League goalkeeper[82]
• Rebecca Daniel, Welsh hockey player[164]
• Alan Gregory, Scottish Rugby Union player in the 2018 Six Nations Championship[165]
• William Burns, Cricketer [166]
• Henry Luddington, Cricketer

• Dr Frances Ward, Dean of St Edmundsbury, Cathedral of Bury St. Edmunds[167]
• Harry Barton, Archdeacon of Sudbury
• James Bentham, English Clergyman and Historian of Ely Cathedral