The Porta Summer 2014
Welcome to The Porta Welcome to the Summer 2014 edition of The Porta, which presents a veritable feast of the activities and achievements of our pupils since our last edition.
I find myself astounded as we look back at the range of achievements, from cooking to mountain climbing, national representative honours to academic successes, competitions and a good helping of evidence of the compassion and social conscience that characterises the King’s Ely community. As always, we welcome your feedback. Please email any comments or suggestions for future features to the media and marketing department at media@kingsely.org. Enjoy! Sue Freestone Principal
Front cover image by Ali Clubb, Year 13
Mr Speaker visits King’s Ely Senior
AS PART of the school’s celebrated enrichment programme, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, visited Senior students in the Summer term talk to about his role in the House.
Mr Speaker, who is the first cousin, once removed, of Head Boy, David Bercow (centre), is responsible for maintaining order during House debate and remains strictly non-partisan. An accomplished orator, Mr Bercow spoke to students during Senior assembly and held a workshop for A Level Government and Politics, Economics and History students, answering questions about the role of the media, human rights, Prime Minister’s Question Time and Scottish independence. “Managing his responses while retaining his impartiality was certainly a feat,” commented student Jack Spoor, adding: “For those present it was an honour and privilege to spend nearly an hour with such an important guest. He greatly impressed both staff and pupils, possibly inspiring a new generation of politicians.” Principal, Sue Freestone, commented: “We were honoured to welcome Mr Speaker and his family to King’s Ely. He impressed and delighted in equal measure with anecdotes of parliamentary affairs and impressions of fellow MPs coupled with a humbling talent for public speaking.”
Saskia selected for Guildhall School of Music
SASKIA Porter-Thaw (16) has successfully auditioned for a place at the Junior Guildhall School of Music to study Alto Saxophone.
The talented musician, who recently gained two Grade 8 Distinctions in Cello and Alto Saxophone, initially applied for the school’s Sixth Form course. However, due to her outstanding talent, she has been invited to attend the school early. Places to study at the Guildhall School of Music are extremely limited and competition is high, with many of Saskia’s peers competing in the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year. The King’s Ely Senior student, who hopes to follow a career in music, looks forward to lessons with the award-winning graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Sarah James, as well as being part of the Guildhall School’s Wind Band, Saxophone Ensemble and Big Band. She will also have the chance to take part in specialist jazz courses.
Sixth Form celebrates Oxbridge success FOUR King’s Ely students received offers from two of the world’s most prestigious universities in the spring.
Georgia Schneider has been offered a place to read Mathematics at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and chorister Anna-Rose Harris will shortly be auditioning for a choral scholarship after being successful in her application to read Theology and Religious Studies at Newnham College. Jamie Huffer and Laura Day have received offers from Trinity College and Queen’s College, Oxford respectively. Jamie has accepted his unconditional offer to read Spanish, and Laura’s offer to read French and Spanish at the university has put a lifetime ambition within reach. Assistant Director of Sixth Form, Francis Young, commented: “Considering that entry into Oxbridge has become increasingly competitive, this is an excellent achievement for all concerned.” “It’s great to see young people take a step towards the realisation of their dreams,” added Principal, Sue Freestone. “Congratulations to Jamie, Laura, Anna-Rose and Georgia.”
Scholars commemorate royal re-founding CROWDS gathered to watch a great British spectacle in May as the King’s Ely Scholars went head-to-head in the historic Hoop Trundle.
The fiercely contested annual event sees the King’s and Queen’s Scholars bowl traditional wooden hoops over a course on the East Lawn of Ely Cathedral to commemorate the refounding of the school by King Henry VIII in 1541. Having dissolved Ely monastery, which
had educated children for centuries, King Henry VIII gave the school its first Royal Charter and inaugurated 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 at the request of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the school in 1973. There are also two International Scholars
each year. Winners Euan Richards and Yuki Kimura were presented with the Hoop Trundle commemorative wooden tankards by Mayor and former parent, Liz Every, which they will hold until next year’s event. “It is up there with rolling a Gloucester cheese down a hill and Eton’s Wall Game,” commented Principal, Sue Freestone. “King’s Ely again enjoyed the lunacy of our annual Hoop Trundle.”
SOCK IT
TO EATING DISORDERS! King’s Ely Sixth Formers excel in British Biology Olympiad THERE was another first for King’s Ely Sixth Form when two A Level students achieved Gold medals in the Biology Olympiad, a national competition for students with predicted A* or A grades in the subject.
King’s Scholars Sanjiban Mandal and George Ryan are the first King’s Ely students to achieve the highest accolade in the competition, where 5,000 of the most talented young biologists in the country face a gruelling two-hour paper. As one of the highest scorers in the competition, coming in the top 3%, George also successfully qualified for the second round. Georgia Baynes and David Bercow won Bronze medals in the competition and Ben Love was Highly Commended. Senior Biology Teacher, Paul Lott, said: “The British Biology Olympiad challenges and stimulates students with an interest in Biology to expand and extend their talents. In offering a wider syllabus than A Level, it is hoped that competing in the Olympiad will encourage students already interested in this valuable, wide-ranging and rewarding subject to continue their study beyond A Level.”
STUDENTS and staff have been getting silly with their socks to support eating disorders awareness. Run by the charity Beat, the ‘Sock it to Eating Disorders’ campaign was set up to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes and raise funds for the charity. Students and teachers wore silly socks to school and ran a cake stall, raising over £200 for the charity. To raise awareness of the issues, the school provides health education and hosts events such as information sessions for parents. Principal, Sue Freestone, commented: “Independent schools are often accused of failing to provide a structure under which our charges can receive shelter. If that is true of any, is it certainly not true of King’s Ely. We are open about the many issues that challenge our young people living in a world that makes demands of them. Counsellors are available to our pupils and we offer a comprehensive programme of health education. We recently ran an information session for parents about eating disorders in young people, and two of our Sixth Form students addressed King’s Ely Senior on the subject of mental health earlier this year.”
Alan picked for Scotland’s international rugby squad ALAN Gregory has been selected to play for the Scotland under 16s rugby squad.
Alan, who plays in the Second Row, was one of 26 players throughout the UK to qualify for the team.
The 16-year old, who measures in at just over six feet four inches tall, plays for Cambridge RUFC, where he was selected to further his development at the Northampton Saints Junior Academy. He started playing rugby in King’s Ely Junior at the age of 11 and it wasn’t long before he realised he had a natural talent for the sport. However, it was through hard work and dedication that Alan has progressed to become the player he is today. In addition to his GCSEs and prep, Alan also attends weight training sessions before school, extra skills sessions after school and travels to Cambridge and Northampton every week for team sessions.
Alan played his first international game against the Welsh Druids at the Wellington College Festival in April, helping his team to achieve an exciting 29-29 draw. He was one of the few players in both teams to start and finish the entire game; a testament to his commitment to the training involved. Throughout the game, Alan was prominent in defence, making a number of big tackles and looking very comfortable in the international match environment. Both teams scored five tries, with Scotland scoring in the final few minutes to tie things up. In his second game against the North of England, Alan made even more impressive tackles and won a number of line outs, helping Scotland secure a 26-14 victory. Head of Rugby at King’s Ely, Jason Billows, said: “Alan’s progress has
accelerated quicker in the past 18 months than in any player I have been involved with. He has learnt to use his size effectively and his skill set is
impressive for a lock-forward. “The school is extremely proud of Alan and we look forward to welcoming him to King’s Ely Sixth Form in September, where he will play an influential part in moving the school’s rugby forward and build upon the progress already made. Alan is part of a core group of players that a successful team can be built around.”
Alan will play his next international games for Scotland in the new season but continues skill-based training with the school’s Performance Squad over the next term. He also looks forward to tough programme of pre-reason training at the Northampton Saints Junior Academy over the summer. In King’s Ely Sixth Form, Alan plans to take A Levels in Chemistry, Biology, History and English before continuing his studies at university, keeping his options open should he be forced out of the game through injury, although his real ambition is to play professional rugby.
Big Outdoor Day takes adventurous learning outside the classroom AN OUTDOOR day at King’s Ely Junior made education even more of an adventure as the first half of term drew to a close, giving pupils the chance to explore their energy, courage and integrity. Normal lessons were suspended on Tuesday February 11 as pupils and staff embarked on their first ever Big Outdoor Day. The action-packed event started with an inspiring talk from explorer Jamie Buchanan Dunlop, then the children split into their year groups to take part in activities such as orienteering, constructing an outdoor
classroom with willow branches, bird house building and songs around the campfire, complete with hot chocolate breaks to warm up in between. “The Big Outdoor Day provided an opportunity for both pupils and staff to succeed in a totally different way,” said Kate Furness, the event’s organiser. “A great deal was learnt about individual skills and interests through a variety of hands-on experiences, demonstrations and team events. The selection of cross curricular activities enriched the pupils’ understanding that what they learn in school relates to the real world.”
Head of King’s Ely Junior, Richard Whymark, added: “It was wonderful to see the children in their cagoules and wellies so that they could enjoy the many activities we had planned for them. The opportunity to move out from the classrooms, despite the weather conditions, was just the tonic we all wished for after the wettest half of term in many years. The buzz around the school left us with a sense that something very special had taken place, and the inspired range of new opportunities delivered a tangible injection of energy, creativity and inspiration.”
Hollie becomes national champion YEAR 12’s Hollie Parker (top row: centre) has been crowned British National Champion for the mile after winning the prestigious Bupa Westminster Mile in London.
Olympic and World Champion Mo Farah (bottom row: left) presented Hollie with her trophy and medal. Hollie was running in The British Athletics One Mile Age Group Championships in the annual race, labelled the most iconic mile in the world. Despite the atrocious weather conditions, she stayed with the leading group of runners throughout the mile race, eventually forging ahead in the last 200 metres to finish first with a time of 5.04. “This is a tremendous achievement by Hollie, who continues to develop as an outstanding athlete,” said Richard Powell, Head of Athletics.
Howzat! Junior cricketers
win the Cambs County Cup
KING’S Ely Junior won the Cambridgeshire Under 11s County Cup cricket tournament in June. The KEJ team beat Sancton Wood in the final with a total of 332 runs from 16 overs. KEJ’s Ben Wilcox scored 43 and Freddie Fairey scored 22, both from four overs. The team also bowled extremely well, with George Goodfellow talking four wickets. The win has secured the team’s place in the regional tournament, which will take place in Essex later in the year.
Freddie’s first century leads Norfolk Under 10’s cricket team to victory TEN-YEAR old Freddie Fairey scored an impressive 123 runs off of 110 balls at county level in the Summer term, helping his Norfolk Under 10s team to a 147 run victory against Cambridgeshire.
The King’s Ely Junior all-rounder also picked up a wicket and took a catch to help bowl Cambridgeshire out. Director of Sportly, Ben Edmondson, commented: “This is a fantastic achievement for such a young player. Freddie plays with the performance squad at King’s Ely and was part of the Under 11 King’s Ely team that won the County Cup this season. His hard work and dedication this year are obviously paying off.”
Students donate Easter eggs to Ely Foodbank PSYCHOLOGY students from King’s Ely Sixth Form demonstrated the power of social change after donating 200 Easter eggs for Ely Foodbank, double the amount collected last year.
The charity provides emergency food to families throughout Ely, Littleport, Soham, Chatteris and March. The school’s latest donation will ensure that children facing times of crisis will receive something special to celebrate Easter. By doubling their collection, the exercise also taught the students first-hand how small steps can lead to significant change, which is one of the learning outcomes of the social change project. In a bid to donate as many eggs as possible,Year 12 students Jenny Yiu and Valerie Beeston spoke about the importance of social change during Senior assembly, encouraging even more young people to get involved by making a donation. Head of Psychology, Sean Quin, said: “I am delighted that the students have applied what they were taught on the mechanisms of social change and how small minorities can influence others. This also comes off the back of their charity work for Bulgarian orphans. It is rewarding to see them use what they are learning to help others in our local community and indeed throughout the world. I am thrilled at their generosity and good will.”
Ely Scheme reaches new heights at winter training expedition BRAVING sub-zero temperatures and blustery snow storms, ten courageous King’s Ely students climbed to the top of Mulhacen, the tallest peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Spain.
The winter training expedition took place over three days, with the young climbers facing temperatures as low as -12°C and an ascent of around 3,500 metres. Their adventure was facilitated by the King’s Ely Scheme – a unique programme that aims to build skills that cannot necessarily be taught in the classroom, allowing students to push themselves beyond what they ever thought possible. Director of Ely Scheme, Nick Nicholas, commented: “The expedition to the Sierra Nevada Mountains was part of an ongoing programme to teach the students how to survive in these harsh conditions. Everyone involved coped extremely well and the spectacular views upon reaching the summit made the whole experience even more rewarding.”
Students prepare to change the world KING’S Ely International students have been empowered to make a positive and meaningful impact on society thanks to a powerful and thought-provoking presentation by the charity Free the Children.
As part of their Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) course, the Year 10 students took part in a workshop led by the charity, which promotes social responsibility and encourages young people to try to create the world in which they want to live through community action and charity work.
After a fun icebreaker, the 14 students followed a leadership workshop where they reflected on the skills they could bring to an effective team. They were then asked to come up with ideas for charity projects within the community which they will later lead as part of their PSHE course. “King’s Ely International places great emphasis on enabling students to feel part of the local community as well as the wider national community,” said Sarah Bellotti, Director of King’s Ely International, adding: “Free the Children embraces these values by encouraging students to think of their own ideas about how they can achieve this.”
Breakfast Week goes
international
BREAKFASTS from all over the world were on the menu at King’s Ely this term when students took part in Shake up your Wake up’s Breakfast Week, a nationwide initiative which aims to raise awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of eating a good breakfast every morning.
The school took the idea one step further so that students could learn how people from across the globe prepare their morning meals. “Juniors in Years 6 and 7 got the chance to sample a wide variety of foods, including American waffles, tortillas from Mexico, Spanish churos and Dutch cheese and ham on bread,” explained Jayne Mackay, Head of Food Technology. “Over in King’s Ely Senior, students had their breakfast prepared for them by their peers in King’s Ely International, giving them the chance to not only try traditional breakfasts from around the world but to learn how to create them. Students cooked up interesting breakfasts from their countries of origin, such as Chinese noodles, Russian pancakes, and Canadian scones with maple syrup – a recipe which was passed down from one of the student’s mothers.”
KEI students celebrate We Day at Wembley WITH thought-provoking speeches from London bombings survivor Martine Wright and double amputee Spencer West, who scaled Mount Kilimanjaro using just his arms, it’s no wonder that King’s Ely International students were left enthralled and inspired after attending Free The Children’s We Day. The students travelled to Wembley Arena to participate in the event, which aims to develop a social conscience among young adults,
empowering them to take action towards making the world a better place and helping to shift the world from ‘me’ to ‘we’. Inspirational speakers from all over the world spoke passionately about ways in which they can generate change, encouraging them to think about how even simple choices, such as what they buy, what they wear and what media they engage with. Former US Vice President Al Gore spoke at the event, as did Malala Yousafazi, who urged the young people to remember that “the most powerful weapon you have is your voice”.
Melanie Franklin, Teacher of English at King’s Ely International, said: “One of the main messages taken away from We Day was that of being locally active and globally aware. We Act, which is the long term programme behind We Day, encourages young people to make changes in their local community to enact larger scale global change. One way KEI students are doing this is to collect food for Ely Food Bank, and, after the exciting musical performances at We Day, the students are also in the process of putting together a concert to raise awareness of problems in the environment.”
Young chefs join Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution NUTRITION and healthy eating were on the menu at King’s Ely Junior this term, with a number of events to promote cooking and healty eating.
The Masterchef final saw pupils cooking up a range of dishes, including a trio of desserts, scotch egg and salad, sticky toffee pudding and a pineapple dessert. After much deliberation, it was 12-year-old Charlotte Wilkinson, who wowed the judges with her outstanding skill and presentation. The week ended with a cook-along session for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day, aimed at teaching children how food impacts health and happiness. Students spent the afternoon cooking a nutritious meal from scratch, following Jamie Oliver’s live feed. Head of Food Technology, Jayne Mackay, commented “Cooking is an essential life skill. We introduced Masterchef to showcase the considerable talent of some of our students and to encourage others to give it a go. We share Jamie Oliver’s mantra that every child in this country has a right to learn to cook, and next year we will be planning our own food revolution day.”
Another Star performance by King’s Ely rowers
KING’S Ely crews brought home an incredible 10 trophies from four events at the Bedford Star Regatta in June during one of the school’s most impressive performances this year.
With a race course length of 1.2km, the event is one of the most popular summer regattas, with 277 crews in attendance this year. The format follows a process of elimination, with the slower crews being knocked out and the winners progressing to the finals. King’s Ely dominated the J15 A Doubles, resulting in two of the school’s teams going head-to-head in the semi-finals. Despite firm competition from their peers, Tom Oldham and Fred Scott took the first
place position, going on to win the final. Gabriel Berraondo had a fantastic series of races in the J15 Singles category, winning each time by at least three lengths of a boat. Kai Wigdahl and Edmund Dickens brought victories home in the J15 B Doubles, beating their opposition soundly in the finals. The girls also celebrated some impressive results. Isla Taylor and Eloise Curtis raced their double in the Women’s J15 category, making it to the final in a series of strong victories over their opposition before being narrowly beaten to the finish. Christina Fialova was unlucky to run up against some extremely strong competition in the semi-finals of the Women’s J16 Singles. However, she was back again later in the day in a Women’s Novice Coxed Quads, joined by crewmates Eloise Curtis, Isla Taylor,
Emily James and newcomer Elena Muller, to win a series of convincing victories, each time defeating their opposition by more than five lengths in every race. Head of Rowing at King’s Ely, James Goodman-Eastwood, commented: “It was a privilege to watch our dedicated crews race their challenging opposition at the Bedford Star Regatta. Every athlete raced well, implementing new strategies to good effect. Despite the tough conditions, our pupils’ sportsmanship was exemplary, when others appeared disoriented in defeat. The hard work and dedication displayed by coaches and athletes alike provided the key to our success. “I look forward to the next race, where our teamwork will be put to the test once more.”
Coca Cola competition winners sparkle FIVE Year 9 students have become the first ever winners of a business challenge for young people run by global brand giant Coca Cola – and they did it in Spanish.
Sally Kim, Gloria Kasket, Katie Diss, Sophie Wood and Jelena Rois won the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) round of the Real Business Challenge, an initiative for students in Year 9 and 10 which aims to develop employability skills to provide a competitive edge in today’s job market. It was the first time that the annual competition, facilitated by Routes into Languages East, gave students the option of completing the challenge in French, German or Spanish, as the ability to use a foreign language is
regarded as a great asset when it comes to looking for work. During the challenge, the students had to form a company and develop a new sustainable healthy juice brand. In their chosen language of Spanish, they then had to develop a presentation on their brand and write documents including key information about the team, the ingredients, cost, price and profit. They had also to think about the country where they would sell their drink and how the company could be positioned as a social enterprise. Esmeralda Salgado, Head of MFL and Spanish at King’s Ely Senior, said: “Our students came up with a very original product linked to story books which could be sold in Guatemala to help raise literacy skills in children. Their product was imaginative and showed
great language ability together with impressive business skills.” As winners of the first MFL Real Business Challenge, the Senior students were invited to work with a business mentor from Coca Cola and a Spanish speaker on a live project, where they created a promotional video in Spanish and presented their business ideas to a full audience. Esmeralda added: “They worked extremely hard and impressed the judging team with their use of Spanish and their business ideas, which they had to develop within a tight working schedule throughout the day. It was a great opportunity to witness pupils putting their linguistic skills into practice in this cross-curricular project.”
Young performers spread their wings The Hayward Theatre hosted yet another exciting production during the Spring term: this year’s Junior musical, Honk! A cast of 40 students from Years 7 and 8 joined together for a spirited and lively performance of the adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s An Ugly Duckling. The story follows ‘Ugly’ the ugly duckling, played by Solomon
Boon, on his quest to find his mother (Eleanor Scott). Along the way he encounters a devious Cat (Theodora Taylor) who he must outwit before finding his true love Penny, a beautiful swan (Darcey Newell). The energetic songs, by musical duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, were brought to life with the help of Year 8 English Teacher, Kathryn Sudbury, who ensured every duck, cat, chicken, fish and swan were outfitted
in wonderfully playful costumes, while the colourful sets were a joint effort between the Art department and KEJ. Director, Adella Charlton, praised the students for their hard work and effort, stating: “The children in this production have given their all to get this show to performance. They have boundless energy and enthusiasm and have been willing to push their acting skills beyond their comfort zones.”
CHILDREN at King’s Ely Acremont have been taking part in all kinds of exciting learning adventures in the Summer term. Here’s just a taste of what they have been getting up to over the last few months.
To find out more about the imaginative and innovative approaches to learning at King’s Ely Acremont, pick up a copy of Our Adventures from the Admissions or Acremont offices.
THANK you for reading the Summer 2014 edition of The Porta.
Please do visit our website for the latest news and developments from all sections of the school.You can also follow us on Twitter at @kings_ely. If you would like to get in touch with the editorial team, please email media@kingsely.org
extra The Porta
ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2014
THE second edition of The Porta Extra highlights a busy season of events for former pupils, former staff and friends. It’s been wonderful to see so many Old Eleans return to King’s Ely – for reunion lunches, tours, cricket, golf and music. More events are planned for 2014/15, so please take full advantage of our invitation to become involved again.
Back to the Future THIS year, Old Eleans have been invited back to spend a day reacquainting themselves with their school.
For many guests it was their first time back since they were students. After a nostalgic tour of the site, including old and new areas, lunch was served in the Monastic Barn, where all agreed that the quality of the school food has greatly improved! Guests were then assigned to afternoon lessons and they experienced firsthand the passion and enthusiasm with which King’s Ely students and teachers approach learning together. The day ended with a
tour of the beautifully renovated Old Palace, home to King’s Ely Sixth Form. Five OE visits have been held this year and we warmly encourage Old Eleans to take future opportunities to return, recall fond memories and discover how King’s Ely has become a vibrant, modern place of learning.
The next OE Lunch takes place on Wednesday 24 September. This is an open invitation to Old Eleans to come back and see us! Places are limited so please contact Rosie Holliday or Susie Bromwich to book.
‘A splendid formula’ CW
‘The programme was just right’ DA
‘the most rewarding and pleasurable event so far this year’
‘keep up the good work, the staff and pupils have a lot to be proud of. Thank you.’ RM
‘enlightening and encouraging... a brilliant day’ NC
‘A wonderful day for us’ RF
THE PORTA EXTRA
Choir House celebrates 30 years A birthday cerebration was held for Choir House, originally Walsingham, on 18 May. Old choristers joined the first Housemaster, James Tilly, together with Angela Humphries, whose husband Chris was Housemaster 1986-96. They presented the current Housemaster Neil Porter-Thaw with a parchment to mark the 30 years since Choir House was established. The Annual Reunion for the Society of Ely Choristers will take place on Saturday 13 September and details are published on the society’s website. For information please contact John Marshall on 01353 664927 or email jandrmarshall68@yahoo.co.uk
A warm welcome for former staff OVER 100 former teaching and support staff returned in April to enjoy traditional afternoon tea in the historic Old Palace. As well as sharing memories and ‘catching up’, guests were eager to see how the Old Palace has been adapted for our Sixth Form students. We were delighted to welcome so many past colleagues and thereby help to ensure connections to the school are maintained.
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ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2014
A splash of colour at Antiques Day DAVID Palmer’s rainbow waistcoat, style and wit ensured that the Antiques Day, held at the Old Palace on 24 May, was suitably entertaining for a wet Bank Holiday! David, himself an Old Elean and a local celebrity auctioneer, brought along his team of experts to advise on all manner of artefacts and valuables. We were honoured by a visit from the Mayor of Ely, Mrs Lis Every.
Many thanks to David Palmer and team, the FoKSE stewards and to the Old Eleans Club: Rosie Holliday, Mark and Shane Wilkinson,
for their help. The Antiques Day made £700 towards the Annual Fund ‘Adventures’ and Ely Scheme.
A special feature was a beautiful collection of watercolours by the late Jim Muggleton, a prolific East Anglian artist. The paintings, depicting views of Cambridge Colleges and Ely Cathedral, were given by the artist to KE pupils Lydia and Ben Sandercock, who generously donated them to King’s Ely for auction, to benefit the Ely Scheme. Some pictures did not reach their reserve and are still available for sale.
The Class of 92 Reunion SOPHIE and Miles Savage gathered their class mates for a nostalgic ‘Turning 40’ Reunion on 7 June to enjoy lunch, tours, tea and twenty two years’ worth of talk!
1992 PAGE 3
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from the archive: OUR selection this term brings you a sporting selection from 30, 50 and 60 years ago!
1954 – U14s Cross Country: Colin Brown, Martin Bough, Norman Owens, Alan Haydock, Ernie Stanford (?), E J Ellingham (?), Paul Coulton, ??, Selwyn Cox, ??, John Cuthbert, Philip Dunbar, Colin Rudge, Martin Crane. Picture by Roger Tamplin
1984 – Girls’ Cricket
1964 – 1st XV: James, Cooper, Paul, Bradley, Wright, Yeend, Hornig, Anderton, Moorwood, D.N. Dewin, A.G. Spencer, T.G. Parker, C.J.H Brown, H.M. Mansell, R.J. Anderson, Williams. PAGE 4
1984 – the new ‘all-weather’ pitch freezes over!
ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2014
An evening at the Jockey Club TALENTED young OEs added sparkle to an evening reception at the Jockey Club in May: Newmarket artist Emily Jarvis showed a selection of paintings (right) alongside current students’ textile pieces, and music was provided by guest harpist Cecily Beer (left), with a special appearance by the King’s Ely Barbers. The reception was attended by guests of King’s Ely, including current, former and prospective parents, friends and Old Eleans.
The James Bowman Lecture ONE of King’s Ely’s most distinguished Old Eleans, countertenor James Bowman, will present the inaugural James Bowman Lecture to the Sixth Form in the Hayward Theatre on Wednesday 24 September at 4pm. James’s international singing career has spanned opera, oratorio, and recital work and he has appeared at the world’s major opera houses and concert halls. He was awarded a CBE in 1997 and made an Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford, in 1998. The James Bowman Lecture is open to Old Eleans, former staff, parents and friends of the school. The Lecture will be preceded by an OE Lunch and afternoon Tour – early booking is recommended! We are delighted to announce that a new digital harpsichord has been acquired for the Music School, thanks to the generosity of James Bowman and fellow Old Eleans. PAGE 5
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Old Eleans’Club:
‘Decade DinnerTables’ for Centenary Celebration THE Old Eleans’ Club Centenary Dinner will be held in the Monastic Barn on Saturday 11 October 2014. This will be a really splendid Black Tie occasion for all Old Eleans.
We especially encourage those who left 10, 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years ago, to gather their friends together in ‘Decade’ Dinner tables. To book please email the OE Club Hon. Secretary, Rosie Holliday, at rosieholliday@kingsely.org
Spring Cocktail Party TRINITY House provided a magnificent setting for the annual Old Eleans’ Club Cocktail Party in March. The grandeur of the venue and wonderful views of the Tower of London enhanced the convivial atmosphere, with guests swapping stories and memories from their school days over drinks and a canapés.
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A spirit of adventure
ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2014
WHEn Old Elean david Andrew visited this year he was struck by the energy and activity at King’s Ely. This inspired him to create the chance for a student to take part in his life-long passion: sailing with the Tall Ships. david is sponsoring the King’s Ely Tall Ships youth Award and the first recipient is y11 student Toby Roney. David writes: “I am delighted for Toby, I have no doubt he will benefit enormously from the many mental and physical challenges that he will face when he embarks on his Tall Ships voyage. “Having worked on the Tall Ships Youth Trust’s ships for over thirty years as a volunteer officer I have seen the beneficial results of the Trust’s work in helping the development of young people. Toby will be undertaking a unique sailing experience alongside other young persons from differing backgrounds in a challenging environment. He will experience the freedom of sailing, which is second to none, and he will come to discover skills and abilities that he probably never realised he had, whilst at the same time testing himself to his limits. “As an Old Elean in my eighth decade, I welcome the opportunity to help the school through the donation of this Award in recognition of the spirit of adventure and independence that King’s instilled in me. My education at King’s Ely not only gave me the necessary academic ability to qualify as a
Chartered Engineer in later years, but also a love of the great outdoors, sailing, adventure and the desire to help other people. The seeds were sown through my becoming a Queen’s Scout and my participation in the School’s rowing, cross country running and swimming teams. “I look forward to hearing from Toby on his return all about his voyage; I hope he will pass the word on about the good work the Tall Ships Youth Trust is continuing for the young people of today, as it has done for more than 100,000 others over the last fifty years.
“As Toby receives this award, I will be sailing towards Dartmouth – very fitting – as my first Tall Ships experience was on the training schooner Winston Churchill, sailing out of Dartmouth in 1979.”
Eliensis Society reception ELIEnSIS Society members were hosted at a pre-concert reception in the Old Palace on Saturday 1 March, after which they attended a splendid Gala concert featuring finalists from the King’s Ely Music Festival. Membership of the Society is exclusively for those who have made a gift to King’s Ely in support of the Annual Fund, bursaries or by
way of a future legacy pledge. Membership also includes supporters who have made significant contributions to past appeals. The next Eliensis Society reception will take place in November before the school production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Whistle Down the Wind. PAGE 7
THE PORTA EXTRA
ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2014
Cricket:Old Eleans v The School 27-28 June ALTHOUGH torrential rain brought the annual OE v King’s Ely Cricket match to a halt after just 30 minutes play, the OEs were undaunted and had a brilliant weekend.
Richard Claxton reports: “We had a squad of 19 over the two days with ages ranging from 20 to 45. The picture (below right) shows the same boys who were front cover of the Elean magazine in 1990: Adam Gallop, David Hindle and Charles Taylor. David had made the journey from Chicago to play, having not been back to the school for 24 years! David, who was Head of School, still holds the record of 49 wickets in a season for the school 1st X1 in 1990. “On Friday night the Old Eleans played against the staff / boys and the scores were Old Eleans 182 and school 160 in a 20 over game. For the Old Elenas, Ben Howgego opened the batting (Northants and Cambridgeshire cricketer). On Saturday before the rain came the Old Eleans were at 84/5 and in trouble! The boys were very well turned out and a credit to the school. There was a tremendous atmosphere and we are looking at a Cricket Tour in 2015.”
Thank you for supporting King’s Ely WE ARE immensely grateful to all those who have supported the school this year, by responding to the Annual Fund ‘Adventures’ campaign, by telling us of an intended bequest, or by helping at an event. We are privileged to be part of this special community which currently benefits so much from past generosity. Support through charitable giving is more important than ever before to ensure the school continues to develop and provide educational excellence in all areas. Thank you.
www.kingsely.org
Autumn
events
2014
Old Eleans are warmly welcome to join us at a variety of events at King’s Ely:
Michaelmas term 2014 Thursday 4 - Sunday 7 September Stamford, Lincs
Art & Textiles Exhibition at Burghley Horse Trials Rural Crafts Pavilion
Friday 5 September 12-2pm
Lunchtime Drinks on the King’s Ely exhibition stand at Burghley Horse Trials - come and join us!
Friday 12 September 6pm, Old Palace
Evening Drinks for Recent Leavers for Old Eleans who left in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011
Saturday 13 September 10am-4pm, Old Palace
Heritage Open Day Tours of the Old Palace open to public.
Saturday 13 September 4.15pm, Ely Cathedral 7pm, Old Palace
Society of Ely Choristers’ Annual Reunion Rehearsal followed by Evensong Evening Reception Contact John Marshall for full details: jandrmarshall68@yahoo.co.uk
Friday 19 September 7.30pm, Recital Hall
King’s Ely Concert Society: Dan Curzon (Horn) and Elliott Launn (Piano)
Wednesday 24 September 12noon, Old Palace
Old Eleans’ Lunch and Tours An open invitation to revisit the school, enjoy lunch in the Monastic Barn and take an afternoon tour, followed by
Wednesday 24 September 4pm, Hayward Theatre
The James Bowman Inaugural Lecture
Saturday 11 October 2pm, The River
Old Eleans v King’s Ely Rowing Regatta Viewing from road bridge and Amherst field followed by refreshments
Saturday 11 October 7 for 7.30pm, Monastic Barn
Old Eleans’ Club Centenary Dinner
Tuesday 11 November 10.30am, Ely Cathedral
Service of Remembrance
Friday 28 November 7.30pm, Recital Hall
King’s Ely Concert Society: Love, Loss and Laughter through Opera and Song (Catriona Clark and friends)
Thursday 4 December 6.30pm, Old Palace 7.30pm, Hayward Theatre
Eliensis Society Drinks Reception Followed by King’s Company production ‘Whistle Down The Wind’ by Andrew Lloyd-Webber
Saturday 6 December 11am 2pm
Old Eleans’ Lunch and Tours Followed by 1st XV Rugby v Haileybury
For further details and to book, please contact: Rosie Holliday, Old Eleans’ Club Honorary Secretary, RosieHolliday@kingsely.org tel. 01353 660700 or Susie Bromwich, Director of Development, SusieBromwich@kingsely.org tel. 01353 660531 Concert Society: Sophie Collier, boxoffice@kingsely.org If you would like to request a special reunion or individual visit, please contact Rosie or Susie
7f or 7.3 0p m
THE OLD ELEANS’ CLUB
CENTENARY
DINNER Saturday 11th October Monastic Barn, King’s Ely 7 for 7.30pm
MENU Pre-Dinner Drinks and Canapés Homemade Salmon and Prawn Terrine Vegetarian Terrine Roast Sirloin of English Beef served on a Horseradish Mash with Rich Gravy Vegetarian. Quorn Fillet in a Wild Mushroom & Cream Sauce served on a bed of Fenland Leeks Trio of Puddings Selection of English Cheeses served with Port. Coffee and homemade King’s Truffles Tickets: £38 per person (£30 student aged 25 or under, as at October 2014) Please book early! Demand will be high for this event and tickets are limited Tickets must be paid in full to reserve a place
BOOKING FORM The Old Eleans’ Club Centenary Dinner, Saturday 11th October 2014
Please send me...
I/we shall be coming to the Centenary Dinner:
Name: Address: Tel: Email: Name of Partner/Guest(s):
Leaving year:
✁
tickets, my cheque is enclosed for...
£ Please return to: Rosie Holliday, Hon Secretary, The Old Eleans’ Club, King’s Ely, Cambs CB7 4DB by Monday 29 September 2014 enclosing your cheque, payable to The Old Eleans’ Club. (For more details please email rosieholliday@ kingsely.org)