Leaving a Legacy
The lasting impact of remembering King’s Ely in your Will
King’s Ely Today
King’s Ely is a thriving school educating around 1,100 boys and girls aged 2-18 across our Nursery and Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior Schools. While many pupils come from Ely, Cambridge and the surrounding region, around 200 boarders join us from across the UK and around the world.
Set within a beautiful 75-acre campus beside Ely Cathedral, King’s Ely combines more than a thousand years of educational heritage with a forward-looking approach to learning and opportunity.
At the heart of the school are four guiding principles: our purpose, to provide the best possible education and foundation for life; our practice, ensuring the highest standards in teaching, care and development; our place, an inspiring environment in which to learn and grow; and above all, our people, the pupils, staff and wider community who bring the school to life.
A Tradition of Generosity
For more than a thousand years, the school has flourished, supported by a long tradition of generosity that has helped to shape its success.
Legacy gifts play an important role in sustaining the future of King’s Ely. They provide life-changing bursaries, enabling talented young people to benefit from a King’s Ely education regardless of financial circumstances.
They also support the care and preservation of our historic buildings, beautiful grounds and shared spaces which have shaped the lives of generations of pupils.
Every legacy gift, whatever its size, becomes part of this enduring tradition, helping to sustain the school and its community for generations to come.
“I will always be profoundly grateful for my time at King’s in the 1970s. It was the best possible start for my life after school, and it seems entirely fitting to remember King’s in my Will, so that others may benefit in the future.”
Kathryn
Skoyles (OE 1975)
Deciding where your Legacy will go
Unrestricted giving
You may wish to direct your bequest to an area of the school which is close to your heart. We also welcome legacies given to the Unrestricted Fund, as this allows the school to direct support where it is most needed, respond to changing priorities, and ensure long-term strength.
The 1541 Bursary Fund
The school has always held a strong belief that students with talent and promise, but limited means, should have the opportunity to benefit from a King’s Ely education. The 1541 Bursary Fund provides support for children whose families could not otherwise afford a King’s Ely education, as well as for existing pupils whose families experience unexpected financial difficulty.
Specific gifts
Your legacy may support a particular area of school life, such as sport, the arts, or a specific academic subject, reflecting your own interests and values.
Preserving our buildings and grounds
At King’s Ely, we are fortunate to occupy such remarkable buildings and grounds. We are committed to preserving our historic campus, and legacy gifts make an important contribution to its care and upkeep.
SCAN HERE
To watch the 1541 Bursary video
“I will always be deeply grateful for the bursary I received. It gave me the stability and opportunity to thrive at a time when my mother became seriously ill and could no longer work. Bursary support is vital for students facing unexpected challenges.”
Molly Armstrong (OE 2014)
“Receiving the bursary to attend King’s has been life changing for me. The Bursary has opened doors that I never imagined, and I’m determined to make the most of this incredible opportunity.”
Piers Halley (OE 2021)
A Complimentary Will-Writing Service
We have partnered with expert estate planners, Octopus Legacy, to offer our UK-based community the opportunity to write or update their Will free of charge.
Through this service, you can create a legally valid Will with professional guidance or make a codicil to an existing Will. The process can be completed online at your own pace, or with additional support by telephone or in person if preferred, making it straightforward and accessible.
As part of this service, there is an option to support King’s Ely in your Will, should you wish. There is, of course, no obligation to do so.
Many members of the King’s Ely community choose to remember the school in their Will. Such gifts help ensure that future generations of pupils can benefit from the opportunities a King’s Ely education provides. A legacy gift can be of any size.
To learn more about the complimentary Will-writing service, simply scan the QR code below or visit http://will.octopuslegacy.com/kingsely
SCAN HERE
To learn about our free Will-writing service
Leaving a Legacy: Practicalities
Whether you are writing your Will for the first time, or amending it with a codicil, leaving a bequest to King’s Ely is straightforward. Some of the most common forms of legacy are outlined below.
Residuary legacy
A residuary legacy allows you to leave all, or a share, of your estate once other gifts and expenses have been settled. As it reflects the value of your estate at the time of your death, even a small percentage can make a significant difference.
Specific legacy
A specific legacy is a named item, such as shares, artwork, property, furniture, jewellery, or the proceeds of a life insurance policy, rather than a monetary sum.
Reversionary or life interest legacy
A reversionary legacy is effectively a postponed gift. It allows your dependants to benefit from your estate, or part of it, during their lifetime, with the gift passing to the school later on.
Pecuniary legacy
A pecuniary legacy is a gift of a fixed sum of money. It can be index-linked to help preserve its intended value over time.
Substitutionary legacy
This allows you to state that if a gift to another beneficiary cannot be fulfilled, it will instead be given to King’s Ely.
Tax-efficient giving
King’s Ely is a registered charity (No. 802427), and gifts left to the school in a Will are exempt from UK Inheritance Tax.
Under current UK rules, if you leave 10% or more of your net estate to charity, the rate of Inheritance Tax on the remainder of your taxable estate is reduced from 40% to 36%. This can reduce the overall tax payable while supporting causes that matter to you.
Recognising your support: The Eliensis Society
We believe that supporting King’s Ely should be both meaningful and rewarding. Through a number of giving groups and networks, we aim to bring like-minded members of our community together.
The Eliensis Society exists to thank those who choose to remember King’s Ely in their Will. Anyone who pledges a legacy is invited to become a member of the Eliensis Society and to attend an annual event held in appreciation of their support.
If you are considering leaving a legacy gift, we would be very pleased to hear from you. This helps us to understand your intentions and to ensure that your wishes are respected. All discussions are treated in strict confidence.
If you have already included the school in your Will, we would be most grateful if you would let us know, so that we may thank you and welcome you into the Eliensis Society. Making a Will is a personal matter, and if you prefer to remain anonymous, your wishes will, of course, be fully respected.
If you have already chosen to remember King’s Ely in your Will, we would be very pleased to hear from you. Letting us know enables us to thank you during your lifetime and to ensure that your wishes are clearly understood.
Please feel free to contact the Development Office at development@kingsely.org. Any information you choose to share will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Contact us
For more information, or if you would like to direct your legacy gift in a particular way, please contact the Development Office at development@kingsely.org
The Eliensis Society
The Old Palace
King’s Ely
Ely CB7 4EW
Thank you for considering this very important way to support the future of King’s Ely.
