Private school King’s School Ely

UK Boarding Schools | King's Ely

King's Ely School is one of the oldest and most famous schools in the UK. It was founded in 973 and over the millennium has been educating and educating children, preparing them for further education and independent living.

The school was founded more than 1000 years ago as a school for the education of boy choirs at the monastery. In the 11th century, King Edward the Confessor studied at the school, and throughout its history, the school has maintained a close relationship with the cathedral. In 1541, King Henry VII founded the College of Canons at Ely Cathedral to replace the monks whose monastery was dissolved in 1539, and the school received its Royal Charter.

For most of the story, King's scholars made up the whole school. Over the centuries, the school has grown to nearly 1,000 students, with children of all faiths from all over the globe. In 1970, the school began to accept girls for training, and in 1973, Queen Elizabeth II visited the school and established the first scientists of the Queen.

Despite being over 1000 years old, King's Ely has been at the forefront of British education, especially over the past decade. The school values its history, but primarily thinks about the present and future of its students. Today, King's Ely is a vibrant community that offers everything that is expected of a 21st century school.

In 1541, the school acquired the status of the Royal School (The King’s School). Ely is just a 15-minute drive from Cambridge and an hour by train from London.

“A very friendly, welcoming school ...” - this is what parents say about it. A wide selection of subjects, each student has a personal mentor who monitors the learning process, a state-of-the-art library with multimedia equipment, connected to the school computer network with Internet access - all this allows the school to be one of the best in England.

The King's School Ely is appreciated for the high quality of education and upbringing of a comprehensively developed and purposeful personality.

DIRECTOR (stand 2026)

John Attwater.

FAMOUS SCHOOL GRADUATES

• Matthew Amrolival, BBC broadcaster
• Julian Bennett, TV presenter
• Ed Bloom, director
• James Bowman, tenor
• Baron John Brown, businessman, former CEO of British Petroleum
• Nigel Colborn, BBC Broadcaster Announcer
• Dick Everitt, Television Producer
• Oliver Jarvis, race car driver
• Aubrey Powell, designer (Led Zeppelin album cover design)
• Harry Sidebottom, historian and writer
• Goldie Sayers, athlete, Olympic winner
• Thomas Willett, First Mayor of New York

KEY FACTORS

• The school is particularly strong in rowing, choral singing, visual arts, design and textiles.
• A large number go to high schools of the arts, including St Martin's in London.
• At school, each student has the right to vote. The school values ​​the opinion of students, listens to it formally at meetings and informally during daily communication with teachers.
• Academic success is achieved by the constant use of methods to help students overcome difficulties in learning, to reach a new qualitative level.

EQUIPMENT

Classes are equipped with interactive whiteboards, in almost every room there are computers equipped with wireless Internet access. King's Ely has everything you need for the full development of your personality: sports, concert and theatre halls, a swimming pool, research laboratories, a modern music school, a new art complex, about 50 acres of numerous fields and venues for various sports, including evening lighting, a large sports hall, tennis courts, squash courts. Each school has a library. The medical centre is well equipped, has a small intensive care unit.

PROGRAM

The school has its own international center for foreign students (King's International Study Center), which is the link between the education and culture of a foreign student and the British education system. The center accepts students aged 14-17 for intensive preparatory education programs (one-year IGCSE and Pre-IGCSE courses).

Pre-IGCSE

The program is for foreign students aged 14-15 who wish to improve their knowledge of English and academic subjects. The goal of the program is to prepare for a one-year IGCSE program in grade 11. Classes are held in small classes of 6-12 people. Nine subjects are being studied. This week 9 lessons of English and 3 academic lessons in each subject are held.

IGCSE

The program for foreign students 15-16 years old. The goal is to prepare for admission to the high school program - A-level. Classes are held in small classes of 8-12 people. 5 to 8 subjects are studied. There are 9 English lessons per week and 5 lessons in each subject.
What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

A-level

A two-year university preparation program. In the first year (AS), 4 subjects are selected for study from the list (higher mathematics may be added as the fifth subject in some cases). According to the results of exams after the first year of study, three subjects are selected for in-depth study in the second year (A2).
Find out more about A-level program

ACCOMMODATION

Boys and girls live in different houses in rooms for one, two and several people. Younger children are accommodated by 4-5 people per room. Graduates live one at a time. Showers and toilets are on the floor. Each student has a separate place for classes. The rooms accommodate children of the same age, but always of different nationalities.

Each house is supervised by a teacher educator and a housekeeper who helps children solve everyday problems (washing, mending clothes, extra meals) and monitors the daily routine and children's well-being.

Each house has a common room where children gather in their free time and meet friends from other houses. There is a TV with DVD, a music centre, board games.

SPORT

Rugby, football, cricket, rowing, field hockey, netball, tennis, athletics, basketball, badminton, horse riding, squash, swimming, shooting, golf, sailing, aerobics, canoeing, fitness, martial arts, baseball.

For all major sports, there are teams that compete in local, regional competitions. School championships are also held in which residences fight for victory.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

The school has close ties with the main city cathedral, whose choristers’ study at King's Ely. The cathedral hosts many concerts. The school has a variety of musical groups - string and brass bands, rock and jazz groups, chamber and large choirs and others.

The school has a very strong theatre studio, dance studio and musical theatre. Every year, the students put on several shows, plays, and musical performances. A spring show is held, summer performances are held in the open air.

Each student can try his hand not only on stage, but also in the preparation of performances as an organizer, decorator, stage worker, illuminator, etc. Theatre and dance are also included in the school curriculum (optional subjects). Individual lessons are also possible with the subsequent passing of the British qualification exam LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), which is considered when entering universities.

COST, 2026-2027

£12,293 - £17,554 per semester (depending on age).
There are 3 semesters in the school year.

Included in cost

• Teaching
• Accommodation and meals
• Textbooks

Extra paid

• Registration fee - £180
• Deposit - £600 + cost of 1 semester
• Flights
• Transfers to / from the airport
• Visa
• Services of the company "Paradise"
• Guardianship (as required by British law)

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