As part of its role as a national Youth Guarantee Trailblazer, the Combined Authority is expanding its skills offer to create more opportunities than ever before. The programme focuses on two key routes into employment: increasing the number of apprenticeships and introducing fully funded internships to help young people take their first step into the world of work.

To support both young people and employers, additional funding and incentives have been introduced.

For the first time, 18–21-year-olds can access fully funded six-week internships. These placements remove the wage cost for employers, making it easier for businesses to offer short-term opportunities where young people can gain experience, build confidence, and demonstrate their potential.

To encourage more apprenticeship opportunities for 16–18-year-olds, the local support grant has been doubled to £4,000. This funding is designed to help local employers create training roles that offer a direct route into skilled employment.

The expanded programme comes at a crucial time. While Cambridgeshire and Peterborough continue to grow, too many young people are still finding it difficult to secure their first job or training opportunity.

Current figures show that 3.9% of 16–17-year-olds in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are not in education, employment, or training, rising to 5.4% in Peterborough. By increasing access to paid internships and apprenticeships, the Combined Authority aims to reduce these figures and provide clear alternatives to unemployment.

Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said:

“I want to help more young people into good jobs. We know that getting that first foot in the door is often the hardest part, and these changes are about opening that door for as many people as possible.

“This funding will support even more apprenticeships and internships, giving our young people the chance to learn new skills, build their confidence, and move into great careers. It also gives local businesses the practical support they need to bring in new talent and grow their workforce.”

To help deliver these opportunities, the Combined Authority is offering significant financial support to local businesses. Small and medium-sized enterprises can access up to £5,000 in total cash support when hiring a young apprentice, combining local and national grants. Employers can also take on an intern at zero wage cost for six weeks.

Businesses interested in offering an apprenticeship or internship can apply now by visiting www.cpcaskills.com or by emailing skillsteam@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk.

The post New Apprenticeships and Funded Internships Launched for Young People Across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Training sessions will run every Monday evening from 6:30–7:30 pm (during term time) and are open to young riders aged 5–16.

The club’s junior programme is designed to support riders of all abilities – from those just starting out to aspiring Cyclocross racers. Sessions focus on building skills, improving confidence, and most importantly, having fun on two wheels.

Programme highlights include:

• First session FREE
• £5 per session thereafter (pay-as-you-go)
• Run by British Cycling qualified, DBS-checked coaches
• Open to all abilities (riders must be able to cycle independently)

“Our junior sessions are a brilliant way for children to get active, learn core cycling skills, and enjoy cycling in a safe and supportive environment,” said Neil Bowman. “We’re excited to welcome both new and returning riders to our new venue in Witchford.”

Parents can register their child online at www.elycyclingclub.com/juniors or find out more by contacting:

• Neil: 07393 251 949
• Mark: 07903 333 467

The club also encourages families to join the Ely & District Cycling Club Juniors Facebook group for updates and community news. Ely & District Cycling Club Juniors | Facebook

Ely & District Cycling Club Juniors are proudly supported by B & T Motor Repairs.

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Teams from Ely St John’s Community Primary School, Ely St Mary’s Church of England Junior School, Isle of Ely Primary School, Robert Arkenstall Primary School and Wilburton Church of England Primary School competed in a lively round-robin football tournament for Years 5 and 6.

Ten Young Leaders from Ely College supported the event, helping with refereeing, scoring and warm-up sessions, adding to the professional feel of the morning.

There was plenty of skill and sportsmanship on display from all teams. The tournament came down to the final match, with Ely St John’s securing the win against Robert Arkenstall to claim the Ely girls’ football trophy. Isle of Ely Primary School finished runners-up, narrowly ahead of Robert Arkenstall in third place.

Medals and the winning cup were presented to Ely St John’s, while one player from each school received a Player of the Tournament medal for outstanding teamwork and spirit.

It was a brilliant morning of primary school girls’ football in Ely, celebrating teamwork, friendship and community sport.

The post Ely Year 5 & 6 Girls Impress at Inter-Primary School Football Tournament appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Seven teams from local schools — Ely St John’s Community Primary, Ely St Mary’s Church of England Junior, Isleham Church of England Primary, Isle of Ely Primary, Little Thetford Church of England Primary, and Wilburton Church of England Primary — took part in the Years 5 and 6 boys football tournament.

Played in a round-robin format, every team faced each other in 15-minute matches, with ten Young Leaders from Ely College volunteering as referees and scorekeepers.

After a series of close and exciting games, St John’s emerged as the overall winners, taking home the tournament cup, while St Mary’s 2s finished as runners-up. In addition, one player from each school was recognised for showing outstanding sportsmanship and received a medal.

Tournament organiser Julia Gilbert said:

“It was great to see the boys playing some excellent football. There was a fantastic team spirit shown by all the teams, and the boys looked like they were really enjoying themselves.”

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Organised by Ange and Gav Marker, the event aims to give young people aged 10–16 a chance to display and sell their handmade crafts, artwork, upcycled items, tech projects and more in a fun and supportive environment.

“The Junior Makers Market is all about helping young people gain confidence, learn new skills and experience what it’s like to run a small business,” said organisers Ange and Gav. “We would love your support, as we truly believe young people can gain valuable life skills, confidence and financial literacy through experiences such as this.”

Visitors can expect a friendly, family-focused event filled with creativity and community spirit. Entry and parking are free, and refreshments will be available throughout the day.

There are still a few stall spaces available, priced at £5 per stall, which includes a table and two chairs. To keep things fair, the organisers aim to avoid duplicate stall types, so young makers are encouraged to book early and confirm their category.

For more information or to apply for a stall, contact jnrmakersmarket@yahoo.com

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The gateway underpass at the Ely Leisure Village has been adorned with colour and flair by students in Years 9 and 10 from the college.

Street artist Kilo, lead artist at Splash & Dash Creations Ltd, worked with the students to teach street art skills and facilitate the development of the mural, with students painting their designs directly on the underpass wing near Costa coffee.

The installation was phase two of a successful and exciting partnership project with young people. The collaborative project has involved key partners City of Ely Council, Ely Community College, East Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Lis Every, Chair of the East Cambs Community Safety Partnership said: “Working with the students in the design and installation of the artwork has been inspirational and seeing them engaging fully in the project has been so rewarding.

“Our thanks go to the City of Ely Council for their continued support and funding towards the project.”

Cllr Mike Banyard, The Mayor of Ely, added: “Engaging with young people and seeing their collaborative approach to claiming their local area as a place to be both inspired by and proud of has been a positive experience for everyone involved.

“The council welcomed the opportunity to continue to fund and support this worthwhile project.”

Phase one last year saw artwork installed inside the underpass and covering the wing nearest the green open space and walkways which lead to the leisure village. This year the students stepped up once again, adding their designs directly on the wing of the underpass.

Councillor Alison Whelan, chair of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council said: “After the hugely successful first phase of this vibrant and ambitious art project, I’m delighted we’re supporting this next phase, alongside our local partners.

“Providing opportunities for young people to have their skills and creativity recognised where they live, is one way we can really help them to thrive and their communities to prosper.”

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This year, almost one fifth of all A-Level results achieved by King’s Ely Sixth Form students are the top A* grade. Around half of all grades attained are A*-A, and almost three quarters of results are grades A*-B. The overall pass rate is 99.5%

An impressive 92% of the Year 13 cohort achieved an immediate place at their first-choice university or institution, not just in the UK, but across the globe. As a marker of their all-round, enriched education, pupils are going on to study subjects as diverse as Medicine to Fashion Design Innovation, and Maritime Engineering to Artificial Intelligence.

Sixteen students achieved all A* and A grades; eight of whom each achieved at least three A* grades.

Every King’s Ely student holding Oxbridge offers achieved the top grades to take up their places this year. Other popular university destinations include Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, London (UCL), Newcastle, York, and Sheffield.

Year 13 leavers are studying a fascinating and vast array of degrees and courses – as ever, subjects in STEM, Humanities, Languages, and the Arts are strong. Two pupils are going on to study Medicine this year.

Polly Casey, who joined King’s Ely Senior in Year 9, secured her place at New College, University of Oxford to study Music after achieving four A* grades. Polly said: “I did work hard for my exams, but I never thought I would do as well as I have! King’s is an amazing place to study and there are so many things that I will miss, especially the Music Department. I feel King’s gives you the right balance of nurture and freedom to carve your own path, and for you to really be you.”

Leo Good achieved all A grades, securing him a place at University College London to study History. Leo, who has been at King’s Ely since joining Nursery in 2009, said: “I feel like all the revision and late nights have paid off, but I also have my amazing teachers to thank too. They have all been incredibly supportive and always there if I needed them for anything. I could not think of a better place to study than at King’s. I have been here for sixteen years, and I have loved every minute of it!”

Charlotte Senior is heading to the University of Edinburgh to study Mathematics after achieving all A* and A grades. Charlotte, who joined King’s Ely Senior in Year 10, said: “I am so excited for Edinburgh! I love King’s and I will miss my friends, my teachers, and the entire school community so much, but I also feel well prepared for the next chapter.”

Xander Tong, who joined King’s Ely Acremont Pre-Prep in Year 2, achieved all A* and A grades, and is going to be studying Physics with Astrophysics at Lancaster University. Xander said: “King’s has been amazing. I think what really stands out for me is that my teachers have all been genuinely interested in me as an individual, and not just about my studies and results, but in my personal growth too.”

Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “Congratulations and well done to our Year 13s on some exceptional exam results. An impressive number of pupils have achieved three or more A* grades, but most importantly, many have exceeded their own personal expectations. As a year group, they have contributed in so many ways to school life and thoroughly deserve their success. They leave King’s, not only with some impressive academic qualifications but as well-rounded individuals who we are confident have the character and sense of responsibility to make a difference in whatever path they choose next. Thank you to the whole King’s Ely community who have supported and guided our pupils through to Year 13, wherever they started their journey.”

As well as offering almost thirty different A-Level courses, King’s Ely also enables pupils to study vocational Level 3 Diploma qualifications in Business Studies, and Food and Nutrition. This year, three quarters of students achieved at least a Distinction, a third of which were a Starred Distinction.

This year, thirty-two students also completed Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) in addition to their A-Level subjects, which are equivalent to 50% of an A-Level. More than three quarters of students achieved an A*-B grade.

John Attwater, Principal of King’s Ely, said: “We are really delighted with our students’ exam results today. While it is gratifying to know that, as a school, we have exceeded all the national benchmarks for A-Levels by some way, it is even better that virtually all our students are now embarking on their first-choice future pathway, and all have exciting futures ahead. It has been wonderful to celebrate with them today and to see such a breadth of ambition fulfilled through their own hard work and the support of their teachers and other staff. I am so pleased that they will be keeping in touch with us and taking the King’s Ely ethos far and wide.”

Interested in finding out more about King’s Ely Sixth Form? A dedicated Sixth Form Open Event is taking place at the Old Palace on Saturday 11th October. To book your place, please call Admissions on (01353) 660707 or visit: www.kingsely.org  

The post King’s Ely A-Level Results 2025 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Adam Steels, Head of Bishop Laney Sixth Form, said: “I am incredibly proud of the determination shown by each of our students at Bishop Laney. I know that I speak for all of the staff here when I say we wish each and every one of our students the very best of luck with their next steps, whether heading to university, starting apprenticeships or beginning employment. These results demonstrate the perseverance and hard work which will help each student achieve wonderful things in the future.”

Individual success stories from Bishop Laney Sixth Form include:

• Sebastien Boursier, who achieved a double Distinction grade in Business, will be starting at Durham University in September.
• Samuel Jay has achieved A Level A grades in Economics, Business & Geography, which will see him studying Economics at University.
• Roxy Budziszewski, Charlotte Hough and Daniel Challis all achieved Distinction grades in Sports and Exercise science to earn their places studying Sports Science, starting in September.
• Rory Shillito achieved grades A, B, and B in Geography, Biology, and Chemistry, and is off to Newcastle University after taking a gap year.

Simon Warburton, Principal of Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form, added: “I am delighted for our Bishop Laney Sixth Form students, and I hope they are just as proud of themselves as the staff are of them. These incredible results are a true reflection of the students’ outstanding efforts within their studies and showcase our commitment to delivering support for our students in and out of the classroom.”

This year’s results come as Bishop Laney Sixth Form continues to invest in providing exceptional learning environments for its students. The recently refurbished Needham Tower Block has transformed the campus, offering state-of-the-art classrooms and specialist study spaces designed to support both academic and personal development. The new facilities reflect the Sixth Form’s commitment to giving students the best possible start to their future studies and careers.

Mark Woods, CEO of Meridian Trust, added: “Congratulations to all our Year 13 students collecting their A-level results today. Their achievements reflect the Trust’s commitment to the pursuit of excellence and the hard work of everyone involved. I hope each student takes a moment to celebrate their success as they look ahead to the next stage of their journey.”

If you would like to enquire about current opportunities within Bishop Laney Sixth Form, please contact: admissions@bishoplaney.org or call 01353 652818.

copyright to Meridian Trust

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During the visit, the Guides had the chance to get hands-on with the sport; trying out basic rugby skills in a fun, supportive environment. After the session, they joined some of the Ely Tigers Girls team in the clubhouse for refreshments and a chance to chat about the sport.

As part of the RFU’s badge initiative, the unit has been given a rugby ball so that they can continue to practise their new skills whilst at Guides.

Ely Tigers Girls Visit The Cromwell School for End-of-Year Sports Taster

The Ely Tigers Girls section were recently invited to The Cromwell School in Chatteris (home to our very own Mr Mills) to lead a girls’ rugby session as part of the school’s end-of-year sports taster activities.

Both the players and coaches thoroughly enjoyed the session, which wrapped up with a lively and competitive game of rugby golf; a clear favourite among the participants! We hope this marks the beginning of a strong and rewarding relationship between Ely Tigers Girls & Women and The Cromwell School.

@rugby__tog photographer

The post Ely Tigers Girls Host Littleport/Little Downham Guides for Rugby Introduction Session appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

It was no wonder St Mary’s Church was packed on Saturday evening as Ely Choral Society and Ely Youth Choir performed their much-anticipated concert Broadway Comes to Ely.

Led by Musical Director Andrew Parnell, the evening was a joyful celebration of iconic songs from musical theatre, beautifully delivered by both choirs and a selection of talented soloists. Accompanists Jeremy Lloyd, Paul Stephenson, and Andrew Parnell himself brought the music to life with energy and elegance.

The programme opened with well-loved numbers from Carousel, including You’ll Never Walk Alone, If I Loved You, June Is Bustin’ Out All Over, A Real Nice Clambake and Blow High, Blow Low. With moving performances and clear diction, these opening songs set the tone for a heartfelt evening.

A touching rendition of Someone to Watch Over Me from Oh Kay followed, stirring the audience with its simplicity and emotion.

The Ely Youth Choir, accompanied by Paul Stephenson, charmed the crowd with lively pieces from Matilda the Musical, Oliver, and A Chorus Line. Their sweet harmonies and confident performances brought fresh energy to the night. They later joined the main choir for highlights from West Side Story and their own standout Mamma Mia medley, finishing with the final number Lullaby of Broadway from 42nd Street.

Solo performances were a real highlight throughout the evening. Megan and Paul Stephenson sang Love Is an Open Door from Frozen with warmth and charm, while Mary Hancock gave a commanding rendition of The Hills Are Alive from The Sound of Music.

Selections from West Side Story, Wicked and Aladdin brought more familiar melodies to the programme, with I Feel Pretty, One Hand One Heart, Maria, and America standing out as audience favourites.

Further solos wowed the crowd, including Amanda Bouskill with her beautifully controlled high-range performance of Is It Really Me? from 110 in the Shade, and the entertaining duet The Book of Mormon by Charles Shneider and Paul Stephenson.

Valerie Housden gave a stunning performance of Bring Him Home from Les Misérables, delivered with sincerity and rich tone. The evening continued with Fixer Upper from Frozen and Send in the Clowns, both warmly received by the audience.

The concert ended on a high with the jazzy Lullaby of Broadway, leaving the audience calling for more.

The next concerts from Ely Choral Society are:
Saturday 18 October – Autumn Concert at Ely Cathedral
Saturday 13 December – Christmas Concert at St Mary’s Church

The post Ely Choral Society Brings Broadway Magic to a Full House at St Mary’s Church appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

As part of this new collaboration, Premier Travel will become a valued member of the Ely Tigers Business Club and will offer exclusive travel discounts to all Ely Tigers club members, adding significant value to players, families, and supporters.

The partnership will also feature the Premier Travel logo prominently on the sleeve of the Tigers’ playing kit, underscoring their visible and ongoing commitment to supporting grassroots sport and the local community.

Steve Cox, Director at Premier Travel, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership:
“We are delighted to partner with Ely Tigers, a club with a remarkable community spirit and a growing presence across Cambridgeshire rugby. As a local business with deep ties to the region, we are proud to support the club and its members, not only through sponsorship but by providing genuine travel benefits to the Tigers family.”

This agreement represents a significant milestone in Ely Tigers’ ongoing efforts to establish mutually beneficial relationships with businesses that share our passion for community development and sporting excellence.

Joe Hemsley-Rudd, Partnership Manager at Ely Tigers, added:
“We are thrilled to welcome Premier Travel as our new sleeve sponsor and official travel partner. The team at Premier Travel has demonstrated a genuine commitment to the values of our club, and we are immensely excited to collaborate with them. This partnership transcends mere branding; it aims to create meaningful opportunities for our members to benefit, and we are confident that this partnership will yield remarkable outcomes.”

Ely Tigers members will have access to exclusive travel discounts and offers, with special deals on holidays, group bookings and more coming soon. Keep an eye out for upcoming promotions!

For media enquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or further information, please contact:

Joe Hemsley-Rudd
Partnership Manager
Ely Tigers Rugby Club

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This collaboration brings together two community-focused organisations that share values of reliability, hard work, and ambition. As part of the sponsorship, a standout performer in every Ely Tigers First Team match will receive the Cambridge Discount Electrical and Plumbing Contractors Limited MOM award, celebrating excellence and dedication. The First Team squad will also don branded polo shirts provided by the sponsor, showcasing professionalism and pride throughout the season.

“We’re delighted to welcome Cambridge Discount Electrical & Plumbing Contractors Limited to the Ely Tigers family,” said Joe Hemsley-Rudd, Partnership Manager of Ely Tigers RFC. “Their support is not only a boost for our squad but a strong signal of local businesses backing grassroots sport in our area.”

Founded in 1985, Cambridge Discount Electrical & Plumbing Contractors Limited has become a cornerstone of the region’s trade and DIY sectors. With a reputation built on competitive pricing, excellent customer service, and a wide range of electrical products—from lighting and cables to tools and smart home solutions—the company has become the trusted go-to supplier for both professionals and homeowners alike.

With their flagship store based just outside central Cambridge, the business prides itself on local knowledge, personalised service, and a hands-on approach that matches perfectly with the spirit of rugby and team sport.

“Partnering with Ely Tigers was a natural fit for us,” said John Surbey at Cambridge Discount Electrical & Plumbing Contractors Limited. “We’ve been part of this community for decades, and we’re passionate about supporting teams and causes that bring people together. The Tigers have a fantastic culture and we’re excited to be part of their journey this season.”

With pre-season underway and anticipation building, Ely Tigers are gearing up for a competitive and exciting 2025/26 campaign. The backing of Cambridge Discount Electrical & Plumbing Contractors Limited adds further momentum to a club that continues to grow in strength, spirit, and community support.

For media enquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or more information, please contact:

Joe Hemsley-Rudd

Partnership Manager

Ely Tigers Rugby Club

elytigerssponsorship@gmail.com

07935 396861

Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes coverage of the new partnership launch and the 2025/26 season ahead.

The post Ely Tigers Rugby Club Roars Into 2025/26 Season with Exciting Sponsor Partnership appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

This partnership represents more than just a sponsorship. It is a celebration of a long-standing relationship built on a deep connection to the Ely community. Pocock & Shaw have been long-time supporters of the club and this latest commitment signals their belief in the Tigers’ future both on and off the pitch.

The link between the club and Pocock & Shaw is especially meaningful thanks to Magnus Woodroffe, Director at Pocock & Shaw, who is also a former Ely Tigers player. Magnus’s enduring passion for the club has played a pivotal role in bringing this partnership to life.

“We are incredibly proud to welcome Pocock & Shaw as our main club partner,” said Joe Hemsley-Rudd, Partnership Manager at Ely Tigers Rugby Club.
“We’d like to offer a heartfelt thank you to Magnus, Greg, Chris and Jan at Pocock & Shaw. Their unwavering support of the club over the years has been invaluable and we are delighted to now be working together in this official capacity.”

“Having one of our former players in a key role at Pocock & Shaw makes this partnership all the more special. It speaks volumes about the strength of the community we’ve built around Ely Tigers and the connections that last well beyond a playing career.”

The rebranding of the Tigers’ home ground to Pocock & Shaw Park marks a major milestone in the club’s development and reflects a shared commitment to supporting community sport, developing young talent and creating a welcoming environment for everyone involved with the club.

Support from Pocock & Shaw will help the Tigers invest in facilities, coaching and youth development, enabling the club to expand its reach and impact across Ely and the surrounding areas.

Magnus Woodroffe, Director of Pocock & Shaw, added:

“As a former player, Ely Tigers holds a special place in my heart. The club gave me some fantastic memories and it’s a real privilege to now give something back.
We’re proud to be part of this exciting new era and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Pocock & Shaw Park and the Tigers.”

An Exciting Future Ahead

This announcement marks a pivotal moment for Ely Tigers as the club looks to build momentum on recent successes and lay a strong foundation for growth at all levels from mini rugby and youth development to senior men’s and women’s teams.

The club invites supporters, sponsors and the wider Ely community to join in celebrating this fantastic news and to look forward to a promising future together at Pocock & Shaw Park.

For media enquiries, sponsorship opportunities or more information, please contact:

Joe Hemsley-Rudd
Partnership Manager
Ely Tigers Rugby Club
elytigerssponsorship@gmail.com
07935 396861

Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes coverage of the new partnership launch and the 2025/26 season ahead.

The post Ely Tigers Rugby Club Secures Major Partnership with Pocock & Shaw – Home Ground to Be Renamed ‘Pocock & Shaw Park’ appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Across the different age categories, the Barracudas brought home a very impressive 88 individual medals, of which 39 were golds, 17 silver and 32 bronze. The team also achieved an incredible 191 personal best times (PBs). 

Stand out performer of the weekend was Annabelle Smith in the 14 year old female category, who swam superbly on both days of competition on her way to collecting 11 medals, 9 of which were golds in a clean sweep of the 50M+100M+200M breaststroke, 50M+100M+200M butterfly and 100M+200M+400M individual medley events (as well as silver medals in the 50M+100M freestyle, narrowly beaten in both races by fellow Ely swimmer Olivia D’Souza). Annabelle was awarded the coveted ’top girl’ for the event and is pictured receiving her certificate and prizes from the organisers. Alex Pashley (also 14) had another strong weekend coming out third overall in the male/open rankings including gold medals in the 100M backstroke, 100M freestyle and 200M individual medley.

The club’s younger swimmers (13 and under) were back in action again the following weekend at Round 1 of the ‘Junior Fenland League’ competition at Whittlesey’s Manor Leisure Centre on Saturday 8^th March, with Ely coming out as overall victors on the night against clubs from March and Thetford.

Ely’s swimmers next go to events in Luton and Cambridge as part of a very busy spring schedule for the club.

Note: Photos with parental permission.

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137 boys and girls from Fordham Church of England Primary School, The Isle of Ely Primary School, The Lantern Community Primary, Little Thetford Church of England Primary School, Millfield Primary School, Robert Arkenstall Primary School and The Rackham Church of England Primary School, took part in the year 5&6 cross country event held at Ely College. 

Boys and girls from each year group raced against each other over a course of approximately 2000m.  18 Young Leaders from Ely College helped lead and direct the kids around the course, hand out final placings and help with the scoring.

The results were as follows:

Yr 5 Girls  – Winners Fordham, 2^nd place Robert Arkenstall, 3^rd place Isle of Ely

Yr 5 Boys – Winners Fordham, 2^nd Place Little Thetford, 3^rd place The Lantern

Yr 6 Girls – Winners and 2^nd place Fordham, 3rd place Robert Arkenstall

Yr 6 Boys – Winners & 2^nd place Fordham, 3^rd place The Lantern

The overall winning school on points was Fordham with Robert Arkenstall in 2^nd place and The Lantern in 3^rd place

Julia Gilbert of ActivePlay Education said  ‘It was fantastic to see so many yrs 5&6 taking part and the enthusiasm shown all was amazing, despite the cold and windy conditions.  A big thank you must go to Ben Crosbie and all the young leaders at Ely Community College for setting out a great course and for all their help on the day for making it such a successful event.’

The post Fordham Triumphs at Yrs 5&6 Inter Primary Cross Country Event appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

There were 4 categories- Yr 3 girls, yr 3 boys, yr 4 girls and yr 4 girls– and teams of up to 6 from the Isle of Ely Primary School, The Lantern Community Primary School, Little Thetford Church of England Primary School, Millfield Primary School, Robert Arkenstall Primary School and Wilburton Church of England Primary School ran the approximately 1500m course. 

20 Young Leaders from Ely College helped marshal around the course and at the finish line as well as with the recording of the final positions.

In the yr 3 girls race, Millfield were the winners with 2^nd and 3^rd places going to Little Thetford. 

In the yr 3 boys race, Wilburton took 1^st and 2^nd place with 3^rd place going to The Lantern

In the Yr 4 girls race Little Thetford were the winners, Robert Arkenstall 2^nd and The Isle of Ely 3^rd

In the Yr 4 boys race The Isle of Ely took 1^st place, Wilburton 2^nd place and The Isle of Ely 3^rd

The placings of all the children racing were recorded and the highest three placings from each school recorded for each race.  The school with the lowest overall ‘score’ over the 4 races was awarded Yr 3 & 4 Cross Country Team winner.  This year the winner was the Isle of Ely who narrowly beat Wilburton by 4 points.

Caroline Morton of ActivePlay Education said ‘It was a great morning and all the children did really well.  It was fantastic to see so many young people outside, running and enjoying themselves.  I’d also like to say a big thank you to Ben Crosbie and the Young Leaders at Ely College for hosting the event, laying out the course and for all their help on the day.  It meant for a very successful morning.’

The post Isle of Ely Wins Year 3 & 4 Cross Country Event at Ely College appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

To help make it happen, EOSA has launched a Crowdfunding campaign. Donations can be made directly, or supporters can claim rewards from local businesses, including Piccolo Lounge, Poets House, and ActivePlay Education.

Find out more and donate here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-bring-padel-to-ely

What is Padel?

Padel is the world’s fastest-growing racket sport—a fun, social mix of tennis and squash played on an enclosed court about a third of the size of a tennis court. It’s easy to learn, highly sociable, and suitable for all ages and abilities.

Currently, there are around 90,000 padel players in the UK, but the LTA expects this to grow to 600,000 by 2026. Despite this rapid growth, the nearest padel courts to Ely are in Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, or St Ives. EOSA wants to change that and bring padel to Ely.

Why Support EOSA?

EOSA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organisation based behind Ely Leisure Village. It provides sports and social facilities for Ely Tigers Rugby Club, Ely City Hockey Club, Ely Tennis Club, and the wider community.

EOSA’s day-to-day running costs are covered by club memberships and facility hire, but extra funding is needed to build the padel courts.

Alongside Crowdfunding, EOSA is applying for grants, with the goal of completing the courts this summer. Once built, the courts will be available through padel membership or pay-to-play options, making them affordable and accessible for everyone.

How You Can Help

EOSA is asking for the community’s support to make these courts a reality.

• Donate—every contribution, big or small, makes a difference!
• Claim a reward from a local business in exchange for your support.
• Businesses can donate vouchers, products, or services to be offered as rewards in the Crowdfunding campaign.

Businesses that contribute will help expand Ely’s sporting facilities while also gaining valuable exposure within the local community.

For more details or to offer business support, email Julia Gilbert at padel.eosa@gmail.com.

With your help, we can bring padel to Ely—let’s make it happen!

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We’re seeking £1,000 per season to cover new kit and essential equipment. In return, your business logo will be featured on all match kits and coaching gear, giving you valuable brand exposure at matches, tournaments and across social media.

Why Sponsor a Football Team?

We know businesses need measurable value from sponsorships. Here’s why this is a great investment:

• High-visibility advertising – Your logo will be seen at matches across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex, reaching hundreds of local families and potential customers.
• Digital marketing boost – Get regular social media mentions and local press coverage as our valued sponsor.
• Community-driven branding – Build goodwill by supporting youth football sponsorship and demonstrating your commitment to local sports development.
• Networking & B2B opportunities – Connect with local business owners, families and community leaders who value brands that support grassroots football.

“Youth football is about more than just the game. It gives kids confidence, a sense of belonging and memories that last a lifetime. A quality kit helps them feel like a team. That’s why we need a sponsor who believes in supporting young players.” – Marcus Hobbs, Coach

Long-Term Sponsorship = Two Years of Brand Exposure

A grassroots football season runs from September to May. By sponsoring Ely Crusaders U9s Blue for two seasons, your business will benefit from two years of brand awareness and community recognition.

Act Now – Limited Sponsorship Opportunity

We’re looking to confirm sponsorship as soon as possible so our new kit is ready for the upcoming season.

Want to support local football and get your business seen? Email marcusjhobbs@gmail.com to secure this opportunity.

Your support means more than just a logo on a kit—it helps young players develop their skills, confidence and passion for football while giving your business a high-impact local advertising platform.

The post Sponsor Ely Crusaders U9s Blue – A Powerful Local Business Promotion Opportunity appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

A West End-Worthy Production

Principal Simon Warburton praised the students, calling the show “worthy of the West End” and joking, “Let’s take it on tour!” The performances showcased exceptional acting, singing, and choreography, proving the dedication of the whole-school cast.

The musical’s youngest stars shone brightly, with Year 7’s Chloe Lee (Oliver) and Year 8 Alicia Clough (Artful Dodger) leading the cast. Joe Turner (Fagin), Evie Bennet (Nancy), and Eleanor Wallman (Bet) delivered powerful performances, supported by a talented ensemble.

A Celebration of Talent & Hard Work

This student-led production saw performers take charge of choreography, backstage operations, and set changes. Co-directors Jake Newton and Kate Arnold applauded the students’ commitment, as did Music Director Kate Arnold, who thanked parents, staff, and the professional pit band for bringing the show to life.

Reflecting on past productions, Year 11 students bid an emotional farewell, reminiscing about The Caucasian Chalk Circle (2024), Little Shop of Horrors (2023), and School of Rock (2022). Year 10’s Zac Tatum impressed as the menacing Bill Sikes, while Charlie Sigrist (Mr Bumble), Tom Le Gresley (Mr Sowerberry), and Findlay Paul (Charley) added humour.

Community Spirit & The Thrill of Live Theatre

Students described the final rehearsals as intensive yet rewarding, coming together during lunch breaks to perfect their performances. Asia Glory (Mrs Sowerberry) shared how the team bonded, while Ben Lithe (Mr Brownlow) reflected on their growing confidence after the dress rehearsal.

Director Jake Newton highlighted the magic of live theatre, where all elements come together just in time. Catrin Andrews (Widow Corney), performing in her final musical at Ely College, expressed gratitude to the teachers, PTFA, and backstage crew, emphasising:

“We’ve made so many new friendships this year. The song asks, ‘Where is Love?’—it’s here, in the heart of our school community.”

Media Contact: Kerri Vella, Ely College Communications Officer, kvella@elycollege.co.uk or 01353 652840

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Across the weekend, Ely’s swimming team brought home more than 120 medals across all the different events and age groups, the grand totals achieved being 43 Gold, 41 Silver and 40 Bronze. There were several young swimmers setting times in their first competitive swimming event, including some just 10 years old. Across the club, an amazing 165 new Personal Best times were recorded, in an outstanding collective effort recognising the hard work which all the swimmers and the club’s coaching team put into weekly training sessions at The Hive in Ely.

Some of the squad stood out for their exceptionally high achievements during the Newmarket gala:

Florence Law with a superb 5 golds (+3 silver & 1 bronze) at just 10 years old; 13 year old Alex Pashley with an outstanding 7 gold medals (& a silver) including golds across all 4 swimming strokes; Cillian O’Brien bringing home 5 golds in the 50/100/200m breaststroke events, 200m individual medley and the gruelling 200m Butterfly (also 2 silvers & 2 bronze) in the 16 & over entry; Jake Dunham with an impressive 4 gold medals in all 3 Butterfly distances and the 200m individual medley; Gabriel Kim standing out in the particularly competitive 12 year old boys age group with 2 golds, 4 silvers & a bronze; Lauren Turnock with a hard fought 7 silver medals (and 3 bronze too) in the 15 year old girls; and 14 year old Olivia Dsouza achieving 5 silvers and 4 bronze.

Particular congratulations to Top Boy James Clarke for his haul of 5 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals and to Top Girl Zoe Thompson with a quite exceptional set of results which earned her 7 gold medals, 4 silver medals and a bronze.

The full list of Ely’s medal-winning swimmers was as follows: Alex Pashley (7 gold, 1 silver), Alice Robinson (2 bronze), Cillian O’Brien (5 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), Edward Gates (2 silver, 1 bronze), Emily Daybell (1 bronze), Emily Dsouza (1 gold, 2 bronze), Erin Latimer (1 bronze), Erin-Mae Carey (1 silver), Eryn Pashley (1 bronze), Felicity Gates (1 bronze), Florence Law (5 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze), Gabriel Kim (2 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze), Immy Ryan (1 gold, 1 bronze), Isabella Beardmore (1 silver, 1 bronze), Issy Stevens (1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze), Jacob Hipkin (1 gold, 2 bronze), Jake Dunham (4 gold), James Clarke (5 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze), Kai Dhamari (2 bronze), Lauren Turnock (7 silver, 3 bronze), Lola Carey (1 gold, 1 bronze), Mark Hipkin (1 gold, 1 bronze), Maddie Pillow (1 gold), Norah Daniels (1 silver, 1 bronze), Olivia Dsouza (5 silver, 4 bronze), Rosa Hague (1 silver), Steph Birkwood (1 gold), Stephanie Lakinger (1 silver), Wilf Sole (1 bronze), Will Clarke (2 silver, 4 bronze), Zach Woods (1 bronze) and Zoe Thompson (7 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze).

For further information please contact: elyscpresssecretary@gmail.com

6 December 2024

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Although it was a frosty start to the morning, the pitch at Ely Outdoor Sports Association soon thawed and with Young Leaders from Ely College refereeing, matches got underway.  Split into two groups, the teams from Ely St John’s Community Primary School, Ely St Mary’s C of E Junior School, Isle of Ely Primary School, Isleham C of E Primary School, Mepal and Witcham C of E Primary School and Wilburton C of E Primary School played matches against all the schools in their group.  In the semi finals Ely St John’s played Isleham 2s and Ely St Mary’s played Isleham1s. In a closely contested final, Isleham 1s beat Ely St John’s to win the tournament cup.

As well as medals being given to the winning team, one player from each team was awarded ‘Player of the Tournament’ for showing great team spirit and sportsmanship.

Caroline Morton of ActivePlay Education said ‘It was fantastic to see so many teams taking part in the tournament and the children really enjoying playing Tag Rugby.  With 3 girls having to be on pitch at any one time, it was great to see both boys and girls working together as a team. There was some really skilful play.’

The post Inter Primary School Tag Rugby Tournament appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The inaugural Autumn Tennis Harvest event, held this September, was a fantastic success, bringing families together to enjoy tennis-themed games and activities in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. With games like Pumpkin Smash and the Corn Maze Rally, participants of all ages had the chance to play, compete, and most importantly, have fun.

A Day of Family Fun and Friendly Competition

The Autumn Tennis Harvest event was designed to create a welcoming environment where families could play together, regardless of skill level. The emphasis was on fun rather than competition, allowing everyone—from seasoned players to first-timers—to join in. The day’s highlight was undoubtedly the Pumpkin Smash, where players tested their serving accuracy by aiming for pumpkin-shaped targets, as well as the creative Corn Maze Rally, which added a unique twist to traditional rallying.

Building Stronger Bonds Through Tennis

One of the core goals of the event was to foster family connections through shared activities. “We wanted to create an event where families could step onto the court together, without any pressure, and simply enjoy the game,” said Sebastien, Director of 10is Academy. “Seeing kids rallying with their parents and siblings, all while having a great time, was exactly what we hoped for.”

Looking Ahead: The Next Family Event

With the success of the Autumn Tennis Harvest, 10is Academy is already preparing for next month’s event. The October family event will bring a Halloween twist with the Tennis Trick or Treat session. Families will be invited to wear costumes, participate in light-hearted matches with fun rules, and enjoy spooky tennis drills like the Ghost Rally and Witch’s Hat Target Practice.

The Autumn Tennis Harvest set a high bar for future family events, and 10is Academy is excited to continue providing opportunities for families to enjoy the sport together in creative and engaging ways.

Join Us!

We invite all families to join us for the next family tennis event at 10is Academy. Whether you’re a regular on the courts or picking up a racket for the first time, these events are the perfect way to connect with loved ones while enjoying the great game of tennis.

Press release from 10is Academy

The post A Smashing Success: 10is Academy’s First Monthly Family Tennis Event appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Students from Ely Community College are creating a large mural in the underpass leading to the leisure and entertainment location, as a way of creating a positive image of young people and developing their skills in street art.

The collaborative project has involved key partners City of Ely Council, Ely Community College, East Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Kilo, lead artist at Splash & Dash Creations Ltd, facilitated a series of after school workshops with the students, aimed at teaching the skills required to be able to paint a group mural, and working on basic spray paint techniques including filling in, fading colours together, working with complex shapes and outlining. 

Students, from Year 8 to Year 10, were tasked with developing their own original ideas, combining the best elements into a finished design and completing the collaborative painting. One student commented that they:“First started Graffiti club because I had just been to Birmingham where there were loads of cool graffiti murals and I thought it would be really cool to help make something like that in Ely.” 

Youth councillor at City of Ely Council, Will Novick, added: “It’s wonderful to see the college and local councils working together to create opportunities for young people to influence the city we live, work, and study in. This project will turn an unattractive underpass into a community project which will show the best of Ely.”

It is hoped the creation of the mural will instil enthusiasm and joy with all those who use the popular gateway underpass and inspire other young people to take part in supported projects.

Lizzi Houghton of Communities Service, Cambridgeshire County Council said: “This partnership project with young people in the driving seat has been made possible with the great support of all the organisations involved and will be an amazing showcase of young peoples imagination, creation and design for everyone to enjoy.”

The installation is taking place over the weekend of 21st and 22nd September, starting late morning and continuing into the afternoon each day. Everyone is welcome to call by and watch the installation taking place. Some areas of the underpass may be sectioned off whilst the work is taking place but it will remain accessible during the weekend.

Lis Every, Chair of the Community Safety Partnership added: “This excellent project was initiated by our local young people who wanted to ensure the underpass was a pleasant environment for the community using it.  The students from Ely College, with local partners and professional street artists will really transform this area.   

“The CSP were really pleased to support this which is funded by the City of Ely Council and community infrastructure levy committee as sub-group of City of Ely Council. We are grateful to all those involved – it is a real partnership approach. 

“We would like to hear of more ideas from young people and where possible work together to make them happen.”

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Students Sharing Joy and a Splash of Colour appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Principal Simon Warburton expressed his pride, saying: “We are delighted with the results of our Year 11 cohort, who approached their studies with incredible maturity and dedication. They deserve to be very proud of their achievements today.”

Among the college’s top achievers were:

• Lily H who achieved ten grade 9s and one grade 8.
• Tommy L who achieved eight grade 9s and one grade 8.
• Martina V who achieved eight grade 9s and two grade 8s.
• Anastasia A who achieved six grade 9s, one grade 8 and two grade 7s.
• William L who achieved six grade 9s and three grade 8s.

The college also celebrated students who made significant progress beyond expectations, including Cameron T, Lydia P, Alice H, Jakub O, Georgia H, and Natalie G.

Simon added: “At Ely College, we continually strive to be an exceptional school for an exceptional community. These fantastic GCSE results, combined with the superb A Level and vocational outcomes announced last week, are a testament to the hard work of our students, the support of their parents and our staff. It was a joy to share this moment with our students and families, and we wish them every success as they embark on the next stage of their journey.”

Martin Campbell, Executive Principal at Meridian Trust, added: “A huge congratulations to everyone celebrating their well-deserved success today. The students and their families should be incredibly proud of their accomplishments. The Trust is proud of Ely College’s achievements, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff who have supported these students throughout their time at the school.”

For more information about Ely College, please visit: www.elycollege.com. 

Press release from Ely College

The post Ely College Celebrates Impressive GCSE Achievements appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Almost half of King’s Ely’s GCSE results this year are grades 9-7 (the old A*-A), and more than three quarters of results are grades 9-5 (the old A*-B). The overall pass rate is 95%, with virtually all students achieving a pass or better in Maths and English Language.

These fantastic results not only reflect our pupils’ hard work and determination, but also their teachers’ and mentors’ expertise and commitment for them to succeed. They also come just a week after our Year 13 cohort once again secured places at their first-choice universities and institutions, not just in the UK, but across the globe. This year, a fifth of A-Level results achieved at King’s Ely Sixth Form were the top A* grade, almost half of grades were A*-A, and three-quarters of results were grade A*-B. The overall pass rate was 100%.

Mr Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “We are delighted that the hard work of so many of our pupils has been recognised with some excellent GCSE grades this summer. Many have exceeded expectations, and we are very proud of our Year 11 pupils for their diligence and enthusiasm, both inside and outside the classroom. For many, these results have been achieved alongside a commitment to many aspects of school life, be it music, drama, or sport. I would also like to thank the teachers and other staff who have supported our pupils both academically and pastorally throughout their time at King’s. Success such as this is always the culmination of a superb team effort.”

More than a quarter of this year’s GCSE cohort achieved grades 9-7 in at least eight of their subjects, including one student who secured grade 9s in nine of their subjects, and one student who achieved seven grade 9s.

As is reflective of an all-round, enriched education, King’s Ely pupils have studied and achieved in a wide variety of GCSE subjects. Almost half of all grades in the following subjects were at least a grade 8 – Biology, Chemistry, Drama, History, Latin, Music, Physics, Religious Studies, and Textiles.

James Barber, who joined King’s Ely Senior in Year 9 from St Faith’s School in Cambridge, achieved all grades 9-7. He will be studying A-Levels in Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and Further Maths here at King’s Ely Sixth Form. James said: “I am very happy with my results. I revised lots and it all feels worth it now. I am looking forward to studying subjects that I really enjoy at A-Level. Career wise, I hope to go into engineering, maybe aerospace engineering.”

Sienna Burley achieved grades 9-8 in eight of her GCSE subjects. Sienna, who joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 8, is studying Biology, Chemistry, and Maths for her A-Levels, and she aspires to study medicine at university. Sienna, who started volunteering at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge this summer through the Young Persons Programme, said: “I am staying at King’s Ely for Sixth Form, and I am excited to study subjects that I love. I worked hard for my GCSEs, but I would have never got such good grades without the amazing support of my teachers. I am also looking forward to the Sixth Form socials!”

William Kirkup, who has been at King’s Ely since joining our Nursery in 2011, achieved all grades 9-7 in his subjects. He will be studying A-Levels in Classical Civilisation, Fine Art, and Film Studies here. William said: “I am considering a career in theatre set design, although that is not set in stone. I really enjoy my music and the music department here at King’s is exceptional, which is one of the reasons I am staying on for Sixth Form. I also love the fact that all our teachers know us as individuals, which means the support is strong.”

Twenty-five pupils from all corners of the globe also received their results today having studied the one-year IGCSE programme at King’s Ely. The two-term intensive course sees young people studying in their non-native speaking language, and the average number of subjects taken is six. King’s Ely is delighted to report another excellent set of IGCSE grades, with an overall pass rate of 94%. More than two thirds of IGCSE results were grades 9-6. Two students achieved grade 9s in all their subjects.

Mr Matthew Norbury, Director for International Students at King’s Ely, said: “Our IGCSE students arrive in England for the first time ever in September, and just seven months later they are successfully sitting their IGCSEs in an education system they have never experienced before. Every year I remain humbled by their achievements.”

Interested in finding out more about King’s Ely? A Whole School Open Event is taking place on Saturday 21st September. To book your place, please call Admissions on (01353) 660707 or visit: http://www.kingsely.org    

Press release from King’s Ely

The post GCSE Celebrations at King’s Ely appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Adam Steels, Head of Bishop Laney Sixth Form, said: “I am so very pleased for all our students, whether heading to university, into employment or onto further study through apprenticeships. They should all be proud of their achievements at Bishop Laney, as we are proud of them. We wish all of our students the very best for their next step”

Individual success stories from Bishop Laney Sixth Form include:

Ellie, who achieved triple Distinction* grades in Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care  will be taking up further study in early years provision through an apprenticeship. 

Caleb has achieved A grades in Mathematics and Product Design which will propel him to study Mechanical Engineering from September.

Charlotte’s A Level grades in History, Biology and Chemistry will see her commence her 5 year degree in Veterinary Medicine.

Leah takes her triple Distinction* grade in Sports & Exercise Science to university to further her studies in sport coaching and performance, whilst Emily’s Sports & Exercise Science grades see her on to a teaching degree, in secondary PE. 

Simon Warburton, Principal of Ely College & Bishop Laney Sixth Form added: “I am delighted with the outstanding results achieved by our 2024 cohort, which reflect our commitment to delivering an exceptional educational experience for our community.

“These achievements mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Bishop Laney Sixth Form. Renovations of Needhams Tower are well underway, transforming it into an inspiring learning environment and the new home for Bishop Laney, set to open in early 2025.”

If you wish to enquire about current opportunities within the sixth form, please contact  admissions@bishoplaney.org and 01353 652818.

Press release from Ely College

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The vast majority of our 95-strong Year 13 cohort have once again secured places at their first-choice universities and institutions, not just in the UK, but across the globe.

This year, a fifth of A-Level results achieved at King’s Ely Sixth Form are the top A* grade, almost half of grades are A*-A, and three-quarters of results are grade A*-B. The overall pass rate is 100%. 

These fantastic results not only reflect our students’ hard work and determination, but also their teachers’ and mentors’ expertise and commitment for them to succeed. As a marker of their all-round, enriched education, King’s Ely pupils are going on to study subjects as diverse as Medicine to Music, and Film Production to Finance.

Mr Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the A-Level results of our Year 13 pupils; they should feel extremely proud of their outstanding grades. Many individuals have exceeded their own expectations and will be particularly pleased with their results. However, as well as achieving some fabulous grades, they leave King’s Ely as extremely well-rounded individuals with the character and confidence to make a difference in whatever path they choose. I would like to offer my congratulations to both our Year 13 pupils for their hard work and determination, as well as our teachers for their teaching and guidance. I hope that families will be able to celebrate this important milestone. As a cohort, this year group has contributed in so many positive ways to school life and they will certainly be missed.”

All four King’s Ely students holding Oxbridge offers achieved the top grades to take up their places this year – Lily McCallum to study Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; Kit Attwater to study Music at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge; Samuel Trueman to study Music at Queens’ College, Cambridge; and Elliot Dickson to study History at St Hugh’s College, Oxford. 

This year, twenty-four students achieved all A*-A grades, and forty-eight pupils earned all A*-B grades. Popular university destinations include Bath, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, London, York, and Newcastle. Our Year 13 leavers are studying a fascinating and vast array of degrees and courses – as ever, subjects in STEM, Humanities, Languages, and the Arts are strong. Four pupils are going on to study Medicine this year.

One of our budding Medics is Sydney Smith, who secured her first-choice place at Cardiff University. Sydney has been at King’s Ely since joining Nursery in 2008! She said: “I have wanted to study Medicine for several years now, and it was a huge relief this morning to see that I had achieved the grades I needed. I have been at King’s my entire life, so it feels surreal and sad to be leaving. It is an amazing school. Everyone is so supportive of each other, and I have been able to do so much alongside my studies, such as Sport, Music, Ely Scheme, and lots of different trips.”

Samuel Trueman achieved the grades he needed to be Organ Scholar at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Samuel joined King’s Ely Senior in Year 9 from King’s College School, Cambridge. He said: “I am so pleased with my results, and very relieved. I feel like all the hard work has paid off! The teaching at King’s really is fantastic. The class sizes are small, and everyone is known as an individual, which I feel makes the school community at King’s unique. The Music and Drama Departments are also exceptional.”

Sophie Haydn-Slater is heading to her first choice too – Oxford Brookes University to study International Hospitality and Hotel Management. Sophie, who joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 7, said: “The dream career for me is event management for a large hotel chain overseas or on a super yacht – basically a career that will allow me to travel. I have loved my time at King’s. It is an incredible place to be, and you must make the most of every opportunity here. I feel that I have done exactly that, from football to drama productions, I am leaving on such a high.”

Thomas Kirkpatrick will be studying Horology (the art of making clocks and watches) at Birmingham City University after achieving the grades he needed. Thomas, who joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 5, said: “When my grandfather passed away, he left me his Rolex watch. I was fascinated by how it worked, and this is what sparked my interest in horology. It is a very niche degree, but all my teachers have been so supportive, encouraging me to pursue what really interests me.”

As well as offering almost thirty different A-Level courses, King’s Ely also enables pupils to study vocational Level 3 Diploma qualifications in Business Studies, and Food and Nutrition. This year, 86% of students achieved at least a Distinction, a third of which were a Starred Distinction. From September 2024, King’s Ely will also be offering the Extended Certificate in Sport. These qualifications are equivalent to one A-Level, and they are taken alongside A-Levels.

This year, twenty-seven students also completed Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) in addition to their A-Level subjects, which are equivalent to 50% of an A-Level. More than 70% of students achieved an A*-A grade.

Mr John Attwater, Principal of King’s Ely, said: “Our students’ achievements today underline the great value of learning in a community where everyone is known well, their talents are valued, and each other’s success is paramount. This year group and their teachers have exemplified that spirit and thoroughly deserve their celebrations today. We look forward to staying in touch with them as Old Eleans and to seeing them flourish in their lives ahead. This year, A-Levels have been marked strictly to pre-COVID standards with no quarter given for any effects of the pandemic lockdowns on children’s educational journey. I am especially pleased that our results continue to climb even by this measure and are well above where they were in 2019, the benchmark; this demonstrates King’s Ely’s continuing presence as a first-rate academic Sixth Form alongside our well-known strengths in the arts and co-curriculum.”

Interested in finding out more about King’s Ely Sixth Form? A dedicated Sixth Form Open Event is taking place at the Old Palace on Saturday 12th October. To book your place, please call Admissions on (01353) 660707 or visit: www.kingsely.org   

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely students’ excellent A-Level results appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

We came away with 2 National Age Group qualifiers, 3 Regional medals and 5 County medals. There was a family feel to it too with the Schultz father and son duo and the Pillow sisters all competing. 

Alex Pashley and Jacob Schultz both qualified for the National Championships in the 2km race for their age group, with Alex winning the County silver medal and Jacob winning County bronze. Barry Schultz and Amy Sole both winning Regional gold and County gold in their age groups for the 2km race. Bella Pillow won a Regional bronze medal and County gold medal in her age group for the 2km race. William Clarke also competed in the 2km race, finishing 11th. 

Phil Trelford won County gold for his age group in the 3km and Annabelle Smith competed in her first ever open water event, finishing 10th in the 3km race. 

Maddie Pillow competed in her first open water event, overcoming some fears and finishing 8th in the 1km race. 

Superb swims all round and we wish Alex and Jacob all the best as they go forward to the National Championships on 27th July at Rother Valley.  

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

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The drop-in events, which last year attracted hundreds of young people, are returning to the district due to popular demand.

They provide a unique opportunity for anyone under the age of 18 to try their hand at sporting events and clubs operating locally and find out more about organisations offering support and advice.

There will be opportunities to scramble up a climbing wall, meet the fire service, try your hand at judo (Burwell only) or korfball (Haddenham only) or have a work out at a mobile gym.

Plus, you can find out more what you can do to help reduce waste and increase recycling in East Cambs.

A bike mechanic will be available to offer advice on bike maintenance and carry out basic repairs on the day free of charge, and the police will be offering bike security marking. 

There will also be opportunities to meet support organisations and ask questions about topics you may want to know more about, such as mental health advice, careers opportunities, how to maintain a healthy weight, and drugs and knife crime.

Stephanie Jones, Communities and Partnerships officer at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Whether you want to just have an enjoyable free day out with friends, or find out more about the support and services that are available – or both, it’s guaranteed there will be something for everyone on the day.”

Last year Youth Fusion events took place in Soham, Littleport and Bottisham.

Nina, aged 12, said: “I thought it was really good, I loved the climbing wall, and I won a smart watch from the sports people in the bean bag relay.”

Logan, aged 9, added: “I really enjoyed the day, especially the climbing wall.  Really hope I can go again this year.”

The Youth Fusion days will be held between 11am and 3pm at:  

• Burwell Recreation Ground on Thursday 8 August 2024 
• Haddenham Recreation Ground on Thursday 28 August 2024

Both sites are fully accessible, and attendees are advised to take their own water bottles for refills on the day. Limited parking is available.

The events are being supported by a diverse range of organisations including East Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership, Living Sport and EMC bicycle repairs. 

You can find out more about the Youth Fusion days, together with lots of handy hints and tips for young people on the youth pages on East Cambridgeshire District Council’s website.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Free Youth Fusion events for Burwell and Haddenham appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Organisers Friends of the Lantern School (FOTLS) had been on standby in case forecasts of stormy weather proved to be true – but a warm, dry day meant the sponsored assault course could take place.

The Lantern Ninja Dash had been rained off twice – in March and in May – but the challenge, a highlight for many of the 450 or so students at the school and Goslings Preschool, had been worth the wait, organiser Sinead Hurley said.

She added: “After a few false starts, it was great that the ‘Around the World’ Ninja Dash could finally go ahead. The kids really enjoyed the event, saying they couldn’t wait to see what next year’s theme would be. This made it all worthwhile.”

The sponsored race has so far raised £2856. Adding Gift Aid takes the total to about £3486, which will be spent on outdoor shelters for the school.

Budding ninjas aged between three and 11 got to put their speed and agility to the test, with a series of obstacles to conquer around the school’s back field.

Children were challenged to crawl under an “eel hive from Ely”, balance along the “Great Wall of China”, dodge bears and alligators in America, crocodiles in Africa, weave through the Amazon rainforest and hop across Antarctica, while avoiding “deadly snakes and spiders” in Australia! 

Straw bales allowed kids to scale the peaks of the Himalayas – but they had to watch out for the Yeti!

The celebrations continued into the evening, with the day branded as “Festive Friday – the Remix”, referring to the fact that the initial event had been postponed. Students enjoyed a non-uniform day in exchange for a donation to Ely Foodbank. 

As well as the Ninja Dash taking place throughout the day, FOTLS put on after school entertainment, including inflatables and refreshments.

FOTLS chair Meredith Hux Atkins said: “We are so grateful to our small but mighty team of volunteers, who stayed behind late on Thursday to set up, and were at school all day on Friday. There is so much that happens behind the scenes to ensure events like this are a success. We would also like to thank the school for their incredible support.”

Press release from Friends of The Lantern School

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Voice 21 works with more than 1000 schools nationally, and Ely College was one of only 24 to have their oracy achievements recognised in the most recent round of applications.

The Voice 21 Oracy Centre of Excellence award certifies and celebrates schools that are changing the way they educate by supporting students to find their voice – and as a result, are transforming their learning and life chances. To secure its recognition, Ely College had to demonstrate the quality of oracy education being provided across five areas of school life: their school’s vision, culture, curriculum, learning and impact on students.

A Voice 21 report, shared with the College, states “there is a strong vision for oracy which is held by the whole school community.” This ensures “students have a range of opportunities to develop their voices both inside and outside the classroom and are being supported to enhance their conversational skills with adults.” 

Samantha Rasmussen, Oracy Lead and Vice Principal of Ely College said: “Oracy is a vital skill, particularly in our post-pandemic world, and we have seen the incredible difference it can make to the learning and confidence of students at all ages and abilities in our school. We are thrilled to be the only secondary school in the East of England to achieve this award and one of only a handful of secondaries nationally. This has been a significant project for us over the last few years and it’s great to see all our efforts formally recognised.”

As a Voice 21 Oracy Centre of Excellence, Ely College will support other schools in the community and across the country, showcasing how oracy teaching can impact their students’ future education and employment opportunities.

Oracy has been shown to be as important as reading and numeracy in improving life outcomes for children. According to The Skills Imperative 2035, communication and collaboration skills are one of six ‘Essential Employment Skills’.

Simon Warburton, Principal of Ely College said: “We are delighted to have been recognised as an Oracy Centre of Excellence by Voice 21. At Ely College, we are passionate about improving the quality of education and life in Ely to ensure the young adults who leave our care are prepared for the next stage of their education and are ready and confident to move forward as responsible and employable citizens. I am so proud of our Ely College team who have worked incredibly hard to place oracy at the heart of our teaching and learning.”

In its 2021 report ‘Speak for Change’, the Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group highlighted the importance of oracy education to improve academic performance, underpin literacy and vocabulary, support wellbeing and confidence, and enable young people to access employment and thrive in life beyond school.

Kate Paradine, CEO at Voice 21, says: “I’d like to congratulate Ely College on becoming a Voice 21 Oracy Centre of Excellence. It’s a testament to the innovative and inspirational oracy teaching by staff across the College. This is already having significant impacts on students’ learning, and will be of huge benefit to them as they progress throughout school and in future education and employment opportunities. Ely College is part of the national oracy movement that is transforming the education system and preparing all students to use their voice to succeed in school and in life.”

For more information about Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form, please visit: www.elycollege.com.

Press release from Ely College

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At Ely Tigers we are keen to encourage women and girls to ‘have a go’ and see for themselves what rugby really is as a sport for girls and women. We have a great team of coaches offering fun and friendly training sessions twice weekly, when the season starts in September. Over the last 2 years we have doubled the number of girls we have training with Ely Tigers and now have some fantastic ‘Girls’ Rugby’ shirts. 

After a good season of training and finding our feet at the various Pitch Up and Play events with the Ely Tigers Girls we would love to encourage more Girls to come and try Rugby, so we might be able to enjoy the benefit of playing more competitive rugby with the ECRU Clusters. We decided to run a 3-week recruitment opportunity for girls to come along and have a go. No previous experience was needed just come and see what we are about, meet the players and coaches and try rugby for free. Local secondary schools were invited, via email, to put up a poster and offer the training sessions to Girls at the colleges to come and try rugby for free. 

The Ely Tigers Girls players themselves were also encouraged to bring friends along who might be interested in Rugby. On 3 Wednesday evenings in June (5th, 12th & 19th) we had 1-hour long training sessions. On the final Wednesday, after the training we had a social in the club house and offered the girls a chance to chat and share pizza together

It was a success, we had a number of girls come along for the free sessions, most of them are keen to return and get involved with the Girls rugby at Ely Tigers.

 We now have girls in U12, U14 and U16 age groups. As a club, we would love to see more girls being able to take part in rugby games. 

If you know anyone who would like to try rugby or just come and see what we do then please come along to our training sessions. Training sessions in September are free to attend. 

For further information please email girls4rugbyelytigers@yahoo.com

Press release from Ely Tigers

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The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This event showcased the creative work completed by the students and artists involved, while also offering further creative activities and reflection
on the project.

In 2023 Babylon Arts was fortunate to secure funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for an 18-month project entitled ‘Inspired by Nature’, working with partners at The National Trust’s Wicken Fen site and Ely Museum. The aim was to develop creative approaches that enabled connection and engagement for people with low vision, young people and the wider public, thereby improving access to arts and heritage for more people. And we were also delighted to be able to involve Highfield Littleport Academy in a later hands-on, creative phase which culminated on Thursday 6th June.
All children at the school benefited from practical workshops in February and March 2024 with three professional artists, Lead Artist, Kaitlin Ferguson and Assistant Artists, Amy Wormald and Lyn Pryor, experimenting with a variety of printmaking techniques using natural inks from blueberries, beetroot and bark and taking into consideration nature, whilst
referencing fossils and those we may leave behind!

A significant and magnificent truly co-created artwork, ‘Deep Time – Imagining Ely’s Prehistoric Landscape and Ocean’ comprising of 4 printed wall hangings on muslin that incorporate imagery provided by the artists and the children has been installed at an impressive height in the school hall to serve as a legacy and a reminder of the fruitful and creative interactions that took place in the school during the residency by the artists.

On Thursday 6th June a Celebration Event brought together all the young participants, several parents and carers, teachers and the artists to enjoy the fruits of their labours and to engage in some further creative activity and evaluation.

The main highlight was that the children saw the finished artwork, ‘Deep Time’ for the first time and were very excited to
see some of their own drawings incorporated and all the pupils credited on the wooden plaque alongside! Other highlights of the project adorn the walls of the school where you can see framed prints made by the children and fired handmade clay fossils are on display in
the hall. During the event, children were given access to a Sensory Room where they enjoyed Kaitlin Ferguson’s film about Wicken Fen, accompanied by scented oils to stimulate their senses, a fossil digging station where they played amateur archaeologists, unearthing some 3D printed wooden fossils and a printmaking table where they produced a largescale
communal print by using fossil stamps that they had made themselves during the project.

“The finished artwork is fantastic, it depicts the students sensory and learning experiences perfectly,” said Yvonne Skillern, the Headteacher of Highfields Littleport Academy,

“It is great that every student from the most sensory learner to some of our artists of the future have been included in the project. It has been of huge benefit to our learners and we would love to repeat this sort of project again. A huge thank you to Babylon Arts for making
this possible”

The children and parents even provided creative feedback on their experience of the project on sugar paper leaves with which they could adorn a tree or via dinosaur footprints that could be placed on a pathway through nature, printed using real leaves and plants! Some of their comments included: “I want to be an artist”, “It made me feel proud of myself” and “This was the best day ever”.

Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and to National Lottery Players for making this possible.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

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Young pupils from The Rackham C of E Primary School submitted their work along with over 21,500 students aged 4-19 from across the UK.

The artwork is judged by a panel of artists and arts professionals who select those to be displayed at The Royal Academy of Art – one of the world’s leading galleries.

Winston loves to paint, draw and model with clay at home and was very excited when he heard his painting had been accepted for both the online exhibition and to be displayed to the public on-site at the Royal Academy.

“When my dad told me, I started running around the house screaming madly!” Winston says.

Using poster paints, she mixed a very muddy brown then created the scene using a sponge. “I love playing rugby for Ely Tigers,” Wren says. “My favourite way to paint is crazy and it makes me feel happy.”

Wren’s work will join approximately 500 other curated pieces to be displayed in the Royal Academy online exhibition.

Now in its sixth year, the RA Young Artists’ Summer Show is a free, open submission exhibition for pupils studying in the UK.

Once their school has registered, students can submit just one piece of artwork along with a short description.

28 pupils from The Rackham Primary School in Witchford submitted work in a wide variety of forms including still life, portraits, textiles, mixed media and collage. The Rackham After School Club also entered with a collaboratively created quilt.

Assistant Headteacher and Art Lead at The Rackham Primary School, Mrs. Stephanie Deery, believes art is vital in allowing children to express themselves and explore ideas in creative and visual ways.

“Creating opportunities for the children to see that they are already ‘real artists’ is hugely important. Wren and Winston have really impressed us with their unique pieces of work. They had very different ideas and inspiration which shows that art can be about anything. We hope their success will inspire even more children to give it a try next year.”

Head Teacher Miss. Georgina Turner added:

“It has been a source of great pride to witness the enthusiasm and artistic talent that is abundant throughout The Rackham student population.

Joining this competition has enabled our pupils to broaden their understanding of potential careers within the creative industry. Congratulations to everyone who took part!”

Local Authority and Art Link Governor at the school Mrs. Emily Chase is thrilled to see pupils engaging with an internationally renowned gallery.

“It is so exciting to see the school value and provide creative opportunities that raise the aspirations of pupils. Taking part in the Royal Academy Young Artists’ Summer Show is such a great experience for all and an amazing achievement for those selected. I’m looking forward to seeing all the work submitted and viewing those selected at the exhibition!”

The exhibition will open at the Royal Academy of Art in London on Tuesday 16th July and will also be available to explore online at: www.youngartists.royalacademy.org.uk. All entries submitted by The Rackham pupils will also be displayed in the school hall.

“Submitting work at this level is such a brave thing to do,” says Mrs. Deery. “We are super proud of all our children who submitted work for putting themselves out there and giving it a go!”

Press release from Rackham C of E Primary School

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They unanimously agreed a cross-party motion at Thursday’s Full Council meeting (23 May 2024), which recognises the essential role of play in child development. The motion also highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for outdoor play that can been accessed by all children, including those with mobility disabilities, such as wheelchair users.

The council will now carry out an independent audit of all 27 playgrounds it maintains, which provide a range of facilities for toddlers, juniors and youths.

Parish councils will also be contacted and invited to submit to the council playgrounds within their control for the same independent audit.

A budget of up to £25,000 has been set aside to carry out the audit.

Once complete, the council will develop an inclusive Playground Strategy which looks at what can be achieved in the short, medium and long term, explore possible funding opportunities and create a toolkit to help deliver improvements which will be made when the existing equipment needs replacing.

Cllr Mark Goldsack, who was voted in at the meeting as chair of the council for the second consecutive year, said: “Children and young people deserve to have the best start in their lives, and the opportunity to play safely in an outdoor environment is something that every child should be able to do – no matter what physical or mental disabilities they may have.

“One of my great pleasures is to spend time with my two grandchildren at the local parks.

“I am delighted that we have been able to work together across all the parties to bring forward this motion which will ensure that as our playgrounds need replacing, and where practical to do so, we will incorporate inclusivity as a foundational principle.”

The council has also agreed to work closely with its planning department to encourage Inclusive Playgrounds into the planning and approval processes for new developments. It will also explore the feasibility of developing a planning policy, through the new Local Plan, to include a requirement to deliver Inclusive Playgrounds.

The motion was bought before the committee by Cllr Chika Akinwale and seconded by Cllr Alan Sharp.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

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Thomas Strudwick, who is in Year 10 at King’s Ely Senior, has been crowned the ‘Intermediate Class’ winner of this year’s Young Organists’ Competition. The contest is organised by the School Organists’ Association, which was launched in 2020 to support organists and organ teachers in UK schools. 

Thomas, who is a former Ely Cathedral Chorister and who is heavily involved in the music scene at King’s Ely, submitted a video of him playing Buxtehude’s ‘Praeludium in C’ on the organ at Ely Cathedral.

Thomas, who also plays the piano and cello, joined King’s Ely Prep as a Year 4 pupil. He only started playing the organ in October 2022. Thomas said: “I am very surprised but extremely pleased to have won!”

Describing his winning piece, Professor Edward Higginbottom, the music scholar, organist, choirmaster, and conductor who adjudicated the competition, said: “A very fine performance. It had rhetorical swagger where needed, tight ensemble when that was required, brilliant passagework as the occasion arose, and an overall sense of improvisatory brilliance. Your fingers are in very good shape, not least in the lively trills. Excellent composure at the console. Many congratulations.”

In 2021, Thomas was commended in the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA) Willcocks Composition Competition. This was for ‘Sing to the Lord a New Song’, which he wrote himself earlier that year, and which was first performed as an introit at a Saturday Evensong at Ely Cathedral.

Mr Neil Porter-Thaw, who is Director of Music at King’s Ely, said: “Thomas’ musical journey thus far has been very impressive indeed. He works hard, and he is so passionate about his music. His feet are firmly on the ground, and he is always very modest about his achievements. I continue to be proud of his efforts and his dedication to become the very best that he can be.”

King’s Ely and Ely Cathedral provide a truly unique environment for young organists to develop their skills, including the offering of a Sixth Form Organ Scholarship. This outstanding opportunity is designed for a young organist seeking to apply for a University Organ Scholarship or Conservatoire course. It can also act as preparation for a gap-year Cathedral post. Former Ely Organ Scholars have gone on to prestigious University placements, including the Organ Scholarships of King’s, Girton, and Emmanuel Colleges in Cambridge, and most recently at Jesus College, Cambridge, where Miriam Reveley FRCO is the first female Organ Scholar in the College’s 500-year history.

King’s Ely is renowned for its holistic approach to education, and this is reflected in the school’s outstanding Visual and Performing Arts provision. Music, Drama and Theatre, Fine Art, Fashion and Textiles, Photography and Dance are each embedded in the culture of King’s Ely, with vast opportunities for pupils of all abilities and aspirations. To discover more, please visit: www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely student triumphant in 2024 Young Organists’ Competition appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Organized by ActivePlay Education, the tournament was held on the astro pitch at Ely Outdoor Sports Association and the teams played 15 minute games against each other team.

Laurence Maskell of ActivePlay Education said ‘Every single player played really well and showed some fantastic skills.  Despite the heat, they all gave it everything and they should all be very proud of themselves!’  

The Winners of the tournament were Fordham Primary School 1s and the Runners Up were Isle of Ely Primary School. 

Player of the Tournament medals were also given to one person from each team who showed real sportsmanship and teamwork during the tournament.  

Press release from ActivePlay Education

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The new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) has been fitted on the wall next to the skate park, adding to the network of life-saving equipment across Ely. The Defibrillator is available for use 24/7 by anyone who needs it, and has been registered on the national database so that 999 call operators can provide an access code to unlock the equipment in an emergency.

Group Lead Volunteer Brian Calvert said it had been placed in “a key location”.

“We have over 130 young people taking part in Scouts each week, as well as 30 group volunteers. We also recognise that we are key part of the Ely community and our hut is in a busy public location next to St. John’s Park”.

“It was important to us as Scouts that the equipment be available for anyone in our community who might need it, and not locked away” he said.

“Anyone can use a defibrillator – no training is needed as it tells you exactly what to do. Having our own AED gives a great focus for the first aid training for our young people, so we’ll ensure that all our Beavers, Cubs and Scouts know how to use one”.

Funding for the defibrillator was obtained through a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) grant with the Trustees of 1st Ely Scouts unanimously agreeing to match-fund the grant with a £750 donation.

Press release from 1st Ely Scouts

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Hundreds of photographers from across the globe entered this year’s ‘Beyond the Frame’ competition, which is organised annually by Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) and Canon to celebrate the creativity and skill of photography students aged 11-19. The theme of this year’s contest was ‘People, Places and Things’.

King’s Ely is proud to announce that Emily Freeman won the ‘age 11-15 category’ and Finnian Stroud scooped a ‘judge’s choice’ prize. King’s Ely students whose work was shortlisted are Sophie Haydn-Slater, Sixuan Meng, Hetty Hoyles, Austin Talbot, Sam Clarke, Wilfred Waters, Thomas Peters, Edward Bailey, and Eliza O’Donnell.

King’s Ely students have snapped their way to victory in ‘Beyond the Frame’ for several years running now. Last year, seven pupils were shortlisted, and Ella Martin won the ‘People’ category. Other pupils who have been successful in the competition in recent years are Freya Moss (2022), Ivana Peat (2021), Francesca Stevens (2021), Emily Parsons (2020), Paige Newell (2020), Lydia Goff (2020), and Gaia Giardinelli (2018).

Mr Antonio Longo, who has been Head of Photography at King’s Ely for nine years, said: “Beyond the Frame provides our students with a fantastic opportunity to compete against great schools and colleges worldwide. To have eleven students shortlisted this year is amazing and to have two students go on to win categories is a stunning achievement. I am committed to creating a Photography Department at King’s Ely that is a community filled with young and creative minds. My approach to teaching photography is to support young photographers with their technical and creative skills, and to encourage them to capture the world around them in a unique way, making the ordinary, extra ordinary. I am very proud of all the students and the whole department for its continued success.”

This year’s judging panel was made up of James Smith, who is Photography Course Leader at NUA; professional photographer, Ian Hippolyte; and leading photography retoucher, Emily Salmon. It was Emily who awarded Finnian a prize for his image.

Prints of all the students’ images are now on display to members of the public in the ‘Beyond the Frame Exhibition’, which is running at NUA’s East Gallery in Norwich until Saturday, April 27th. For more information, please visit: https://norwichbeyondtheframe.com/ 

King’s Ely is renowned for its holistic approach to education, and this is reflected in the school’s outstanding Visual and Performing Arts provision. Music, Drama and Theatre, Fine Art, Fashion and Textiles, Photography and Dance are each embedded in the culture of King’s Ely, with vast opportunities for pupils of all abilities and aspirations.

A Whole School Open Morning is being held at King’s Ely on Saturday, May 11th. To book your family’s place or to find out more about the extensive opportunities available to students, please visit: www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely  

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The team members ranged in age from 17 to 62.  Despite the diversity in age, each competitor demonstrated a shared love for the sport, showcasing the enduring appeal and inclusivity of swimming as a lifelong activity.  

A team of 14 younger swimmers also attended a development meet hosted by City of Peterborough Swimming Club, with each stroke these budding athletes demonstrated a hunger for success and a determination to excel. Their performances served as a reminder of the importance of nurturing talent at a grassroots level and providing opportunities for growth and development within the sport. 

Well done to all athletes competing!

Masters competing:

Jeanne Steele, Louise Barker, Matthew Chadwick, Phil Trelford, Simon Clasby, Martyn Fresher, Mark Banwell, Bella Pillow, Ella Dunham, Hannah Kershaw, Sian Barnes.

Results for Development Meet:

James Clarke (6 1st places), Dexter Davey (6 3rd places), Will Clarke (3 1st, 1 2nd & 2 3rd places), K Hatch (1 3rd place), Alice Robinson (1 2nd & 2 3rd places), Norah Daniels (2 1st & 2 3rd places), 8 year olds were awarded medals: Poppy Woods (1 Silver, 2 Bronze), Amber Allott (4 Gold).

The rest of the team securing personal best times were Zach Woods, Henry Langley, Florence Law, Isabella Beardmore, Gracie Wickens & Mia Mansfield.

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

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Team Ely emerged as a dominant force, clinching an impressive total of 91 medals, 190 personal best and 11 regional times from the team of 48 swimmers.

Among the notable athletes, the Clarke Siblings, 14 year old Megan, 12 year old Will and 10 year old James, distinguished themselves by securing an impressive total of 28 medals collectively. Additionally 10 year old Peony Jackson emerged as a force to be reckoned with, clinching an astounding 14 medals, 13 of which were gold.

City of Ely also had several young swimmers who consistently excelled in their respective events, winning their first open meet medals were 10 year old Zachary Woods, Norah Daniels and 9 year old Edward Gates. 11 year old Maisie Llang highlighted her exceptional skill within the 50 and 100 metre Butterfly races securing silvers in both.

All of the swimmers achievements not only reflect the individuals abilities but also highlight the efforts of coaches, parents and supporters who play a vital role in their journey towards excellence.

Full results for the team were: 

Peony Jackson (13 Gold, 1 Silver), Will Clarke (3 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze), James Clarke (8 Gold, 3 Silver), Megan Clarke (1 Gold, 4 Bronze), Zoe Thompson (4 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Annabelle Smith (3 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze), Dexter Davey (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze), Erin-Mae Carey (2 Silver, 2 Bronze), Finn Taylor (2 Silver, 2 Bronze), Tia Hill (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Matthew Chadwick (1 Gold, 1 Bronze), Maisie Llang (2 Silver), Alex Pashley (1 Silver, 1 Bronze), Daniel Kendall (1 Gold, 1 Silver), Zachery Woods (1 Silver), Gabriel Kim (1 Silver), Josh Black (1 Gold), Lauren Turnock (1 Bronze), Edward Gates (1 Silver), Felicity Gates (1 Bronze), Isabelle Clasby (1 Silver), Norah Daniels (1 Bronze), Stephanie Lakinger (1 Silver).

The rest of the team securing personal best times were: Shea O’Brien, Phil Trelford, Beatrice Cassandro, Florence Law, Eryn Pashley, Isabelle Stevens, Georgia Knoop, Mia Mansfield, Olivia D’Souza, Madeleine Pillow, Chloe Gardner, Gemma Gardner, Isobel Whittaker, Keira Mavin, Jacob Hipkin, Isabella Pillow, Lola Carey, Lily Alston, Isabella Beardmore, Flora Wilson, Rosa Hague, Jake Dunham, Xanthe Rowe, Henry Langley and Imogen Ryan.

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

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Norman went on to achieve another Air Cadet first, when – on 5th February 1941 as a seventeen year old hoping to join the Royal Air Force – he became one of the first air cadets to join the newly formed Air Training Corps which took over all the existing ADCC Units and rapidly expanded to see Air Cadet Squadrons springing up in every community across the Country, including Ely.

With the Second World War raging across Europe and the Battle of Britain having only just been won by the RAF in the Skies overhead, Norman knew that he wanted to join up and defend his country.

At the age of 18, he left home for the first time, as he left 361 Gateshead Squadron – Air Cadets to join the Royal Air Force where he went on to serve on RAF Lancaster Bombers.

With so many bomber bases in Cambridgeshire and the East of England, Mr. Brown settled in Cambridgeshire and on Saturday, at his Oakington home he received a signed birthday card from The King and Queen wishing him a happy 100th birthday.

Mr. Brown’s family, who have connections with Ely’s Air Cadet Squadron, arranged a special surprise guard of honour to welcome him as he stepped out of a vintage 100-year-old Rolls Royce at Girton Social Club for a family celebration along with a long-term family friend and 80’s Pop Star Sonia.

Mr. Brown -who obviously hasn’t forgotten his military training- stood to attention smartly returning the Salute and inspected the cadets in the Guard of Honour, speaking with the cadets and thanking them individually.

What a marvellous evening and a marvellous man, Happy Birthday Sir, and thank you for your years of service.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

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Ely College have been ‘maximising the minutes’, packing in a host of trips, workshops and extra curricular experiences that saw one of their busiest terms yet. From entering robotic competitions, to Duke of Edinburgh timed tent challenges; parliamentary debates and a tour to oracy and confidence workshops – staff and students have showcased their passion for ‘extending the boundaries of learning’. The week culminated with their annual Science Festival, spearheaded by Year 8 students. 

Mr O’Neil, Teacher of Biology who organised the Science Festival commented: “We were very impressed at how diligently students worked to carry out their scientific investigations in lessons and collaborated to present their projects with such flair. Throughout school there has been a real buzz and we have excitedly waited for the opportunity to see the results of all the hard work that has gone on this term.”

After weeks of trail and errors, hypothesising and observing, students presented their findings to their families, staff and peers. It was a great opportunity for the students to showcase their scientific knowledge and creativity as well as learning new skills, building confidence, and working in teams to develop a love of science that will stay with them for years to come.

As part of the Meridian Trust curriculum, the college takes this time to develop a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) before their important subject choices and GCSE years. Year 7 and 8 students work towards their CREST Award – CREST is a national scheme that encourages young people to think and act like scientists and engineers. To achieve a CREST Award, students complete these hands-on projects. 

Principal, Mr Warburton, who opened the festival with Mr O’Neil was eager to get involved and safely demonstrated the impressive potato clock experiment. He commented: “We are very proud of our Year 8 students – the Science Festival is a tribute to our Trust values in action. Many thanks to the families and friends of the college for attending the day and supporting their projects at home.” 

The range of experiments and presentations on offer was impressive. Other stands run by students included how to create lava lamps using household ingredients, fruit batteries made out of lemons, designing mini catapults, floating tea bags and how to make fireworks glow different colours.

Press release from Ely College

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The play follows the character, Grusha, a servant girl who rescues baby Micheal during times of war and conflict. Played by Year 10 student Eleanor Wallman, she goes on to be a better mother than the child’s wealthy and contemptible biological parents, but in the final act a decision needs to be made; who will raise ‘the precious child’?

The tightknit ensemble took the audience on a transformative descent into the Brechtian chaos, and just as quickly, raised their hopes and spirits as they witnessed justice prevail. From the very start students interacted with the audience, making them feel as if they were one of the villagers. Guests were asked to hold props and were given delicious produce whilst sides were formed. Brecht’s unique style of ‘a play within a play’ was captivating as were the young actors. 

After two large scale musical productions, this was the first time the college as part of Meridian Trust had set their sights on such a challenging play. These young actors were joyously committed – many of whom had not previously performed on such a scale – but took to the stage in an extraordinary & moving epic drama with music, song, demanding physicality, a central love story and an immersive depth not seen before in an Ely College production.

Laura Tod, Teacher of Drama and Director thanked everyone involved in making the show such a success, proud that they had all taken a risk with this relatively unknown play: “We knew the themes would challenge our young cast. I am incredibly proud of all the students involved and how they have engaged with the play in such a mature and thoughtful way. Their willingness to take risks, think outside the box and collaborate with each other has been outstanding. It was amazing to share our project last week with family, friends and the local community.”

This production showcased not only the students’ incredible acting, but also displayed some phenomenal musical talent. A powerful quartet, Catrin Andrews, Leyah Christensen, Annabelle Martinez and Harper Thurow narrated through song, this thrilling and explosive drama. The ensemble doubled up their work, using their skills and talents behind the scenes, creating clever lighting and staging, culminating in yet another high-quality performance.

Escaping via a rope bridge made of moving suitcases, as well as some impressive and imaginative use of props to aid the performance, the use of a handmade puppet for the character of Michael was extremely unique and clever. Director Laura Tod explained how they brought the puppet to life: “We watched some National Theatre tutorials online which helped us understand how to animate the puppet. One of the main things was to be able to move the head freely. This really helped demonstrate that Michael was a curious little boy with a strong attachment to Grusha.” 

Principal Simon Warburton commented: “I thought the show was a wonderful experience to watch.  It is a challenging and complex text but our students acted with a confidence and assuredness that truly belied their age and experience.  The company have produced an inspirational togetherness and resilience and have developed longstanding friendships across a range of age groups.  I am very grateful for the wonderful teaching and guidance from all the staff involved with this production.”

Press release from Ely College

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First Class Cadet Ariyaana Khanom joined 1094 (City of Ely) Squadron Air Cadets in March of 2023 and she hasnt let the grass grow under her feet.

Ariyaana (seen here knitting poppies for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day) may only have 12 months service, but she has already secured a place on The Fantasy Wings National 10 month (1 weekend a month) mentorship programme organised by all the majpr UK airlines to encourage young people from underrepresented communities to consider a carreer in Aviation.

Fantasy Wings, goal is to give Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and Women a platform to enter and excel in the Aviation industry or become commercial airline pilots through expert-led workshops, conferences, mentoring and real flight training.

1st Class Cadet Ariyaana Khanom was selected as one of fifty candidates from thousands of applicants up and down the country and at the end of this inspirational journey, the top three candidates will be offered a fully paid scholarship to attain their Private Pilot’s Licence.

Congratulations Ariyaana for having the courage and confidence to aim high for your dream of becoming an Airline Pilot. We are all behind you and wish you all the luck in the world with your endeavours.

Commandant Air Cadets
Royal Air Force Air Cadets
Central & East Region Air Cadets
Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing ATC

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

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Students in Years 9 to 13 spent weeks battling it out in a series of heats, all vying for a place at the school’s annual Instrumental Festival Finalists’ Concert, which was held in Ely Cathedral’s beautiful South Transept.

Musicians who made the finals this year were: James Barber, William Kirkup, Thomas Strudwick, Julian Mak, Maxime Prince, Lauren Booth, Sayuri Okunushi, Samuel Trueman, Polly Casey, Ian Mak, Lily McCallum, Anna Ost, and The Aeolian Trio.

The adjudicator on the evening was musician and organist, Andrew Reid, who is Director of Music at Little St Mary’s Church, Cambridge. Andrew is former Managing Director of Harrison & Harrison Organ Builders, former Director of the Royal School of Church Music, and a previous Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral.

After much deliberation, Mr Reid announced Year 10 violinist, Julian Mak, as King’s Ely’s Years 9 to 11 Instrumentalist of the Year. Julian performed ‘Nigun from 3 pictures of Chassidic life’ by Ernest Bloch. Flautist, Lauren Booth, who is in Year 13, won the title of King’s Ely Sixth Form Instrumentalist of the Year. Lauren performed ‘Sonata in D Op.94, 1st Movement’ by Sergei Prokofiev.

Mr Neil Porter-Thaw, who is Director of Music at King’s Ely, said: “This year’s Finalists’ Concert was an incredible show of talent! Twelve individual performances were heard, as well as a piano trio and a cello duet. Mr Reid was completely taken aback by the quality and maturity of each performance, and he had a very difficult task of choosing a winner. Congratulations of course to Lauren and Julian, but well done to every single student who took part in the competition – you are all winners!”

Students who were highly commended in the competition were: Hugh Chippington (trombone), Ian Mak (piano), Gabriella Wu (drum kit), Alex Sturman (drum kit), James Allen (piano), James Allen (cello), Anna Ost (cello), Polly Casey (recorder), Danny Kim (saxophone), Harry Walker (trombone), Robert Reed (piano), Matthew Allen (violin), Dick Cheng (piano), and Thomas Strudwick (piano).

King’s Ely is renowned for its creative and holistic approach to education, and this is reflected in the school’s outstanding Visual and Performing Arts provision. Music, Drama and Theatre, Fine Art, Fashion and Textiles, Photography and Dance are each embedded in the culture of King’s Ely, with vast opportunities for pupils of all abilities and aspirations.

Music is one of the reasons King’s Ely came into existence in the first place, back in 970 AD. Today, over a third of students learn a musical instrument or receive vocal tuition. From the Boy and Girl Choristers of Ely Cathedral Choir to jazz and rock bands, orchestras, and its famous all boys’ a cappella group, the King’s Barbers, the quality, range, and variety of ensembles all attest to the school’s musical pedigree.

King’s Ely’s Senior Vocal Festival Finalists’ Concert is taking place in the Cathedral on Monday, March 11th at 7pm. Tickets are free, and everyone is welcome.

Other musical events coming up at the school include ‘A Night at the Hot Club of Paris’ Recital Series Concert on the evening of Wednesday, March 13th, and King’s Ely Senior’s ‘Concerto and Choral Concert’ at Ely Cathedral on Saturday, March 23rd. For tickets or more information, please visit: www.kingsely.org/news-events/box-office/

To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please call (01353) 660707, email admissions@kingsely.org or visit www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely Instrumentalists of the Year are announced! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

What is The Longest Yarn?

The Longest Yarn is an eighty metre 3D knitted/crocheted work depicting The Longest Day 6th June 1944 produced in time for the 80th Anniversary of this pivotal day in history.

Tansy Forster had long admired the post box toppers and yarn bombing events in the UK and she had an idea to create a knitted topper for her garden wall in Houesville, Normandy, France, for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.

However, with the help of few freinds the idea grew and grew and went viral, now with the help of knitters around the world the idea has grown into am eighty metre long woolen work of art representing the D Day landings and The Battle of Normandy.

A 3D knitted “tapestry” divided into eighty, one metre panels is being constructed all around the world. From as far away as Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America, Canada, as well as Great Britain, Ireland and the rest of Europe.

Each panel represents what happened on that fateful day – June 6th 1944 – from the soldiers embarking in England being delayed by poor weather, to the fierce battles on the landing beaches in Normandy, and the bombardment of the towns and cities.

The Longest Yarn will go on display on 28th May 2024 at Notre Dame Cathedral in Carentan near the Normandy beaches where this collaborative work of art will be on display until 1st September and then it will be on tour… The first destination will possibly be Southwell Cathedral in Nottinghamshire from 8th to 28th September – other venues are to be confirmed.

If you would like to get involved, you can visit the longest Yarn website where you can donate or register to help create part of this wonderful tribute.

Visit the website here: https://www.thelongestyarn.com

Commandant Air Cadets
Royal Air Force Air Cadets
Central & East Region Air Cadets
Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing ATC

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely Air Cadet Yarn Bombers on target for The Longest Day appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Our Guest of Honour and principal speaker, Wing Commander Anthony Kelly RAFAC (Retd) and his wife Mrs Sue Kelly, The Mayor Cllr Chris Phillips and The Mayoress Mary Rone, Mr David Martin, Chairman from Royal British Legion, Mr Colin Wills, 1094 Honorary President and his wife Mrs Faye Wills, Squadron Leader David McMillan RAF (Retd) and his wife Mrs Jackie McMillan, Mrs Caroline Sandford (step-daughter of the late Norman Green our Squadron President) and her partner Mr Martin Sandford.

Guests, Cadets and Staff enjoyed a formal evening and sumptuous food in the historic setting of The Monastic Barn at Kings School Ely.

The Squadron dinner was an opportunity to reflect on the Squadron’s acheivements in the past year including being awarded The Freedom of the City and a celebration of the remarkable commitment of Cadet Forces Adult Volunteers, and the sacrifices they and their families make in the development of young people into good citizens with a spirit of adventure.

In particular the night was an opportunity to dine out our retiring Wing Commander who has given 45 years of voluntary service to thousands upon thousands of Air Cadets from London, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

The cadets all throughly enjoyed the whole ambience of the evening and the military etiquette. Dining in nights are an important part of the fabric of the Squadron and introducing cadets to formal social occasions.

We would like to thank Wing Commander Kelly RAFAC (Retd) for his inspirational speech and the reply speech given on behalf the Squadron by our own Cadet Warrant Officer James Munday in recognition of The Wing Commander’s 45 years of voluntary youth work and the countless lives he has had a positive impact upon.

The Staff and Cadets of our Squadron would like to thank our Civilian Committee and in particular our Squadron Secretary Mrs Natasha Talbot for her consummate attention to detail in planning and organising the dinner with our Squadron Treasurer Mrs Kathy Munday and Kings School for hosting us.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

NB: Alcohol is not served at cadet functions

The post Ely Squadron’s Annual Dining in Night appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Jay joined Ely Squadron in July of 2019 and he has certainly followed his passion for aviation ever since. Jay has reached for the skies at every opportunity and as well as achieving his Solo glider pilots wings at RAF Syerston he was also selected for a powered flying scholarship under the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme Scholarships which he is currently waiting to start training.

Cadet Warrant Officer Carter is not only a graduate of the prestigious Air Cadet Leadership Course at RAF Cranwell but he is also in the process this year of completing yet another National level course as a Quailified Aerospace Instructor and is a lead member of the Wing Training Team providing training for both Junior and Senior Cadet Non Commissioned Officers.

Jay is now heading towards the end of his cadet carreer late this year but in the meantime he is hoping to start a new chapter in his love of Aviation by putting his QAIC qualifications to good use to help other cadets as a Flight Staff Cadet at a local RAFAC Volunteer Gliding Squadron. He is on track to complete his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award before he ages out.

In addition to his Squadron and Wing actvities Jay has also been a keen sportsman attaining Region and National level awards for swimming.

His love for aviation has shone through in his hobbies outside of cadets as an extremely well respected photographer who’s images are often used by professional aviation publications, magazines and books.

Congratulations Jay on a well deserved promotion and appointment as a Cadet Warrant Officer. This is the first time in the Squadron’s history that we have had two Cadet Warrant Officers in post on Squadron at the same time.

Royal Air Force Air Cadets
Commandant Air Cadets
Central & East Region Air Cadets

NB:

During the course of a cadets career they may have the opportunity to be promoted. Promotion to the ranks of Corporal to Flight Sergeant are based on merit and leadership potential. There are no exams to be taken as promotion to these ranks is determined by the Officer Commanding (OC) of the squadron.

Promotion to Cadet Warrant Officer (CWO) is decided by a panel at Wing level. Prospective candidates will be a Flight Sergeant, preferably holding the Master Cadet classification and attend an interview at Wing HQ if they are recommended by their Squadron OC.

Not every Squadron out of the 1000 Air Cadet Squadrons has a Cadet Warrant Officer and out of 46,000 Air Cadets there are only just a few hundred CWO’s nationally.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

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On Wednesday 7th February Babylon ARTS held a prize giving ceremony, in which the winners were announced, with prizes awarded that were generously funded by Tindalls Ltd. Ely Hereward Rotary Club and Anglia Ruskin University.

Babylon ARTS is hosting the East Cambridgeshire Schools’ Exhibition for the fifteenth year running, featuring artwork by students from 20 local schools, showcasing the creative talent of children and young people (ages 4-19) in Cambridgeshire. There are 371 artworks on show, in a variety of mediums, including drawings, paintings, textiles, photography, ceramics
and multi-media work.

The schools participating are: Downham Feofees Primary Academy, Ely College, Fordham C. of E. Primary School, Isle of Ely Primary School, Kings Ely, Lantern Community Primary School, Vista Academy, Littleport Community Primary School, Mepal and Witcham Primary School, Millfield Primary School, Rackham C. of E. Primary School (Witchford), Shade Primary School (Soham), Soham Village College, Spring Meadow Infant & Nursery School,
Stretham Primary School, Weatheralls Primary School (Soham), Willburton Church of England Primary School, Witchford Village College, Robert Arkenstall Primary School
(Haddenham), St John’s Primary.

Michael Corley, chief executive of Babylon ARTS, announced the awards at a ceremony held in Babylon Galley. Prizes were awarded for First, Second and Third place in each Key Stage.

Alongside this, a new prize was awarded for the primary and secondary school with the
‘Widest Variety of Materials or Themes’. The winners received gift vouchers for Tindalls art supplies, generously funded by Tindalls Ltd., Ely Hereward Rotary Club and Anglia Ruskin University.

The schools with winners in each Key Stage were Soham Village College, Ely College, King’s Ely, Witchford Village College, Vista Academy, Littleport Community Primary School, Rackham C. of E. Primary School, Shade Primary School, Lantern Community Primary School, Spring Meadow Infant & Nursery School, Fordham C. of E. Primary School and Millfield Primary School.

The prizes for ‘Widest Variety of Materials or Themes’ went to Littleport Community Primary School and Witchford Village College.

“Babylon ARTS is delighted to celebrate the huge creative talent of the children and young people of East Cambridgeshire,” said Michael Corley, CEO of Babylon ARTS, “Choosing prize winners from the 371 entries was extremely difficult as the standards are so high. Well done to our winners, their teachers and families. Thanks to the sponsors and the members of the public who donate to us to make these events happen.”

East Cambridgeshire Schools’ Art Exhibition 2024 is on from Wednesday 7th February at
Babylon Gallery until Sunday 25th February. Babylon Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday,
12pm to 4pm with free entry.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post East Cambridgeshire Schools’ Art Exhibition 2024 Award Winners Announced appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ely took twenty swimmers who met the qualifying times to Cambridge and despite fierce competition from other clubs, Ely showcased their strength and determination, securing a commendable third place overall.

Adding to the excitement of the event Peony Jackson clinched the title of Top Girl for the 10/11 year old age group, followed closely by her team mate Lyra Schultz in second position. Among the standout performers for the boys, 13 year old Jacob Schultz came in second and 14 year old Josh Black third for their age categories. 

Ely made a significant impact over the two weekends earning 19 Golds, 9 Silvers and 15 Bronze medals. With 18 first, 12 second and 17 third place finishes during the heats our swimmers made it through to 55 finals fighting hard for those medals, pulling off almost 100 personal best records and achieving 40 regional qualifying times. 

At the end of the competition the spotlight shone brightly on the exhilarating swimming relay events, where Ely coaches had selected teams in each age category and extend their thanks to Shea O’Brien for stepping in very last minute to support his friends. The teams showcased their speed, teamwork and determination with another overall end result of third position.

________________________________

Full results for County Championships: 

Peony Jackson (12 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Lyra Schultz (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze), Jacob Schultz (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 7 Bronze), Josh Black (2 Gold, 3 Silver), Megan Clarke (1 Gold), Zoe Thompson (1 Bronze), Cillian O’Brien (1 Bronze), Annabelle Smith (1 Bronze), Alexander Pashley (1 Bronze), Daniel Kendall (1 Silver). The rest of the team competing and securing personal best times were: James Clarke, Finn Tayler, Tia Hill, Sarah Hardiment, William Clarke, Olivia D’Souza, Lauren Turnock, Robert Banwell, Maisie Llang and Wilfred Sole. Sadly Gabriel Kim had qualified but had to pull out due to injury. 

Ely swimmers competing in relays: 

Dexter Davey, Wilfred Sole, Elia Fiorio, Zachary Woods, Isabelle Clasby, Norah Daniels, Peony Jackson, Lyra Schultz, Finn Taylor, Toby Taylor, Alexander Pashley, Jacob Schultz, Imogen Ryan, Florence Langner-Yeates, Eryn Pashley, Flora Wilson, Josh Black, Jake Dunham, Shea O’Brien, Cillian O’Brien, Maisie Llang, Zoe Thompson, Lola Carey, Isabelle Stevens, Daniel Kendall, Nathan Okoro, Robert Banwell, Barry Schultz, Felicity Gates, Xanthe Rowe, Madeleine Pillow, Isobel Whittaker, Simon Clasby, Phillip Trelford, Martyn Fresher, Mark Banwell, Lauren Turnock, Lily Alston, Olivia D’Souza, Annabelle Smith, Keira Mavin, Tia Hill, Sarah Hardiment, Isabella Pillow, Erin-Mae Carey, Harriet Petherick, Hannah Kershaw and Louise Barker. 

Press release from Ely Swimming Club

The post Swimming Success at County Championships! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The number of young people enrolled on apprenticeships in East Cambridgeshire is one of the highest levels across the county, with 11.4% of 18-year-olds enrolled.

But currently, the majority of these posts are outside of the area in Cambridge, meaning the district’s businesses risk losing talent.

To help combat this, East Cambridgeshire District Council is doing all it can to raise awareness around apprenticeships.

In April it will be launching a new grant scheme aimed at businesses interested in expanding their workforce and investing in innovation. It is hoped this will also be an opportunity to support job creation through apprenticeships.

The council is also working closely with West Suffolk College with a view to the college becoming a key delivery partner for apprenticeships in the district.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has also commissioned a feasibility study into the provision of adult education.

Cllr Alan Sharp, who chairs the council’s Finance and Assets Committee, said: “Apprenticeships are a win-win situation for everyone involved.

“Young people get to benefit from on-the-job training where they can obtain industry-wide qualifications at the same time they are gaining valuable work experience and getting paid.

“Employers who hire an apprentice often find it’s a productive and effective way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

“Typically, 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity and 74% say apprentices have helped them improve the quality of their product or service.”

The council itself currently employs 3 apprentices across its finance, customer services and parks and open spaces departments.

Jarred Parisi joined the council on a four-year apprenticeship surveyor degree programme in 2019, graduating last year.

He said: “No two days are the same in building control and you are always helping people, which is probably my favourite part of the job. You also see a variety of different buildings and the way they are constructed and I particularly like that I’m not stuck behind a desk all the time – it’s great being out on site and meeting people.”

Jarred’s commitment to the role won him the LABC’s Newcomer of the Year award in 2022.

Jess Clark is in her second year of an apprenticeship in the finance department and finds learning the different roles and aspects rewarding.

Jess explains: “In my role I am able to experience all aspects of finance, working with the team who are experienced and knowledgeable in their roles. I knew an apprenticeship was the best way for me to train, I can apply what I am learning in a practical way on the job and continue my development at the same time.”

So far Jess has completed AAT level 2 in bookkeeping and is one exam away from completing her AAT level 3 diploma in accounting.

Jess adds: “I enjoy the responsibility of working on my own initiative; knowing I have the ongoing guidance and support from line managers and colleagues really helps. I have found the combination of day release for college and on the job training a rewarding experience and the time has just flown by.”

More information about apprenticeships is available on our website or you can search for an apprenticeship (external link) on the government website.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Apprenticeships thriving in East Cambridgeshire appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Are you 14 or under? It’s your time to shine in this off-road cycling competition! Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned muddy monster, join us for an epic cyclocross experience!

All you need is your mountain or cyclocross bike, a helmet, and some warm gear to conquer the course!

Save the date and register through the British Cycling link below (on-the-day registration is also available):  https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/294308/North-Cambs-Muddy-Monsters

Expect a day filled with fun, support, and camaraderie – your junior racer might even catch the racing bug and join Ely District Cycling Club’s successful Junior/Youth Race Team!

Big shoutout to our fantastic club sponsor B & T Motor Repairs and event sponsor www.phoenixcycleworks.co.uk for supporting this year’s Muddy Monster event!

Questions? Feel free to contact us via Ely & District Cycling Club Juniors

We really hope to see you there!

From Ely and District Cycling Club

The post Calling all Young Cycling Enthusiasts! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

“This weekend ten of our cadets from Ely Squadron were given the opportunity to attend a bronze first aid course at 104 Squadron Cambridge“

The cadets were taught how to help people with:
Asthma
Hypothermia
Bites and stings
Low blood sugar
Bleeding (minor)
Electric shock
Poisons
Bleeding and shock
Fainting
Bone, muscle and joint injuries
Burns and scalds
Foreign objects
Resuscitation
Chest pains
Head injuries
Seizures
Choking
Heat exhaustion
Severe allergic reactions

“All the cadets on this course were very positive towards the learning and application of their new skills and well done to everyone for passing their assessments. I would highly recommend attending a first aid course to anyone looking to further their skillset, you never know when you might need to come to someones aid wether a member of your family or a member of the public.”

“On behalf of those cadets present from Ely Squadron I would like to express our gratitude towards all our instructors from our sister Squadron’s in the Eastern Sector of our Wing – Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing ATC – for giving up their whole weekend to train us. I’d also like to thank 104 (City of Cambridge) Squadron for allowing us to use their Squadron Headquarters. As ever we really enjoyed meeting cadets from other Squadrons and we had an enjoyable weekend as well as learning so much from helping each other on the course”

Thank you Corporal Deal, those smiles say it all.

Well done to all these cadets for being willing to step in when needed, Cadets
Declan Craig, Holly Elstow, Harry Ewan, Odhran Grant, Elliot Mason, Niall Pymont, Theo Scott, Monasch Tsui, Harry Wick, and Corporal Noah Deal. The uniform you see our cadets wearing is our “greens” uniform which we use for activities such as first aid training where we have to get down on the ground to assess and treat casualties.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely Cadets Get First Aid Training appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

An open-air swimming pool was built on Angel Drove in 1934 and the club only trained through the summer months. 1977 saw the club take up winter training also in St. Ives which improved their standards immensely.

The Paradise Pool was then opened in Ely in 1981 by Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies and was home to the club until it closed its doors in 2018 and the club relocated to new facilities at The Hive where they remain today and thankful for their support in helping swimmers achieve their goals.

The team celebrated over the Summer with a big Centenary party at Witchford Village Hall, money raised through fundraising and donations helped to support the swimmers and families to enjoy this momentous occasion with outdoor inflatables and disco fun. Each swimmer was awarded a special centenary medal and swim cap for their efforts at the short distance Club Championships.

Highlights for the club in its 100th year have been 3 Top Club awards, 16 Top Boy and Girl awards, Team wins at Junior and Senior fenland leagues, 17 swimmers competing at County level, 8 swimmers competing at Regional level, 3 swimmers competing at National events, 2 swimmers selected for the East Region Development programme, 1 swimmer selected for the Swim England National Age Group Development programme and an amazing 154 Club records broken. The Masters team has also grown with our biggest squad to date of 15 swimmers with 3 of these also competing at national level.

The Club has just finished the year with its Christmas celebrations and awards for the long distance Club Championships with special recognition and trophies awarded for the year in the following: 

Junior Swimmers of the Year – Gabriel Kim and Peony Jackson

Intermediate Swimmers of the Year – Alex Pashley & Jacob Schultz and Lauren Turnock & Felicity Gates

Senior Swimmers of the Year – Cillian O’Brien and Keira Mavin

Most Improved Swimmer – Jake Dunham

Coaches Award – Lyra Schultz

City of Ely Swimming Club is excited for the next 100 years of swimming, could we see an Olympic swimmer one day!

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post Ely Swimming Club Celebrates 100 Years appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

As part of his duties as the Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Cambridgeshire, CWO Munday accompanied the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence, in greeting Princess Anne and going on a tour of the newly built site.

The tour included demonstrations by the firefighters and training centre instructors performing road traffic collision drills and various rescues of both humans and animals.

Her Royal Highness also enjoyed an exhibition of atrwork designed by students from local schools for the centres conference rooms, as well as speaking with local trainee firefighters.

After the tour concluded, Her Royal Highness unveiled a plaque to commemorate the official opening and she gave a speech congratulating those in attendance and all those who worked on the project, and expressing how much she enjoyed her visit.

This hasn’t been the only Lord Lieutenants event that Cadet Warrant Officer Munday has been on duty. He has previously aided the Deputy Lieutenant Colonel Roger Herriot on this year’s Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade here in Ely, where the Deputy Lieutenant and CWO Munday laid a wreath on behalf of the Lord Lieutenancy.

Two other events which CWO Munday has performed duties on included attending a Citizenship Ceremony with Deputy Lieutenant James Buxton, and visiting Costello Medical in Cambridge with The Lord Lieutenant, which was attended by HRH The Duke of Gloucester.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely Air Cadet Welcomes Princess Anne appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The last competition of 2023 didn’t disappoint, along with Top Club 13 Year old Josh Black swam his way to Top Boy securing 12 Golds and 1 Silver. 14 Year old Oli Davey wasn’t far behind in second place with 7 Golds, 5 Silvers and 1 Bronze and for the girls 10 Year old Peony Jackson was second overall with 12 Golds. 

Young swimmers just starting out on their competitive swimming journey at 9 years old had a fantastic weekend with great personal best times achieved, Emily D’Souza and Dexter Davey were determined to get those medals and won 11 between them.

Each race swam contributed points to the overall position of Top Club, a fantastic achievement for all the team to be proud of and a great end to the year. 

________________________________

Full results: 

Josh Black (12 Gold, 1 Silver), Oli Davey (7 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze), Peony Jackson (12 Gold), Megan Clarke (2 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze), Annabelle Smith (2 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 Bronze), Tia Hill (6 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Cillian O’Brien (7 Gold, 2 Silver), Gabriel Kim (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze), Jacob Schultz (6 Gold, 3 Silver), Finn Taylor (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze), Zoe Thompson (4 silver, 3 Bronze), Lyra Schultz (2 Silver, 5 Bronze), James Clarke (4 Gold, 3 Silver), Dexter Davey (4 Silver, 2 Bronze), Alex Pashley (1 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze), Daniel Kendall (6 Gold), Emily D’Souza (2 Gold, 3 Silver), Will Clarke (1 Silver, 3 Bronze), Lola Carey (3 Bronze), Izzy Clasby (3 Gold), Harry Wong (1 Silver, 1 Bronze), Stephanie Lakinger (1 Silver, 1 Bronze), Shea O’Brien (1 Bronze), Maisie Liang (1 Bronze), Olivia D’Souza (1 Bronze), Erin-Mae Carey (1 Bronze), Lauren Turnock (1 Bronze), Will Sole (1 Gold). The rest of the team competing and securing personal best times were: Chloe Gardner, Bella Pillow, Charles Smith, Issy Stevens, Maddie Pillow, Henry Langley, Tom Ryan, Isabella Beardmore, Immy Ryan, Izzy Whittaker, Barry Schultz, Phil Trelford, Rosa Hague, Lily Alston, Georgina Milnes, Andrew Sole & Will Clay

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post Winning Weekend for City of Ely Swimming Club appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

14 Year old Jake Dunham had a fantastic weekend securing 6 Golds and 7 Silvers with 10 Year old Lyra Schultz top of the game for the girls winning 4 Golds, 2 Silvers and 4 Bronzes. Going for Gold was high on Annabelle Smith and Mark Hipkins agenda for the weekend too. 

Three swimmers also qualified for the Skins event winning cash prizes, the aim of this event is the fastest 6 swimmers draw from a hat the stroke they will race and it’s a battle until the last person is standing. It’s a nervous wait to see which stroke will be drawn and if it’s your worst or favourite to give you the best chance. Well done to Erin-Mae Carey, Jake Dunham and Mark Hipkin for qualifying with Mark staying in until the end finishing an impressive second place.

A small team of swimmers too fast to compete at County Development didn’t miss out on the action and travelled to Luton for the Putteridge Open Meet. Six of our top swimmers battled for personal best times and medals winning 38 between them. 

Head Coach Elaine said ‘Excellent races at Luton and Newmarket with many swimmers achieving times to go onto the County Championships early next year’. 

________________________________

Full results for County Development team at Newmarket were: 

Jake Dunham (6 Gold, 8 Silver), Lyra Schult (4 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze), Lauren Turnock (3 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze), Mark Hipkin (7 Gold, 1 Silver), Erin-Mae Carey (3 Gold, 5 Silver), Lola Carey (2 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze), Annabelle Smith (6 Gold, 1 Silver), Bella Pillow (4 Gold, 3 Bronze), Madeleine Pillow (3 Silver, 2 Bronze), Sarah Hardiment (5 Gold), Jacob Hipkin (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Zoe Thompson (4 Gold, 1 Silver), Felicity Gates (2 Gold, 2 Silver), Phil Trelford (1 Gold, 3 Silver), Chloe Gardner (3 Bronze), Lily Alston (2 Gold, 1 Silver), Imogen Ryan (2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Alex Pashley (2 Gold), K Hatch (1 Silver, 1 Bronze), Rosa Hague (2 Bronze), Flora Wison (1 Gold, 1 Bronze), Eli Fiorio Pla (2 Silver), Toby Taylor (1 Silver), William Clay (1 Bronze), Sebastian Latta (1 Bronze), Isabelle Stevens (1 Bronze), Wilfred Sole (1 Gold). The rest of the team competing and securing personal best times were: Eryn Pashley, Stephanie Lakinger, Gemma Gardiner, Shea O-Brien, Isabella Beardmore, Mia Mansfield, Isobel Whittaker.

Full results for Putteridge Open Meet team at Luton were: 

Oliver Fuller (10 Gold, 2 Silver), Peony Jackson (5 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze), Megan Clarke (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze), Josh Black (2 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Gabriel Kim (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze). Also securing personal best times Isabella Beardmore.

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post Barracudas bring home the Bling! 74 Gold! 51 Silver! 34 Bronze! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Cambridge Army Recruitment Office arrange and support events such as Careers Fairs, Assemblies and Presentations for young people in year 8 or above and other community groups. These can include pop up events and stands over a lunch time, during a scheduled lesson/period throughout the day or of a morning or evening.

At Ely Squadron we contacted the Army Outreach and Engagement team in Cambridge who offered to run team tasks and inclusive exercises with military equipment with the cadets alongside serving personnel promoting Teamwork and Decision Making.

Ely’s Corporal Anna Munday said

“Last week we were lucky enough to have a visit from HM Forces personnel from The Army. We all took part in a variety of exercises and activities including a talk about the intelligence side of what the Army do. The whole night was extremely fun and engaging.

A big thank you to our visitors, we all enjoyed ourselves and had a great time!”

Ely’s Royal Air Force Air Cadets are accepting enquiries for their next intake of new recruits. Young people aged 12-17 can register their interest in joining the next intake of new recruits:

Please click on the link below to find out more about being an Air Cadet in your spare time wether you live in Ely or any of the surrounding towns and villages.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/?fbclid=IwAR0XqWPi7ZaUN0CFoRcOeGn13eqAUlUCSgFfhAxEO2rYxRDyF5FBTcGVwm8

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Army Reaches Out to Ely Air Cadets appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Schultz family will need to find extra space for the 26 medals that 11 year old Jacob and 9 year old Lyra brought home between them. Followed closely by the Davey brothers 13 year old Oli and 9 year old Dexter with a total of 13 medals.

There were also top performances from 10 year old Peony Jackson securing 13 top 3 positions and 13 year old Oliver Fuller with 12 top 3 positions. 

In total the Ely team secured 100 personal best times, a great achievement by all that took part and a significant number as the club celebrates its 100th year this year.

Full results for the team were: Jacob Schultz (13 Gold, 1 Silver), Lyra Schultz (3 Gold, 6 Silver, 3 Bronze), Oli Davey (1 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Dexter Davey (1 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze), Peony Jackson (2 Gold, 6 Silver, 5 Bronze), Oliver Fuller (7 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze), Joshua Black (1 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Gabriel Kim (3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Alex Pashley (2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Philip Trelford (1 Gold, 1 Silver), Bella Pillow (1 Gold), Tia Hill (1 Bronze), Cillian O’Brien (1 Bronze). The rest of the team securing personal best times were: Emily Barnes, Isabella Beardmore, Xanthe Rowe, Felicity Gates, Olivia DSouza, Madeleine Pillow, Lauren Turnock, Shea O’Brien, Gracie Wickens, Lola Carey, Keira Mavin, Erin-Mae Carey.

Press release from Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post Schultz Siblings take home impressive 26 medals! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Living Sport is an independent charity focused on improving the health, happiness, and wellbeing of the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. They work collaboratively with partners and communities to support more people to be active in a way that works for them. Living Sport’s vision is of lives and communities improved by people being more active.

The partnership between Living Sport and Soham Town Rangers U16 Girls has been inspired by the recent This Girl Can campaign ‘closing the Enjoyment Gap’.

This Girl Can carried out research that revealed 2.4m more men than women strongly agree that they enjoy sport and physical activity. Identifying that 2.4m women are missing out on the opportunity to relieve stress, build connections and improve self-esteem, this is known as the Enjoyment Gap.

Over the last year, Living Sport have visited and engaged with the U16 girls’ team and worked with them to understand their needs and ambitions. They shared they needed warmer and more suitable training kit, for the colder months. Living Sport worked collaboratively with the team to choose the kit and sponsored it. This consultation is continuing this season, with open communication around the reasons girls drop out of sport and what can be done to reduce this alongside closing the enjoyment gap.

Since the creation of the partnership earlier this year and the support from Living Sport, Soham Town Rangers have gone on to develop a second girls’ team, which has allowed them to create further opportunities for girls to be involved and experience the sport.

Lucy Frazer quoted….
“Living Sport are incredibly active in my constituency, sponsoring and delivering a range of projects that help people keep fit, learn new skills and build community.

It was my pleasure to speak with fifteen of their beneficiaries, the Soham Town Rangers U16 Girls team, about their enjoyment of the game and their progress this season.

I am delighted that charities like Living Sport are complimenting the government’s work to invest in better football facilities and widen access to the sport”.

Living Sport CEO Samantha Hyde quoted,
“It was great that Lucy as a role model and MP came to visit our Girls U16s football team yesterday, it makes such a positive impact. To have the recognition that our targeted focus on addressing need, drawing together powerful collaborations, is supported, means a lot.

As an organisation we have grown by over 50% in a year as we strive and stretch our capacity to respond to growing need. People want choices and to know how to be active and are seeking direction and change. Living Sport as a charity, for the investment we have, gives that tenfold.

We can do so much more of course and have the determination and drive to support the places and communities with the resource we have.”

Press release from Living Sport

The post Lucy Frazer Attends Soham Town Rangers U16 Girls Training to Discuss Local Sport and Physical Activity with Living Sport appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The ATCL is equivalent in standard to the first-year recital of an undergraduate degree, but King’s Ely Sixth Form student, Sayuri Okunushi, has earned hers, aged just 18.

Trinity Performance Diplomas are the organisation’s most advanced performance awards. They follow on from grade and certificate exams, taking musicians up to a professional standard of performance and musical understanding.

Sayuri, who is from Tokyo, has been playing the piano since she was three years old. She joined King’s Ely’s International Year 11 programme in 2021, and is now studying A-Levels in Music, Mathematics, and Textiles.

Sayuri, who is in Year 13, said: “I love playing the piano! I enjoy challenging pieces the most, and I also love playing four hands duet, because I can collaborate with other people, which is fascinating. My most memorable performance on the piano since joining King’s Ely is playing my favourite Mozart piano concerto in Ely Cathedral.”

Sayuri also plays the cello, and this summer she sat her Grade 7 examination. Like several King’s Ely students, Sayuri attends the prestigious Royal College of Music Junior Department every Saturday to help further enhance her skills on the piano.

Sayuri said: “The Music Department at King’s Ely is one of the most important and enjoyable departments in school for me. The department was a key factor for my family and I choosing King’s Ely as a school. I came from Japan to not only learn English, but to also study real music in the UK. I am involved in lots of music activities at school, such as piano trio, orchestra, and string orchestra. Lots of students at King’s Ely are involved in these activities. I also study A-Level Music. I am planning to study music at a conservatoire or university. I have played the piano for 15 years, but it has mostly been about the performance, so I would like to study music much more deeply, such as its history and theory.”

King’s Ely is renowned for its holistic approach to education, and this is reflected in the school’s outstanding Visual and Performing Arts provision. Music, Drama and Theatre, Fine Art, Fashion and Textiles, Photography, and Dance are each embedded in the culture of King’s Ely, with countless opportunities for pupils of all abilities and aspirations.

To discover more about King’s Ely, book your family’s personal visit, or your place at one of the school’s regular Open Events, by calling (01353) 660707 or visiting www.kingsely.org 

Press release from King’s Ely

The post ATCL Diploma for skilful King’s Ely pianist  appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

“Last Thursday our Squadron parade night was a very eventful evening, with high-class badges being awarded along with two promotions.

Leading Cadet Joe Bain was awarded his Silver Leadership badge and his Silver Trained Shot badge after attending a Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing ATC skills camp at RAF Henlow and undergoing a 2 day course (theory and practice) to obtain his silver leadership, and a 3 and a half day course to obtain his initial weapons training on the L98A2 rifle, which was later used on a DCCT electronic firing range to achieve his silver trained shot. These are the types of rifles used by His Majesties Armed Forces and Cadet Bain has worked his way up from Air Rifles, to L144 small bore rifles to the full bore L98A2.

Corporal Sophie Case-Upton was awarded the rank of corporal after joining in late march 2022, since then she has fully embraced the cadet experience taking part in a multitude of courses, activities and camps including a week away at RAF Cranwell, RAF Coningsby, The Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing Easter Camp and recently attending the National Drill and Ceremonial camp, where Sophie learned a wide range of drill types and sequences including sword drill and arms drill.

She has achieved her silver cyber, bronze communications, blue marksman and road marching, and blue Duke of Edinburgh’s award which should soon turn to bronze as soon as her certificate arrives!

Sophie has made an outstanding effort within the squadron and has grown in confidence by a spectacular amount since joining in 2022. Representing the squadron at region athletics twice in a row for javelin and shotput, along with the 800m race. Also continuing to edit the squadron Youtube videos and being very involved with our squadron media team Sophie has soared to new heights flying both powered aircaft and gliders attaining her wings.

Sergeant Western was awarded the rank of sergeant after a very packed four years after joining in 2019. Since then she had taken a very active role in teaching the cadets. Kida specilises in teaching radio communication, as she herself has her silver communications award. This required a two-day course, and then another two-day instructors course following to qualify to teach. She has been extremely proactive in voluntary work, being at almost every fundraiser event and charity fund raising event possible. She successfully completed her method of instruction, awarding her a gold lanyard to wear on her blues uniform.

Recently, Sergeant Western went on her week long residential for her gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, which was an exciting yachting course that taught her many valuable lessons and gave her an unforgettable experience on her week away.

She has recently completed her Gold DofE expedition, which was a week long expedition by kayak with a team of Gold Award participants from all over the UK which has put her well on her way to receiving her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award at Buckingham Palace!

Sergeant Western has had a very eventful four years in this squadron and was very deserving of her promotion.”

Thank you Piper, a great update valuing the hard work and determination of your fellow cadets.

Written by Piper Hughes

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

Photo credit 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely’s RAF Air Cadets Earn their Stripes appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Pupils’ hard work and determination, combined with unwavering support from their teachers and families, has resulted in a 95% pass rate, with almost a half of results at Grades 9-7 (the old A*-A). Their results successfully propel virtually all candidates onto the Sixth Form courses of their choice, with a large majority of students choosing to stay at King’s Ely for A-Levels.

These GCSE results come just a week after almost all of King’s Ely’s Year 13 students, who were aiming for university, achieved the grades needed to secure places at their first choice. This year, Sixth Form leavers will be studying at 46 different institutions, not just in the UK, but across the globe, and in courses as diverse as Medicine to Acting.

Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “Congratulations and well done to everyone who received their GCSE exam results today. As a school, we are delighted with the very many individual stories of success, where pupils have exceeded their own personal expectations. Many have exceptional results by any benchmark, and we are very proud of their achievements. I am extremely grateful to our teachers who frequently go the extra mile to help pupils in their preparation for these exams, and to our parents for their patience and support throughout the exam season. 

“Exam results are only one aspect of school life, and I am conscious that many pupils excel in other areas beyond the classroom. Regardless of any individual outcome today, I am confident all pupils are prepared with both the values and skills for the next step in their educational journey. We are particularly pleased that the vast majority of Year 11 pupils are staying at King’s Ely to continue their Sixth Form studies; we will have our largest ever Sixth Form in this coming academic year. I look forward to welcoming everyone back in September and to those who are leaving, I wish them all the very best for the next stage of their studies.”

Two King’s Ely students have achieved all Grade 9s in their full courses this year – congratulations to Anna Ost and Charlotte Senior.

Sixteen pupils are celebrating achieving Grades 9-8 in at least seven of their subjects. Congratulations to: Harriet Bailey, Polly Casey, Ciara Comley, Yanki Ertem, Leo Good, Thomas Hensman, Anya Hjaltun-Rayner, Eleanor Kittoe, Edward Lacey, Wing Man Lai, Angus MacPherson, Alexander New, Sophie Parsons, Imogen Ryan, Zara Stevens, and Edith Thomson.

Edward Lacey joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 7. He will be studying Biology, Chemistry, and Religious Studies at A-Level, and hopes to go on to study Veterinary Science at university. Edward said: “I am very pleased with my results, and I am looking forward to Sixth Form here at King’s. It will be great to study subjects that I really enjoy, in a fantastic environment, and with teachers who are all so dedicated. I love the Sports Department here at King’s too, and I am looking forward to wearing a suit every day!”

Eleanor (Nell) Kittoe is studying History, English Literature, Maths, and Textiles for her A-Levels. She joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 5. Nell said: “I am not entirely sure what I want to do career wise yet, but probably something involving Textiles and/or English; something creative. That is what I love about King’s – everything is creative, the Textiles Department is amazing, the classes are small, and my teachers all know exactly how I learn best.”

Leo Good joined King’s Ely Nursery in 2009. He hopes to pursue a career in banking or law, and is studying Maths, Further Maths, History, and Politics at A-Level. Leo said: “I worked hard for my GCSEs, but I am still pleasantly surprised with my results. I am excited for Sixth Form at King’s. I am an Ely Scheme Outdoor Education Instructor here, so I am looking forward to continuing with that, as well as studying with great people in a brilliant environment.”  

As is reflective of an all-round, enriched education, King’s Ely students have studied and achieved in a wide variety of GCSE subjects. Creative subjects, for which King’s Ely is internationally renowned, were strong once again this year, with 100% of students securing Grades 9-7 in Music and Latin, and 100% of students achieving Grades 9-6 in Drama and Theatre, Textiles, and Fine Art.

Over half of students’ results in Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Further Maths, History, and Spanish were at least a Grade 7.

Thirty pupils from all corners of the globe also received their results today having studied the one-year IGCSE programme at King’s Ely. The two-term intensive course sees young people studying in their non-native speaking language, and the average number of subjects taken is six. King’s Ely is delighted to report another excellent set of IGCSE grades, with more than a quarter of results achieved being Grades 9-8.

Special mention must go to Allison Chiu, who achieved Grade 9s in all seven of her GCSE subjects, which includes Spanish; her third language. Kevin Cheung, Alina Savchuk, and David Lin achieved an average of Grade 8.8 across their GCSE subjects. Eighteen of King’s Ely’s IGCSE students are staying at the school for their A-Level studies. 

John Attwater, Principal of King’s Ely, said: “Every one of these results is a reflection of hard work and a return to exam conditions with no quarter given for the disruption these children faced in their education in Years 8 and 9. In this light, our cohort can be very proud of themselves that they have done at least as well as previous generations, and can look forward to their chosen Sixth Form studies with confidence. I am delighted that as term starts in September our Sixth Form will be full of such well-motivated and genuinely nice people, to be joined by others from all over the world seeking the King’s Ely experience.”

King’s Ely received an ‘excellent’ rating in all areas following its latest ISI Inspection, recognising the highest levels of academic rigour, pastoral care, and opportunities outside the classroom. To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit: www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely

Photo credit: King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely GCSE Results 2023 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Notable performances were made by students of all abilities including Jason Angove; Thomas Assheton; William Botcher; Ella Brown; Logan Bye; Sarah Cross; Danny Dean; Tabitha Dyer-Stephens; Freddie Emms; Elsie May Enrico; Madison Ford; Emily Franklin; Finley Froment; Callum Hardy; Louise Hardy; Noah Jewkes; Leah Johnson; Phoebe Lupton-Pike; Noa Matsushita; Jessica McGrath; Ceri Moseley; Max Orpwood Coyle; Zofia Parada; Leo Peberdy; Jacob Trangmar and Bethany Wood, who achieved the top grades across all of their subjects.

Headteacher, Jon Hampson, said, “We are delighted that students of all abilities have received excellent results which reflect their hard work and commitment. We congratulate them and wish them every success for the next phase of their education or training.”

Press release from Soham Village College

The post Soham Village College GCSE Results 2023 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The wall is 2.5 metres high and 4 metres wide and incorporates a number of fun games and sporting activities all designed to help people get fit, encourage teamwork, and improve co-ordination and movement.

A laptop, or gaming console can also be plugged into the wall so that it can be used for seminars, presentations and movie nights. Littleport Town Council is also keen to work with adult educational providers so that training courses can be run to improve employment opportunities for residents.

The wall will primarily be used as a positive means of engaging with young people in the town.  Combining community activities with the use of the interactive gaming wall will offer an opportunity for ‘cross-generational’ projects, as well as a form of gentle exercise for less mobile residents.  The variety of games makes the wall suitable for use by disabled children, and those with special educational needs, making all activities completely inclusive.

The wall was part funded by an £8,500 Facilities Improvement Grant from East Cambridgeshire District Council. 

Littleport Town Councillor Jo Webber, said: “We are delighted that we have been able to install this equipment into our new building and are very grateful to both East Cambridgeshire District Council and Sanctuary Housing for seeing the potential benefits to our community and providing us with the grants.

“Having the equipment will allow us to run a much wider range of activities at the building which many children and older residents in our town would not normally have the option to experience.

“The wall will also be used to encourage young people to take part in creative projects that will benefit the community.  For example, litter picking followed by interactive games and team play.

“We also plan to use the wall to carry out intergenerational activities, as it is important to break down the barriers that are often created between the younger and older generations.”

Facilities Improvement Grants of up to £10,000 can be applied for to help village halls, community centres, sport and leisure centres, play facilities and public open spaces protect and enhance the quality of life for residents within East Cambridgeshire.

To apply or find out more information, go to the East Cambridgeshire District Council website.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Gaming wall plugged in at Littleport Youth and Community Centre appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

East Cambridgeshire District Council’s next Youth Fusion event takes place at Littleport Youth and Community Centre on Wednesday 23 August 2023.

Anyone aged 18 or under is invited to attend the event which takes place between 11am and 3pm. 

This interactive wellbeing event is an opportunity to find out what is going on for young people and the things that matter to you. 

As well as fun activities such as a climbing wall, games and a bouncy castle, there will also be a chance to find out more about the National Citizen Service and the clubs and organisations operating in East Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge Constabulary will be there to offer bike marking and there will also be the opportunity to have push bikes repaired for free.

The team from East Cambridgeshire District Council will be on hand to help with financial, employment or housing advice or signpost you to the Youth Pages on its website which contains everything young people need to know, whilst East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership can offer advice and information about keeping safe and what to do if you are concerned about drugs or crime. 

The climate team will also be asking people to vote for which local endangered animal they would like the council to prioritise for support as part of its Species Recovery Programme.

Residents are being asked to choose between otters, hedgehogs, bees, bats, toads and owls, all of which need help. The animal which receives the most votes will be officially incorporated into the council’s Environment Plan and measures then put in place to enhance and protect their habitats.

Rhianna Regan, a youth ambassador for East Cambridgeshire Youth Council, said: “Whether you want to just have an enjoyable free day out with friends, or find out more about the support and services that are available – or both, it is guaranteed there will be something for everyone on the day.”

Attendees are advised to take their own water bottles for refills on the day. 

You can find out more about the Youth Fusion Days, together with lots of handy hints and tips for young people on the youth pages on East Cambridgeshire District Council’s website.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Littleport hosts free Youth Fusion event appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Teachers and staff at King’s Ely Sixth Form are especially proud of the Year 13 cohort’s results, since COVID measures during their GCSE year meant that it was their first time sitting public examinations. 

This year, a fifth of A-Level results achieved at King’s Ely are the top A* grade, almost half are A*-A, and three-quarters are grades A*-B. The overall pass rate is 99 %. Almost all candidates aiming for university this year gained places at their first-choice institutions. 

These results not only reflect the 94 students’ determination and resilience, but also their teachers’ and mentors’ expertise and commitment for them to succeed. As a marker of their all-round, enriched education, King’s Ely pupils will be going on to study subjects as diverse as Engineering to Acting, and Medicine to Fashion Design – at universities and institutions, not just in the UK, but across the globe.   

Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “We are extremely proud of our Year 13s, who have achieved some excellent A-Level grades. Results Day is always approached with a little trepidation, but for this year’s cohort there was the additional pressure of sitting public exams for the first time, due to the cancellation of their GCSE exams in 2021. We are therefore particularly delighted with today’s results. Many of our students have exceeded their own personal expectations. Above all, they are a delightful cohort who will leave King’s Ely with the character, confidence, and sense of responsibility to make a difference wherever they go next. Congratulations to our pupils for their hard work and determination, to our teachers for their preparation and guidance, and to our parents for their unwavering support.”   

All three King’s Ely students holding Oxbridge offers achieved the top grades to take up their places this year – Alice Wallace at St Hilda’s, Oxford to study Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, Ben Collier at Peterhouse, Cambridge to study Medicine, and PiaoPiao Li to study Philosophy at Magdalene, Cambridge. 

Twenty-three students achieved all A*-A grades – Thomas Bateman, William Biggs, Thomas Coates, Ben Collier, Joseph Coppin, Elliot Dickson, Georgia Gordon, Finlay Griffiths, Freddie Hills, Jonathan Iles, Fidel Lau, PiaoPiao Li, Alexandra Marshall, Connor Marshall, Daniel Millard, Emily Morris, Lauren Peck, Sophia Peters, James Schoenberg, Kathryn Snell, Eloise Suiter, Alice Wallace, and Haoxuan Xu.

Alice Wallace, who achieved three A* grades, has been at King’s Ely since joining Nursery in 2008. She said: “I am so pleased with my results! I did work hard, but it still feels quite surreal to have got three A*s. I have been at King’s for fifteen years so there is so much I am going to miss about the school. King’s has such an infectious spirit and everyone is so supportive and encouraging of each other.”

Thomas Bateman, who also achieved three A* grades, is one of only twenty-eight students out of around four-thousand applicants to secure a place at the Manchester School of Theatre to study Acting. Thomas, who joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 3, said: “I am so happy with my grades, and so excited for Manchester! I aspire to be a professional actor and this dream is now a step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to the huge amount of support I have received throughout my years at King’s. Everyone here is incredible, especially the Drama Department. I would not be who I am today without King’s.”

William Biggs also joined King’s Ely Prep in Year 3. He achieved three A*s and an A, and will be studying Natural Sciences at the University of Bath. William said: “I feel like I did put in a lot of effort and hard work, but I still feel incredibly lucky to achieve grades as high as I have. I am not entirely sure what I want to do career-wise yet, but I think it will probably be in scientific research. King’s is such a nurturing and enriching place to study. The extra-curricular scene here is huge, which I think is important. I feel that the school has provided me with everything I need to flourish.”

As well as offering almost thirty different A-Level courses, King’s Ely Sixth Form also enables pupils to study vocational Level 3 Diploma qualifications in Business Studies, and Food and Nutrition. This year, eleven students completed the two-year Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies, achieving five Distinction* and six Distinction grades. Two Year 12 pupils also completed the one-year course and achieved Distinctions.  

Approximately a quarter of this year’s Year 13 cohort also completed Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) in addition to their A-Level subjects, which are equivalent to 50% of an A-Level. Almost half of the grades achieved were A*, and around three-quarters of grades were A*-A. 

John Attwater, Principal of King’s Ely, said: “This is a challenging year for students with much more competition for university places and less latitude in A-Level grades than we have seen since 2019. In this national context, it is great to see such all-round success, both among the academic high-fliers and also the exciting options achieved by those who were most disrupted or affected by COVID lockdowns during their GCSE years.” 

Interested in finding out more about King’s Ely Sixth Form? A dedicated Sixth Form Open Event is taking place at the Old Palace on Saturday 7th October. To book your place, please call Admissions on (01353) 660707 or visit: www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely Students Celebrate Fantastic A-Level Results appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Adam Steels, Head of Bishop Laney Sixth Form, said: “We are delighted with these results which reflect the continued growth and success of Bishop Laney Sixth Form. These results mean our students are completing their studies with some of the highest grades ever achieved at Bishop Laney.”

“I congratulate the students on these results and thank staff, parents and families for the part they played in realising these aspirations.”

“Our students leave us today not only heading to Universities up and down the country from Cardiff to Newcastle and many places in between; but also to take on high-quality apprenticeship roles, whether those be in London, or closer to home at Addenbrookes’ Hospital, or here in Ely.”

Individual success stories:

Maria Akritidou achieved two A*s and an A Grade across her three A Level subjects of Art, Pscyhology, and Sociology; and will take up a place at the University of East Anglia to study Psychology. 

Caydn Perez-Bent combines Computer Science and Maths A Levels grades of A and B with a starred Distinction in Business to join Sky, on their engineering degree apprenticeship programme.

Sam Lindop will be heading to the University of Sheffield, to study aeronautical engineering following his impressive performance in Maths, Physics and Computer Science. 

Kiera Clifford secured a double Distinction grade Diploma in Applied Science and will be taking up an apprenticeship with the NHS at Cambridge University Hospitals. 

Katie Froment achieved A*AB in her A Levels and will continue to pursue her love English Literature by studying it in Cambridge from September. 

Ziggy Poli will be building on excellent achievements in Maths, Further Maths, and Psychology, all at A* and A grade, by taking up a university place studying Maths at the University of East Anglia.

Simon Warburton, Principal of Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form added:

“I am thrilled with the results that our 2023 cohort have achieved. The combined success of students gaining top grades alongside a number of our students gaining degree level apprenticeships means that we are fulfilling our commitment to provide an exceptional educational experience for our community.”

“These results herald a new and exciting phase in the life of Bishop Laney Sixth Form – we commence the renovations of Needhams tower this term to become an inspirational place of learning and the new home for Bishop Laney for January 2025.”

If you wish to enquire about current opportunities within the sixth form, please contact  admissions@bishoplaney.org and 01353 652818.

Press release from Bishop Laney Sixth Form

Photo credit: Bishop Laney Sixth Form

The post Bishop Laney Sixth Form Students Celebrate Post-16 Success appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Cadet Flight Sergeant Davis Russellcook has been an Air Cadet for four years since joining 1094 (City of Ely) Squadron based on the site of the former RAF Hospital in Heaton Drive Ely.

Davis has been studying Aviation related subjects as part of the Air Cadet Progressive Training Syllabus. The cadets learn a huge range of skills, from Radios to Radar, Jet Engines to Rockets, and there’s a lot to learn if you want to be a pilot.

Even the youngest new recruits learn about Military Radio Procedures, principles of powered flight and gliding and all about the layout, markings and lights of an Airfield to name just a few subjects they become conversant with before they take to the Air for their first flying lesson with RAF instructors in the Royal Air Force’s initial training aircraft The Grob Tutor, a two seat , single propellor light aircraft or Viking Glider.

Cadets are also taught on flight simulators in ground schools in order to enhance the time they spend in the air and senior cadets over the age of 16 have the opportunity to attend further training and selection for Air Cadet Pilot Scheme Scholarships where they can qualify as Solo Pilot’s and fly on their own even before they are old enough to drive.

Flight Sergeant Russellcook said:
“When I first joined the Air Cadets it was always my ambition to learn to fly but the way the Air Cadet’s prepares you, it’s not just a pipe dream, it’s all within your grasp, if you’re determined and dedicated”.

Congratulations Flight Sergeant Russellcook and a huge thank you to all the dedicated and professional volunteers at 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron at RAF Syerston who give up their time to fly junior cadets every weekend and who put so much effort into training young pilots like Davis on their weekend and Summer and Easter courses.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Air Cadets Gives You Wings appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

This was the first time at nationals for Oli and he swam brilliantly in the heats to achieve a personal best time of 25.77 which earned him a place in the final.  Going into the finals he was in 8th qualifying position and after another great swim, he finished 7th. 

This was the first time for many years that the club had a swimmer competing at Swim England nationals. 

Congratulations to Oli! Hopefully this is the first of many!

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post Celebrating Success at Swim England Age Group Nationals – City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

This event was held on Saturday 29th July 2023 at Rother Valley Country Park, Sheffield, where Daniel swam in the 5km race. It was a cool and windy day with a water temperature of 18 C, therefore wetsuits were not allowed. Daniel swam strongly, improving the time he swam only 3 weeks previously at the Swim England East Region Open Water qualifying event, he achieved an impressive 9th in the 17 year old age group.

Congratulations to Daniel on his excellent swim and for representing the club at national level.

Press release from Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club National Open Water Success appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

More than one hundred musicians and dancers, from Year 4 at King’s Ely Prep through to Year 13 at King’s Ely Sixth Form, starred in the Glastonburyesque extravaganza, which was one of numerous events held towards the end of term, to celebrate another thriving year at the school.

A huge concert Saddlespan stage was erected on The Paddock at King’s Ely Prep for the festival, with Ely Cathedral looking as majestic as ever as a backdrop. The event was organised by the school’s Music, Dance and Drama Departments, and was free to attend. Parents and carers, grandparents, Old Eleans, teachers and support staff, Governors, friends of the school – people of all ages grabbed their picnic baskets and deckchairs and came together to support pupils and staff as they performed their hearts out.

Just some of the bands and groups which performed were Samba Band, Wicked Choir, Saxophone Quartet, Concert Band, Jazz Band, King’s Barbers, Flying Fiddles, King’s Ely-Te, Rock Band, Open Dance Club, and not forgetting the ‘StrictELY Come Dancing’ competition!

The entertainment kicked off at around 2.30pm and continued right through until dark. Pupils performed as individuals, in groups, or as both – some of them singing and dancing under a Saddlespan stage for the first ever time, and some of them taking to the stage for what was likely be their last ever time at King’s Ely. 

Neil Porter-Thaw, Director of Music at King’s Ely, said: “There have been some very special moments during my 28 years at King’s Ely, however the sheer amount of music and dance celebrated on one stage at this festival is without a doubt the highlight so far. I am so proud of all the students who took part, and they should all be hugely proud of themselves. Such an event cannot happen without the support and dedication of so many people. From our fabulous Music, Dance and Drama staff teams to our custodians and ground staff, thank you. If there ever was an event that showcased what makes the school Uniquely King’s, this was it.”

King’s Ely is renowned for its holistic approach to education, and this is reflected in the school’s outstanding Visual and Performing Arts provision. Music, Drama and Theatre, Fine Art, Fashion and Textiles, Photography, and Dance are each embedded in the culture of King’s Ely, with countless opportunities for pupils of all abilities and aspirations.

To discover more about King’s Ely, book your family’s personal visit, or your place at one of the school’s regular Open Events, by calling (01353) 660707 or visiting www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely  

Photo credit: James Linsell-Clark Photography

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During the Summer term, pupils from the 2023 Upper Class at Highfield Ely Academy have been working with local Ely sculptor, Emma Taylor to create a fantastic art work inspired by eels and eel traps. Thanks to the support of the Art Fund and Ely Museum, their sculpture, Shadows of the Past, is now on display for all to enjoy.

Emily Allen, Community Engagement Officer at Ely Museum, says;

“Eels have long played a role in Ely’s economy, diet and folklore. it therefore seemed only fitting to create a sculpture inspired by these important, yet mysterious creatures and we are delighted with the beautiful sculpture the Highfield pupils have created”

Made possible due to funding from the Art Fund, Ely Museum was delighted to work with the Upper Class 2023 at Highfield Ely Academy on this project. Following a visit to the museum to explore the variety of materials seen on display, and inspiration taken from the eel catching tools and amazing Anglo Saxon metal work, it was decided they would make a metal sculpture.

Working with local sculptor, Emma Taylor, a beautiful design inspired by the eels that were once plentiful in our waters and eel traps, known as hives or griggs, came to life. Each pupil created their own metal work eel, which delicately weave in and out of the eel trap they collectively created. Usually made of willow and designed to trap eels inside, this eel hive takes inspiration from the traditional weaving techniques which have been reimagined in metalwork by the pupils.

Emma Taylor, sculptor, says;

It has been a pleasure to be involved with the eel sculpture project with Highfields School and Ely Museum. Each student did a fantastic job learning the skills and techniques necessary to each create the copper wire eels featuring in the sculpture and also weave a section of the eel trap which forms the structure of the final artwork.

We encourage you to pop in to see this fantastic sculpture created by Highfield Ely Academy, next time you are passing by the museum, find it on display in the shop area of the museum entrance on the corner of Market Street and Lynn Road.

Paul O’Brien, teacher at Highfields, says;

“4t was brilliant to see our students picking up a new skill, wire weaving, so quickly. | think they have all gained confidence from taking part in this project and they have also learned how to persevere and to complete a challenge. It’s a real honour and a privilege for our students to have a piece of their work on view in the Museum.’”

Some of the Highfield Ely Academy pupils added;

“I can’t wait to bring my family here and show it to them” and “So, if I come back here in 20 years, it will still be on the wall? Wow!”

To find out more about upcoming events, activities and exhibitions at the museum, and to join our mailing list, please visit http://www.elymuseum.org.uk

Press release from Ely Museum

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Anyone aged 18 or under is invited to attend the free Youth Fusion event taking place between 11am and 3pm.

This interactive wellbeing event is an opportunity to find out what is going on for young people and the things that matter to you.

As well as fun activities such as climbing wall, Korfeball and a bouncy castle, there will also be the chance to find out more about the clubs and organisations operating in East Cambridgeshire.

So whether you want to join a sports club or find out more about climate change, there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone.

A bike mechanic will also be available to offer advice on bike maintenance and carry out basic repairs on the day free of charge, and the police will be offering bike security marking.

The events are being supported by a diverse range of organisations including East Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership, Living Sport and EMC bicycle repairs.

Rhianna Regan, a youth ambassador for East Cambridgeshire Youth Council, said: “Whether you want to just have an enjoyable free day out with friends, or find out more about the support and services that are available – or both, it’s guaranteed there will be something for everyone on the day.”

Attendees are advised to take their own water bottles for refills on the day.

Youth Fusion days will also be held at:

• Bottisham Sports Centre, Wednesday 9 August 2023
• Littleport Youth and Community Centre, Wednesday 23 August 2023

You can find out more about the Youth Fusion Days, together with lots of handy hints and tips for young people on the youth pages on East Cambridgeshire District Council’s website.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

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The day kicked off with the 9 and Under competition, which ended in an extraordinary three-way tie. Giulia, Ren, and Joshua amazed spectators with their exceptional skills and unwavering determination. These promising young players truly embodied the 10is Academy’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of tennis stars.

In the 12 and Under category, Charlotte emerged as the deserving champion, captivating the audience with her superb strategic play. Her victory further solidified the 10is Academy’s dedication to fostering young talent and providing them with a platform to shine.

The 18 and Under competition witnessed intense battles on the court, but it was James who emerged victorious, displaying remarkable resilience and a profound understanding of the game.

The women’s doubles event proved to be a thrilling affair, with Helen and Tanya forming an unstoppable duo. Their seamless coordination, impeccable teamwork, and Tanya’s powerful serves were instrumental in securing their well-deserved victory.

The men’s doubles event showcased skill, strategy, and camaraderie as Tom and Seb emerged as the champions. Their synchronized play and ability to anticipate each other’s moves made them an indomitable force on the court.

In the highly anticipated ladies’ singles competition, Sarah demonstrated her power and determination, claiming the championship title. Her exceptional shot selection and unwavering focus allowed her to overpower her opponents and secure a well-deserved victory. Sarah’s win added yet another accolade to her impressive year, completing a treble of titles with 10is Academy.

The men’s singles final provided a thrilling climax to the day’s events, with Max exhibiting unmatched net play that had spectators on the edge of their seats. Max’s agility, powerful shots, and strategic gameplay were a testament to the exceptional coaching provided by the 10is Academy. His victory served as a fitting conclusion to a day filled with remarkable performances and unforgettable moments.

In addition to the electrifying matches, the event offered a range of recreational activities for participants and their families. Spectators enjoyed a refreshing dip in the swimming pool and indulged in traditional strawberries and cream, along with the quintessential tennis treat, Pimms. Throughout the day, the 10is Academy’s commitment to providing a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere for all was evident.

As the event came to a close, the coaching team at the 10is Academy expressed their pride in the accomplishments of their students. Comprising a group of professional coaches, some with international experience, the team played a vital role in guiding and shaping the talented athletes who participated in the 10is Race Finals.

One parent wrote, “A fantastic, fun-filled family day out! Thank you for organizing it. There’s no better way to spend a Saturday – tennis, friends, family, fun!!!”

With the tournament now finished, the coaching team at the 10is Academy will take a well-deserved break before starting their summer camps on July 31st. These camps will provide aspiring tennis players with an opportunity to refine their skills, receive top-tier coaching, and immerse themselves in the vibrant tennis community at the 10is Academy.

The success of the 10is Race Finals demonstrates the dedication, skill, and passion of the participants, further solidifying the 10is Academy’s reputation as a premier tennis club. The event showcased the club’s commitment to nurturing talent, providing exceptional coaching, and creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for players and their families. As September approaches, the 10is Academy Ely eagerly anticipates celebrating its 2nd anniversary, reflecting on two amazing years filled with numerous well-earned titles.

10is Academy Tennis Ladies 1 Clinch Draw to Secure Title and Promotion to Division 5

In an exhilarating and fiercely contested match, the Tennis Ladies 1 team from 10is Academy showcased their determination and skill, managing a crucial draw that secured them the title and promotion to Division 5. The nail-biting encounter against Cambourne lasted an impressive 3 hours and 20 minutes and concluded with a thrilling tiebreak victory of 10-8.

Entering the match as the second-ranked team, 10is Academy knew that a draw or a win would propel them to the top of the league and guarantee their promotion. The stakes were high, and the players demonstrated exceptional composure and resilience throughout the intense battle.

Stepping onto the court for the decisive match were the young and talented Abi, aged 16, who partnered with Sandrine, making her debut for the team. Their opponents, Helen and Mutsuko, formed a formidable duo that posed a significant challenge for the 10is Academy pair.

The clash between the two teams lived up to the expectations, with each game fiercely contested and points won and lost with great intensity. The energy and determination exhibited by all players were truly commendable, as they fought for every shot, showcasing their exceptional skills and competitive spirit.

As the match progressed, the tension heightened, and the crowd was on the edge of their seats. The final result hung in the balance until the last moments. Ultimately, it came down to a nail-biting tiebreak that would determine the fate of the 10is Academy team.

With nerves of steel and unwavering focus, the partnership of Abi and Sandrine prevailed, securing a hard-fought victory in the tiebreak, with a score of 10-8. This crucial win not only ensured the draw but also propelled 10is Academy to the top of the league, securing the title and the well-deserved promotion to Division 5.

The entire team at 10is Academy, as well as their loyal supporters, erupted with joy and jubilation as the final point was won. The players’ dedication, perseverance, and teamwork had paid off in the most thrilling fashion.

The remarkable achievement of the Tennis Ladies 1 team at 10is Academy serves as a testament to their talent, hard work, and unwavering commitment to the sport. The inclusion of Sandrine, who made an impressive debut for the team, further highlights the depth of talent and potential within the academy.

With their promotion to Division 5, the 10is Academy Tennis Ladies 1 team is poised to face new challenges and continue their journey towards further success. Their remarkable performance in this decisive match will undoubtedly serve as a source of inspiration for future endeavors.

Congratulations to the entire Tennis Ladies 1 team at 10is Academy for their extraordinary accomplishment, and best of luck in their future endeavors as they continue to make waves in the world of tennis.

Press release from 10is Academy

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Thanks to Ely College’s partnership with the Isle of Ely Rowing Club (IoERC) and the East Anglia Youth Rowing (EAYR), the crews had an amazing opportunity to spectate, rig boats next to Ivy League and Oxbridge World Champions and row at such an historic and prestigious event.

The Henley Royal Regatta is up there on the calendar with the Olympics and World Championship competitions for elite rowing teams. Over 700 crews from around the world raced this unique course as part of the week-long event, with only 26 winning silverware and bragging rights for another year. Whilst the crews weren’t competing, the weather conditions and 1500m course presented a technical and physical challenge to the rowers and coxes alike.

The three Cadets and the other members of their quad team are now looking forward to a busy summer schedule of regattas both locally and further afield, and we look forward to following their progress.

More information and photographs here:

https://www.elycollege.com/hrrnews-rowinghrrhttps://www.elycollege.com/hrrnews-rowinghrr

From Ely College and 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

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This investment will enable Haddenham Parish Council to provide new grass pitches, a pavilion, car park and access road at Newtown Road, Haddenham. The site will be used by Haddenham Rovers Colts teams for training and matches, with additional recreational space available to the whole community as a result.

These new facilities represent a significant extension on the existing sporting facilities in Haddenham, which are not able to cope with the demand from such a successful Colts Club. The Club currently has 11 teams playing across just 3 pitches with many children having to travel outside of the village to play on hired pitches.

The wider community will benefit from this additional space by way of a further 6.5 acres of recreational land for public use outside match times. A circular walk connecting the west side of the village to existing rights of way on the south will be popular with many residents.

This project has been supported by an additional £305,000 from East Cambridgeshire District Council. With funding also forthcoming from Haddenham Recreation Charity, Haddenham Rovers Colts and Haddenham Parish Council itself.

Katie Critchley, Football Development Manager for Cambridgeshire FA
said:

“Haddenham Parish Council and Haddenham Colts Football Club have worked tirelessly to provide an additional facility to enable sustainable growth of the village sports and activities. This new facility is much needed in addition to the recreation ground and we’re extremely pleased and very grateful that the project has been successful with a funding application to the Football Foundation. Congratulations and well done to all involved! We look forward to working with you to bring the project to life.”

Lucy Frazer MP for South East Cambridgeshire and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said:

“I am absolutely delighted that Haddenham Parish Council has been successful in its bid to the Football Foundation for a new pavilion and grass football pitches.”

“As the local Member of Parliament, I threw my support behind this bid because I could see the significant benefits this project would create for the entire village sports community, including more space for existing teams to play, higher quality training sessions and less pressure on the recreation ground, which is shared with the village cricket club.

“This grant also means that the village will have the necessary resources available to accommodate future talent, as it has done consistently over the last few years.”

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said:

The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

“This grant award to Haddenham Parish Council towards developing new grass pitches and a pavilion is fantastic news for the local community and will help give more people access to a great place to play.”

Grayham Roper, Chairman of Haddenham Rovers Colts Football Club, said:

“I am delighted that this funding has been secured. The additional pitches and quality facilities, will allow the Club to flourish and grow, providing more local children with the opportunity to play football. I’d like to thank the team behind the application for their hard work and dedication throughout.”

Press release from Haddenham Parish Council

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They achieved Top Team at the meet, from the combined points of all the swimmers who competed.  Everyone had a very successful meet and in total, there were 40 gold, 32 silver and 23 bronze medals with 109 personal best times for the team.  

Our top five performers won all five of their races and shared the Top Boys/Girls award across the meet – they were Peony Jackson (age 9), Jorja Atkinson (age 11), Tia Hill (age 16); Jacob Schultz (age 11), and Cillian O’Brien (age 15). 

The full results for the team were Jorja Atkinson (5 Gold), Tia Hill (5 Gold), Peony Jackson (5 Gold), Cillian O’Brien (5 Gold), Jacob Schultz (5 Gold), Zoe Thompson (4 Gold), Daniel Kendall (3 Gold, 2 Silver), Annabelle Smith (3 Gold, 2 Silver), Oli Davey (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Oliver Fuller (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze), Joshua Black (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze), Sarah Hardiment (5 Silver), Lyra Schultz (5 Silver), Alexander New (4 Silver, 1 Bronze), Megan Clarke (3 silver, 1 Bronze), Gabriel Kim ( 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), Finn Taylor (2 Silver), William Clarke (1 Silver, 3 Bronze), Olivia D’Souza (1 Silver, 3 Bronze), James Clarke (3 Bronze), Stephanie Lakinger (3 Bronze),  Martyn Fresher (1 Bronze), Amber Lloyd (1 Bronze), Bella Pillow(1 Bronze).

The rest of the team achieved personal best times and contributed points to the overall team points score helping to achieve the top team award they are listed below:

Lily Alston, Emily Barnes, Isabella Beardmore, Kitty Board, Erin-Mae Carey,  Lola Carey, Jake Challenger, Dexter Davey, Chloe Gardner, Edward  Gates, Felicity Gates, Shanice Geraty, Charles Green, Rosa Hague, Finley Jones, Henry Langley, Shea O’Brien, Madeleine Pillow, Immy Ryan, Tom Ryan, Barry Schultz, Toby Taylor, Dominic Thompson, Sebastian Thompson, Lauren Turnock, Izzy Whittaker, Gracie Wickens.

Congratulations to the whole team!

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

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In 2009 the first ‘Dorset Walk’ was launched with 30 students from Ely College walking 40 miles along the Jurassic Coast. The group managed to raise £6,000. It was, however, the experience and the sense of achievement that set the seed for hundreds more people to follow.

Now in 2023, the 15th annual walk is due to set off in just a few weeks. The total amount raised by the foundation is now in excess of £450,000 with the number of people impacted and involved up into the thousands.

With the organisers being predominantly secondary school teachers and the majority of the fundraisers are secondary students, a powerful aspect of the charity is that healthy young people know they are taking an active role to support those people who are less fortunate and need their support. In addition to this, the foundation is creating opportunities and challenges allowing these young people to push their boundaries and further their ambitions.

The charity is very much about making a difference to people and individuals. The biggest achievements to date include the transformation of the Woodlands Gardens at Hinchingbrooke Hospital Huntingdon and our current project, the Lakeside Retreat in Pidley. The retreat will provide free respite breaks for families and people affected by cancer.

The charity is always keen to support and fund other causes and has donated to support counselling, respite care, bereavement support, health care, wellbeing support, research amidst a whole spectrum of other causes.

In addition to the walk, each year we host a range of different fundraisers including: the 10 hours of sport; golf society fundraisers and netball tournaments. We are always looking to involve more people, more schools and have an even bigger impact.

Fifteen Years is a big milestone for us and to mark the event and celebrate all of our achievements so far as well as look to the future, we are hosting a Celebration Ball in Ely. We are very much looking forward to getting together with the supporters who have given their all to make the charity the success it is today.

Damien the founder said,

“The biggest sense of pride for me is what the charity does to people that take part in our events. Introducing young people to charity and seeing the sense of pride they experience when they realise the difference they are making is a wonderful feeling.”

“There are now so many people involved in what we do. The emotional and physical commitment from each of them is so incredibly rewarding.”

“I am excited to see the charity continue to grow into the future. Most of all, I hope that my children will continue to support me, to drive the charity forward, in memory of their grandfather, who they unfortunately never got to meet.”.

To find out more about the charity or if you would like to get involved/donate all information can be found at: http://tmwf.co.uk

or you can email us at themalcolmwhalesfoundation@gmail.com

Press release from The Malcolm Whales Foundation

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Our Commanding Officer, Flight Lieutenant J Donoghue RAFAC, delivered the commencement speech to the new cadets on officially beginning their air cadet experience.

He reminded them that the length of their adventure and the path they choose to take would be down to them. Only their effort and determination would dictate how enjoyable, valuable and inspirational their time in service would be.

Congratulations to the 2023 intake.

VENTURE ADVENTURE! and To The Fore 1094

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The highest honour the city can award was championed by the late Mike Rouse, a former Mayor and long-serving councillor, and follows a ceremony in April when the City of Ely Council signed the Armed Forces Covenant which is a pledge that those who serve, or have served in the armed forces, and their families, will be treated with fairness and respect by their community.

The day began with a specially commissioned cry by Ely’s Town Crier, Cecilia De-Boer. In his opening address the Mayor, Cllr Chris Phillips, said: “The Armed Forces Covenant established yet another bond between Ely and the Armed Forces… today reinforces that we do indeed honour and remember all those who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces.”

The Royal British Legion, Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Airmen’s Families Association (SSAFA) and RAF Witchford Museum were among the organisations who set up information stands and spoke to scores of local people and curious visitors, many of whom returned in the afternoon to watch the Freedom of the City ceremony. 

The Army Cadet Force and Air Training Corps marched behind their standards, flanking the Union Standard carried by the City of Ely Standard Bearer Tom Brown, from Palace Green to Cross Green where the Mayor presented certificates to Lt Darryl Gardiner of the Ely detachment of the Army Cadet Force and Flt Lt John Donoghue, officer commanding the City of Ely Royal Air Force Cadets.

The Mayor said: “The certificates state just why this Freedom has been bestowed: ‘For the long and valuable service the Corps and Cadet Force has rendered to the young people of Ely and district and their contribution to civic life. The Council recognises the dedication of all the officers, cadets and supporters and the value that the training, discipline and citizenship skills instilled give to the wider community and the nation’.”

The day ended with a Drumhead Service conducted by the Rev Alan Jessop, Cambridgeshire county RBL chaplain. Visitors had been entertained during the afternoon by Breckland Brass Band whose trumpeter played the Last Post before a two minute silence and accompanied cadets, invited guests and spectators as they sang the National Anthem which was a fitting end to an historic occasion.

Press release from Ely Branch Royal British Legion

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This partnership has provided students with first-hand rowing experience on the River Ouse and established an ongoing pathway for those wishing to join the local rowing club, with a considerable number of students enrolling and participating in competitive racing.

Bolstered by funding from Love Rowing and The Boat Race Fund supported by Gemini, and a new strategic partnership with East Anglia Youth Rowing (EAYR), the college recently expanded this unique opportunity to six local schools. On June 8th, 2023, Ely College co-hosted an aspirational rowing event at the Cambridge University Boat House on the River Ouse.

The event, running from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, was designed to inspire students to try rowing, nurture a passion for the sport, and potentially uncover a new hobby. Participants were divided based on their rowing experience and engaged in a variety of activities such as Boat Race student athlete talks, a land-based rowing machine competition, a water safety talk, a technical skills session, and a coxed quadruple scull (four rowers with two oars and a cox) racing event.

The day was enriched by the presence of student athletes from Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs; Barbora Hlachova and Louis Corrigan from Oxford, and Cameron Spiers, Iris Powell, and Rosa Millard from Cambridge.

Cameron Spiers shared his reflections on the day: “It was great to see so many young people try out rowing for the first time, everyone was getting stuck in and having fun. I spent some time out on the launch and was very impressed by how focused everyone was. Hopefully, some people will have found a new hobby that they’ll stick with.”

Echoing this sentiment, Barbora Hlachova added: “it was fun getting to share our love of rowing with kids who will maybe race in the Boat Race one day! I even got to try out coxing – that was a highlight (and a dream come true…being over 6 ft tall, it was a dream I was slowly giving up on.)”

Jason Coe, who heads the Ely College rowing programme, expressed his gratitude for the support provided by Love Rowing and a recently announced second round of funding from the Boat Race Fund, as well as the visiting university athletes: “It was an absolute privilege to be able to row from the Cambridge University Boat House and meet with the student athletes…The students willingness to get out on the coaching launch, cox boats, and provide tours alongside the general conversation was a pleasure to see.”

He added: “This was our first ever aspirational rowing event and it felt like a huge success, with over 60 students getting an experience of rowing on the River Ouse from the landmark Cambridge University Boat house. This alongside the opportunity to meet and speak with 5 high performance university rowers truly made for a wonderful and rewarding afternoon.”

“The confidence, enthusiasm and desire to improve was noticeable across all students many of whom were rowing for the first time. We are so pleased we could invite Neale Wade Academy, Soham Village College, Cromwell Community College, North Cambridge Academy and Littleport & East Cambs Academy. None of this would have been possible without the input from IOERC and EAYR on the day, but also without the ongoing support from Gemini, The Boat Race Company & Love Rowing.”

Siobhan Cassidy, the Interim Chair of the Boat Race Company Ltd, who also attended the event, was delighted by the vibrancy she witnessed: “It was a fantastic afternoon and wonderful to watch everyone in action, great to see children who had never tried rowing before, get out on the water, race and have lots of fun! Huge thanks to Jason and all the other teachers and rowing coaches who made the day such a success. I hope the young people taking part know they have now become rowers and are part of a wonderful sporting community!”

This event underscores the effective collaboration between these amazing partnerships; welcoming in more schools to strengthen the offer and widen the circle, illuminating a bright future for the young rowing enthusiasts in and around Ely. It offers these young people a thrilling introduction to the world of rowing and the myriad opportunities it holds.

To find out more about Ely College, please visit: www.elycollege.com. 

Press release from Ely College

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Anthony, who took up his new position earlier this term, has joined the team at Lantern Community Primary School with a wealth of experience in the education sector.

After completing a four-year combined Biology and QTS degree, Anthony relocated to Cambridge in 1999 and has taught in a variety of schools in the area from Reception to Year 6, both single and mixed age groups. 

He spent three years working alongside Cambridgeshire County Council as an Advanced Skills Teacher for the Early Years, providing both LA CPD and targeted support to schools across the county.   

For the last eight years, Anthony has been Headteacher at Hatton Park Primary School in Cambridge, which is also part of Meridian Trust. 

Speaking about his appointment, Anthony said: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed as the Headteacher of Lantern Community Primary School. This is a very exciting time to be a part of the school’s community and I am very much looking forward to continuing to build on our successes highlighted by Ofsted and for The Lantern to be the best that it can be. 

“As part of Meridian Trust, I am proud that collaboration and teamwork are seen as central to continual improvement. The Lantern is a great place to teach in and to learn in!

“Thank you to all our colleagues, pupils and their families for the warm welcome and support I have been shown so far. I’m looking forward to lots of summer events over the next few weeks where I can put more faces to names and learn more about our wonderful community.”

Lantern Community Primary is a 4 to 11 school with a roll approaching 400 pupils, that provides comprehensive education for children in the Ely area. 

Press release from the Cambridge Meridian Trust

The post New Principal Appointed at Lantern Community Primary School appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The honour was championed by the late Mike Rouse, a former Mayor and long-serving councillor, and follows a ceremony in April when the City of Ely Council signed the Armed Forces Covenant which is a pledge that those who serve, or have served in the armed forces, and their families, will be treated with fairness and respect by their community.

The day will begin at 9.30am with a specially commissioned Cry by Ely’s Town Crier, Cecilia De-Boer, followed by an opening address from the Mayor, Cllr Chris Phillips.

The Royal British Legion, Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Airmen’s Families Association (SSAFA), are among the organisations who will set up information stands and there will also be food and drink vendors. 

Breckland Brass Band will play at 2pm and at 3.30pm the Mayor will preside over the ceremony to grant the Freedom of the City to the Army and Air Cadets.

The day will end with a Drumhead Service conducted by the Rev Alan Jessop, Cambridgeshire county RBL chaplain. The service will take place on Cross Green beside Ely Cathedral – a poignant and appropriate setting because a Drumhead Service is a traditional ecumenical service conducted “in the field” during an armed conflict when regimental drums are placed on top of each other to form an altar.

City of Ely Royal British Legion branch chairman, David Martin said: “Armed Forces Day is an opportunity for everyone to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces; from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets. We hope that plenty of people from the city and beyond will find time to drop by during the day.”

Press release from Ely Branch Royal British Legion

The post Ely Prepares to Honour Army and Air Cadets on Armed Forces Day appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Bouncy castles, face painting and a performance by the Ely Hero Award-winning Lane Academy are all on the agenda, as well as numerous games and stalls – including the chance to soak Lantern School headteacher Anthony Aguda with a wet sponge while he stands in the stocks!

The fair on June 24th is free to enter and activities have been kept as cheap as possible to accommodate all members of the community, Friends of the Lantern School (FOTLS) chair and mother-of-six Meredith Hux Atkins said.

“We know times are tough – so we wanted to ensure no one missed out. Many of the activities will set you back just 50p to £1. We want to raise money for our wonderful school while keeping things affordable for our community.”

For the first time, the fair is offering a tantalising array of external food vendors, with Cambridge Samosa Company, Pig-Cassos, Pimp My Fish and Tipsy Trotter Gin ‘n’ Fizz Bar confirmed – as well as a refreshments stall run by event hosts FOTLS.

People will be able to take part in a tombola and a super summer raffle, with prizes including a Nintendo Switch, vouchers for Horsley Hale Farm Glamping, Church Farm, Treetops, South Angle Farm Park, Barracuda Activity Day Camp, The Hive, Grain Culture and Cineworld, as well as numerous toys, gifts and handmade items.

Mother-of-three Fiona Williams, who organised the raffle, said: “Our local businesses, artists and makers have been incredibly generous. We are very grateful for their support in donating such wonderful prizes, especially in such tough times. Every penny we raise from this fair goes directly to the school – so we really appreciate it.”

Those attending the fair will be able to look inside a fire engine, and for the first time, a tractor from G’s will be on site for young and old to enjoy.

This is the first Lantern Summer Fair since 2019.

Meredith said: “Many of the younger kids at the school have never been to one of our fairs. It’s so lovely to be able to put events back on again – not just for our kids but for the whole community. This is traditionally our biggest fundraiser of the year, so please do come along and support it.”

FOTLS would like to thank Tesco in Ely for providing some of the refreshments and Pocock and Shaw for sponsoring our advertising billboards.

The Lantern Summer Fair runs from 12pm to 3pm on June 24th at the Lantern School, Nene Road, Ely.

For more information see www.facebook.com/events/217736164329638 

You can buy raffle tickets at https://friends-of-the-lantern-school.sumupstore.com

Press release from FOLTS 

The post First Lantern Summer Fair Since Pandemic Promises Affordable Fun appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Committee is made up of just 8 Parents.

Highfield is a local Special Educational Needs School covering Ely and the surrounding areas.  All pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (previously known as Statement of Special Needs) for a significant, severe or complex learning difficulty which means their needs would not be met in mainstream education.  Many pupils have additional medical, sensory, communication and physical disabilities.

The need for fundraising:

In order to address the varied and complex needs of pupils at Highfield, the HFPA raises funds for equipment, services and facilities that cannot be met by statutory funds. Our fundraising has been especially challenging during recent years, as we have been unable to put on many of the events that we depend on to raise vital funds, due to Covid, recent rise in cost of living etc.

Our appeal:

Our latest fundraising project is to purchase 20 iPads with Grid 3 technology. This is a complete communication solution that enables the user to have a voice, control their environment and live a more independent life. It is designed for anyone with complex communication or access needs and includes a wide range of resources that the user can control with touch, switch, eye gaze and pointing devices. This technology will give a voice to many young people who attend Highfield who have previously not had one.

The 20 iPads with the technology pre-loaded will cost £10,000 which, as a small committee of around 8 parents and family members who have children who attend the school, is a huge target for us to raise, and therefore any support the community are able to offer in reaching our goal would be hugely appreciated.

So far, we have raised over £2,000 and hopefully a grant for £5,000.

If you would like to donate click here

Press release from Highfield Friends and Parents Association (HFPA)

The post Highfield Friends and Parents Association Fundraiser appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Barclay Greenway and Georgia Gordon, who are both in Year 13 and studying Biology at A-Level, have achieved Silver and Highly Commended, respectively, in this year’s British Biology Olympiad (BBO).

More than 13,000 students from 800 schools worldwide participated in the contest. Barclay’s Silver award places him in the top 10% of UK students who entered.

The BBO is designed to challenge and stimulate students who have an interest in Biology. Pupils are presented with topics and ideas which they are not familiar with, so they compete with their problem-solving skills and understanding of core principles.

Co-curricular opportunities are high on the agenda at King’s Ely, and the BBO is a great example of how enrichment helps to place pupils’ studies in a wider intellectual landscape. Other enrichment opportunities at King’s Ely Sixth Form include talks by visiting speakers, either to the whole Sixth Form or to smaller subject-specific academic societies, student-led discussion evenings, and visits and trips organised by academic departments.

In 2022, 42% of GCSE results at King’s Ely were Grades 9-8. 50% of all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects were at Grade 9. 46% of A-Level results were at A*-A, with students securing places at their first-choice institutions, the majority of which were Russell Group Universities.

To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit: www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely  

The post King’s Ely duo on fine form in British Biology Olympiad appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The championships were held in both Norwich and Luton at the 50m pools.  This year, the club had an amazing nine athletes qualify, they were Jorja Atkinson, Josh Black, Megan Clarke, Oliver Davey, Oliver Fuller, Jacob Schultz, Cillian O’Brien, Tia Hill, Daniel Kendall.  All had impressive swims with new personal best times.  

The highlights of the championships were the medals achieved by Jorja Atkinson (1Gold, 1 Bronze); Josh Black (1 Gold and 1 Bronze) and Oliver Fuller (1 Silver, 1 Bronze).  Also, a very impressive time from Oliver Davey in the 14 year old 50m free final saw him narrowly miss a medal, however the time has qualified him for Swim England Nationals in August which is a fantastic achievement. Jorja finished 10th in the 11/12yr age group overall with Josh Black 6th in the 13 year old category and Oliver Fuller was 8th, also in the 13 year old age group.

Cillian and Jacob were competing at their first regional championships, gaining valuable experience for the future.  Jacob competed in 2 finals from his 12 events.

Congratulations to all our athletes for qualifying and for all their achievements!

Press release from City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club

The post Success at East Regionals Long Course Swimming Championships 2023 for City of Ely ASC appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Council ran a poetry competition over the Easter Holidays, with under 18s being asked to compile an illustrated poem entitled “If I were King Charles for the day.” 

Oscar Ritchie, aged nine and a pupil at Haddenham, Archie Farthing, also nine from Dullingham and Rowan Chadwick Redfarn, 11, from Ely impressed judges with their thoughtful and funny poems illustrated with crowns, cakes and banana milkshakes.

In keeping with the King’s love for the environment they will each receive a £50 National Garden Gift Voucher.

Their poems will also have the honour of appearing in an illustrated anthology of 20 shortlisted poems from across the district. A copy of the book will be sent to King Charles III to celebrate his Coronation.

All shortlisted competition entries will be on display at the council offices at The Grange in Nutholt Lane, Ely throughout June and July.

Councillor Julia Huffer, said: “We were astounded with the quality, diversity and imagination shown in all of the entries we received. Whittling the applicants down to 20 was certainly a tough ask. As well as being a fun and entertaining read I was genuinely touched by how many entries referenced the environment, caring for others and doing good deeds. Eating lots of cake was mentioned quite a bit too!”

Also shortlisted to appear in the book were poems by:

Rafe Hobart

Isabelle Toone

Charlotte Karger

Aurelia Monument

Lyra Schultz

Farah Karim

Olivia D’Souza

Effie McKeane-Dicks

Ellie Almond

Tala-Al-Dmour

Aya Hussain

Lia Lay

Sohaib Sohaib

Jacob Powell

Siriya Paragon

Imogen Matthews

Hephzibah Akinwale

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post King’s Coronation Poetry Competition Winners Announced appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

As the Cadet IC (the senior cadet) for 1094 (City of Ely) Squadron Air Cadets, James attended yesterday’s Wing Annual Conference at MOD Chicksands, along with staff from his own Squadron.

Chicksands is the home of The British Army Intelligence Corps who very kindly hosted Officers, NCOs, Civilian Instructors, Civilian Committee members and over 18 cadets from the 28 Squadron’s that make up Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing.

James joined Ely Squadron 6 years ago at the age of 12 and he hasnt looked back since. To name just a few of his acheivements, he has attained his Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards, acheived his parachute wings and free fall licence, he also qualified as a solo glider pilot on the RAF Viking Glider.

Later this year he will have the opportunity to learn to fly powered light aircaft solo as well as travel around the world as part of the International Air Cadet Exchange programme.

Following his successful interview with his Wing Commander, James was promoted in front of the Wing staff and senior cadets from every one of the 28 Squadrons in BedfordshireandCambridgeshire. .

To illustrate the significance of this promotion, it should be noted that the rank of Cadet Warrant Officer can only be bestowed upon a cadet by their Wing Commander and out of 43,000 Air Cadets across 1000 Squadrons nationally there are only 300 Cadet Warrant Officers.

Well done James, the sky certainly is not the limit for you.

James is pictured here receiving his new rank badges from Wing Commander Bradshaw RAFAC and also meeting Air Commodore Tony Keeling RAF Commandant Air Cadets at Buckingham Palace last Monday.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely Air Cadet Reaches New Heights appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

“After completing Bronze, Silver, and all 5 sections of Gold DofE, I have finally been able to finish my journey with the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. Contrary to what some individuals may believe, the final expedition at Gold level isn’t the true end of achieving the award; instead once qualifying, you are invited to attend the Gold Award Celebration in London.

Today I spent the day at inside the walls of Buckingham Palace for this celebration and palace garden party. This consisted of thousands of Gold award holders being able to walk around the grounds, take pictures, listen to the bands, enjoy some tea and cake and meet some famous and inspiring speakers, including the Duke of Edinburgh himself. I also had the pleasure of meeting with Air Commodore Tony Keeling Commandant Air Cadets.

When I first joined cadets, one of my initial aims was to prove to myself that I could achieve my DofE, but back then I didn’t expect to be inside Buckingham Palace within just 5 years. Although the award is generally an individual activity, it would have been so much harder without the help of others that contributed along the way, others such as our own SGT Donoghue who was nominated by B&C Wing to attend the celebration today as well.

Thank you to everyone that helped on my DofE journey, and for those cadets who are thinking of starting, or are currently working towards a DofE award, keep persevering and stay dedicated and you will get to Buckingham Palace just like I was today.”

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely Cadets Duke of Edinburgh Award Achievement appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ella Martin, who is in Year 11 at King’s Ely Senior, has been Highly Commended in this year’s Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) Supporting Excellence Awards. 

Ella’s achievement is in the ‘Khadija Saye Photography Award’ category, which recognises the ‘best photography portfolios by UK boarding school students’. The award is named in honour of the former Rugby School boarding pupil and respected international photographer, who tragically died in the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

When describing Ella’s portfolio, judges said: “A powerful portfolio of portraits demonstrating a strong range of technical skills.”

All three of Ella’s images were created for a sustained project, entitled ‘Portraiture’, as part of her GCSE coursework. Ella said: “I wanted to experiment with a wide range of studio lighting and mixed media to enhance my models.”

Ella’s achievement was announced at the BSA Annual Conference for Heads, which took place in Bristol. Now in their sixth year, the BSA Supporting Excellence Awards celebrate the successes, hard work, and dedication of boarding schools and the individuals within them.

This success comes just weeks after Ella discovered that she had won a prize in the 2023 ‘Beyond the Frame’ Photography Competition, which is organised by Norwich University of the Arts (NUA). Now in its sixth year, the annual competition is open to photography students aged 11-19 from across the globe. 

This year, there were 650 entries from 176 schools located in 26 different countries. These entries were whittled down to 50 shortlisted candidates, of which seven were King’s Ely students: Ella, Elliott Hilsden, Sam Clarke, Willis Xu, Euan Henry, Lia Kunis, and Thomas Bateman.

Ella won the ‘People’ category of the competition. Her image was chosen by photographer, filmmaker and educator, Cat Gundry-Beck. Commenting on Ella’s winning image on King’s Ely’s Instagram page, Cat wrote: “Congratulations to Ella, such beautiful work!”. 

In a statement posted on the NUA website, Cat said: “The standard of work on show was incredible and produced such a diverse range of images. The sense of play and experimentation was unbelievable, with people finding influences from so many different places.”

In March, King’s Ely Sixth Form student, Jessica Harding, was crowned the International Winner of the ‘2023 ILFORD PHOTO Student Photographer of the Year Competition’- again, beating hundreds of young photographers from around the world. Chosen by a panel of photography professionals, Jessica’s win means that a King’s Ely pupil, under the guidance of Head of Photography, Antonio Longo, has now enjoyed success in this competition for five years running.

Mr Longo, who has been Head of Photography at King’s Ely for eight years, said: “I am extremely proud of Ella, Jessica, and all our students who were shortlisted in these competitions. I have been committed to creating a Photography Department at King’s Ely that is a community filled with young and creative minds. My approach to teaching photography is to support young photographers with their technical and creative skills, and to encourage them to capture the world around them in a unique way; making the ordinary, extra ordinary.”

King’s Ely is renowned for its holistic approach to education, and this is reflected in the school’s outstanding Visual and Performing Arts provision. Music, Drama and Theatre, Fine Art, Fashion and Textiles, Photography and Dance are each embedded in the culture of King’s Ely, with vast opportunities for pupils of all abilities and aspirations.

To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit: www.kingsely.org

Press release from King’s Ely  

The post Winning streak continues for King’s Ely Photography Department! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ely Squadron’s OC was invited to attend the ceremony where Councillor Chris Phillips was appointed as Mayor and the Squadron offered to provide a gaurd of honour consisting of a third of the Squadron’s Cadets.

Both the new Mayor and new Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rob Pitt, mentioned Ely’s wealth of youth organisations in their acceotance speeches and the active part they play in Ely’s wonderful community spirit. The Squadron looks forward to a visit to our refurbished headquarters by both the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank retiring Mayor Councillor Richard Morgan for his service to the City and whom the Squadron’s cadets have had the pleasure of meeting at so many community events over the past year in Ely.

Pictured below is Ely’s new Mayor The Worrshipful Chris Phillips with Our Squadron OC, and the gaurd of honour commanded by Sergeant Dennett-Cook RAFAC who welcomed the guests as they arrived this evening along with Civilian Committee member Mrs Claire Constable.

From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The post Ely Cadets Welcome New Mayor appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

We’re delighted to present the Ely Arts Festival 2023! We have a jam packed couple of weeks with lots of exciting events to enjoy for all the community! There’s lots of free events including 2 of our highlights with our family day full of activities and music at Jubilee Jamboree on Saturday 24th June and our big finale in collaboration with Ely Markets on Friday 30th June. Come and take part in a ceramics workshop (with a beer in hand!) at Drayman’s Sons or paint our community mural sponsored by Spotted in Ely which is popping up at various points during the festival. We’d love to see you! 

There’s also a chance to enjoy professional theatre with a performance of Robin Hood in the beautiful Bishops Garden and performances in Sessions House, Ely’s hidden gem of a venue! Family theatre will also take place in Haddenham and Ely College with a production based on Roald Dahl’s books

There are 11 participatory events to choose from this year! We have a special Father’s Day event with a Samba drumming Workshop, two professional theatre shows and, of course, our Jubilee Jamboree Free Family Day is back by popular demand. It will even feature TWO performance spaces this year! Did we mention over half our events are FREE?

The festival simply would not be possible without the generosity of all our sponsors and we’re extremely grateful for their ongoing support. 

After the success of our community concert last year, we’ll be delivering singing and art workshops to over 400 school children culminating in our Space themed concert in Ely Cathedral to open the festival with a bang including an eclectic mix of music by David Bowie, Elton John, Gustav Holst and John Williams. 

Press release from Ely Arts Festival

The post Ely Arts Festival Promises a Jam Packed 2 Weeks in June! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Their teacher Penni, has built strong relationships with the students and has followed their individual interests to help them have lessons that are engaging and great fun.

The class teachers have been so impressed by the progress that the students have made. Growing both in their musical understanding, ability and in their confidence. All of the students managed to give a performance to their class at the end of the Spring term – which was an amazing achievement. One pupil even wrote his own song lyrics. Amazing progress and effort.

We used the Good Vibes Local, Great Little Giveaway donation to give our staff some training in musical experiences for our sensory learners, particularly making and appreciating music.  This was a hands-on session with the students having experiences and staff observing and learning at the same time. The one-day session was organised by jessiesfund.org.uk

Press release from Supporters of Highfields Littleport Academy (SOHLA)

The post GVL Great Little Giveaway: Supporters of Highfields Littleport Academy (SOHLA) appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The fun-filled challenge, organised by Friends of the Lantern School (FOTLS), included jumping over straw bales, crawling under a cargo net, navigating tyres and weaving in between slalom poles.

Over 400 students from the Lantern School and Goslings Pre-School were excited to test out their ninja skills, with each participant receiving a finisher’s medal.

Headteacher Anthony Aguda said: “How wonderful to see the children and staff enjoying an opportunity to be involved in some extra exercise! Thank you so much to everyone involved for making it happen – the Ninja Dash spin on a fun run was a great idea. Sunshine, smiles and worn out children!”

By yesterday afternoon the Lantern Ninja Dash had raised over £3100 – smashing the original £2500 target.

Organiser Liz Heselwood, whose daughters Isla, seven, and Eva, five, attend the Ely primary school, said: “It was great seeing the kids being active. A fun time was had by all.”

Every penny raised by FOTLS goes directly towards the school. The charity is currently fundraising for much-needed outdoor equipment to benefit the children. 

FOTLS chair Meredith Hux Atkins, whose daughters Julie, 10, Caroline, seven and Hannah, five, attend the Lantern, and Seraphina, three, attends Goslings, hailed the event as a great success.

She said: “In the past we’ve put on fun runs but we wanted to try something different this year. It was fantastic seeing the children’s faces when they came out onto the field and saw the obstacle course. It wasn’t a competitive race – it was about participation and everyone who took part was a winner.”

FOTLS would like to thank Green & Purple for contributing to the cost of the medals.

You can sponsor the Lantern Ninja Dash at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/LanternNinjaDash2023

Press release from Friends of The Lantern School

The post Ninja Dash a Hit at Ely Primary School appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

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The school was inspected on March 7th to 8th 2023, where inspectors found no change to the school’s overall judgement – a rating it has proudly held since 2017. 

The report celebrated the positive behaviour of pupils, the success of a newly introduced system for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and the range of opportunities available for pupils to develop their wider learning.

Headteacher at Isle of Ely Primary School, Bryony Surtees, said: “I am delighted that we continue to be rated as a ‘Good’ school. This reflects the fantastic commitment and hard work of the staff, and it also celebrates the success of our children.” 

She continued: “The pupils’ enthusiasm and love of learning shone through and clearly impressed the Inspector. Thank you also to our parents, for their continuing support and involvement.”

The report praises pupils’ enjoyment of the curriculum, stating “pupils show they are ready to learn, listening attentively to their teacher and working hard in class”. 

The school’s methods of assessing learning were also identified by the inspector as an area of success. The report highlighted that observation or knowledge, adaptation of teaching methods, and regularly checking comprehension enabled pupils to “learn content securely”.

Reading was another area of focus in the report, with the inspector commenting “reading is at the centre of the school’s curriculum. Leaders ensure that staff have the training and resources to teach phonics to good effect”.

It continued “Pupils willingly spend their lunchtimes in the library, losing themselves in storybooks.”

Effective safeguarding measures at the school were also highlighted in the report, with the inspector observing that “leaders, including governors, oversee safeguarding with drive and determination.”

The report also praised the school’s commitment to providing a diverse range of extra-curricular clubs for pupils. The inspector stated that “pupils strive to help others, taking on roles and responsibilities to help effect change. For instance, the house captains oversee fundraising events to support charities” highlighting how participation in these clubs helps pupils to develop important leadership and interpersonal skills.

Chief Executive Officer at The Active Learning Trust, Lynsey Holzer, said: “We are thrilled that Isle of Ely Primary School has once again been awarded a ‘Good’ grading from Ofsted. This is very well-deserved and is recognition of the hard work and dedication showed by Mrs Surtees and her entire team, who ensured the school offers children a safe, supportive, and fun learning environment. Congratulations to you all!”

To find out more about Isle of Ely Primary School, visit: https://isleofelyprimary.org

 Press release from The Active Learning Trust

The post Isle of Ely School Celebrates another ‘Good’ Ofsted appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Paul, who is in Year 13, beat 152 of the UK’s most able junior players in the competition, which was held at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, from April 3rd to 5th.

Paul placed first with a total of 214, -5, for the Par 73, three-rounds. This qualifies him for the Faldo Series Junior Tour Grand Final, which will see him playing against the world’s most talented junior golfers in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in the autumn.

Paul joined King’s Ely Junior in Year 7, and he lives with his family in Newmarket. Paul is Captain of Golf at King’s Ely, and he is a member at Gog Magog Golf Club in Great Shelford, Cambridge. Paul usually practises or plays golf every day, and he first started having lessons when he was six years old. He plays off +2.6.

Speaking about his win, Paul said: “It is an incredible way to kick off the season! I was really pleased to achieve three solid rounds with the bonus of gaining world ranking points, and a trip to the Grand Final in UAE in September.”

It is certainly going to be a busy summer for Paul, as he is studying for his A Levels in History, Psychology, and Physical Education (Academic). He will also be playing in The Open Qualifying Series in June, and the Junior World Championships in San Diego in July. Everyone at King’s Ely wishes Paul well for what looks set to be a very exciting competition season ahead.

To find out more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit www.kingsely.org.

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely golfer qualifies for Faldo Series Junior Tour Grand Final appeared first on Spotted in Ely.