KING’S Ely Sixth Form leaver, Katherine Mann, is off to the University of Cambridge after achieving the A Level results she needed.
Katherine, 18, achieved an A* in Spanish, an A* in French and an A* in English Literature. Her chosen degree is Linguistics.
Katherine joined King’s Ely Acremont Pre-Prep in Year 1 and was a member of The Choristers of Ely Cathedral Choir.
Katherine, who has also been awarded a Choral Scholarship at Selwyn College Cambridge, said: “This is great news, as it allows me to continue to pursue my interests with singing. I was a Chorister and Choral Scholar with Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir for five years, and thoroughly enjoyed it.”
When asked what career path she hopes to pursue, Katherine said: “I hope to follow my interest in languages and pursue a career where I can use them daily. I also hope to continue to learn new languages, and also improve my abilities in the languages I currently know. I have always enjoyed translation and so I would like to become a translator or interpreter, possibly for an organisation such as the UN. I also hope to continue singing and would be interested in a career where I can combine my love of languages with that of music.”
Speaking about her time at King’s, Katherine said: “I have tried to participate in as much as possible during my time at King’s, particularly musically. In Year 9, I became a Girl Chorister and continued this through to Year 12, where I then became a Choral Scholar. This was a large commitment – several weekly services and commitments over Christmas and Easter, but I absolutely loved it. I feel that being a Girl Chorister has been an integral part of my school experience, and it has taught me so much, not just about music. My time-management, organisation, communication and people skills have all improved, and I really think that being a Chorister has shaped me as a person and that it will continue to influence my life. Had I not been a Chorister, I doubt I would have discovered such a love for singing, especially in a choral setting, and I am now so glad to be carrying on with this at University. It is such a good opportunity, and I really would encourage anyone thinking about it to try it out.
“I really enjoy singing, and so participated in the Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir and music competitions regularly, where I have also been a finalist. I also boarded from joining Etheldreda House in Year 9, and really enjoyed it. The close-knit community in the House is brilliant – all the girls are so supportive and kind, and I will miss them all next year.”
Katherine, who was appointed a Queen’s Scholar in Year 12, said: “I have also participated in several extra-curricular activities following my interest in foreign languages. I competed at regional French and Spanish Debates, which my teammate and I were thrilled to win. I have also taken part in national poetry, creative writing and translation competitions for Spanish; opportunities presented to me by the Department that I would not have found by myself. The Language Department as a whole have encouraged us to take part in so many extra-curricular activities – from book clubs, to lectures and plays – I loved taking part in as many as I could.”
When asked what she will miss most about King’s, Katherine said: “There are two things that I will miss most about King’s – Etheldreda House and all the girls and staff there, and the Language Department, as they have inspired me to love languages and to pursue a career in this field. I will really miss all my subject lessons too, as they were all very compelling and really encouraged me to explore my subjects fully.
“I also found that the smaller class sizes I experienced at A Level allowed me greater confidence to participate in class, and also meant that I benefitted enormously from lots of individual support and feedback for all my subjects at A Level. I really appreciate the opportunities I was presented with at King’s.”
Congratulations Katherine, good luck in Cambridge and keep in touch!