Fee remissions

The school supports the music of Ely Cathedral by providing a range of Choral Awards and Scholarships for choristers and former choristers.  Please see the table below for details:

For suitably talented boy or girl who are successful in achieving a Chorister or Choral Award but who may be prevented from becoming a chorister for financial reasons, the Bursaries Committee will consider applications for a means-tested Bursary (please see the section on means-tested Bursaries). In such circumstances parents may also be expected to apply independently to the Choir Schools Association (CSA) and other third-party organisations as advised for assistance with school fees funding as a condition of their application.

The Chapter of Ely Cathedral and School Governors jointly fund the Chorister Award fee remission for up to 24 Boy Chorister (aged 7-13) and 20 Girl Chorister (aged 11 to 16) positions as well as some means-tested augmentation to those awards. Ely Cathedral does not provide funding for any other Choral related fee remission. Former Boy and Girl Choristers (and others) entering Year 12 may apply to become a Choral Scholar. The School Governors currently fund up to 6 Choral Scholarship awards at 33% of the day fee.

Holders of Choral/Former Choral Awards and Choral Scholarships remain eligible for academic or music scholarships at 13+ and 16+ which are awarded after a competitive examination in the Lent term of each year. However, the monetary value of any academic or music scholarship awarded will be subsumed by the Choral Award or Choral Scholarship, which is well in excess of our present maximum scholarship of 10% of the day fee. In qualifying cases, fees may be further subsidised by additional, means-tested bursary funding as above.

Scholarships are also awarded following an application process for the following:

• Academic Scholarships for entry into Year 9
• Year 9 specialist Scholarships for Music, Art, Drama, STEM and Sport
• Sixth Form Scholarships (on entry into Year 12) are open to existing pupils or to candidates from other schools following their GCSEs.

Please note: most scholarship financial related awards are subsumed by any Choral Awards.

Governors are particularly appreciative if parents whose child has been selected for a scholarship are willing to surrender some or all of any financial benefit to another pupil who needs assistance. Their own child would still retain the status of scholar.

All scholarships expire at the end of Year 11 (a fresh application to enter into Year 12 is required).

Parents of eligible scholarship applicants are contacted by letter to invite applications. The letter provides clear timelines within the application and assessment process.

Packages of private music/instrument/vocal lessons awarded to a number of music/choral scholars and all active choristers as detailed within the Scholarship award letter will be paid directly by the school to the self-employed Visiting Music Teacher. If parents wish to have any extra lessons over and above this allowance, they will need to make the arrangements directly with the teacher. Equally, if parents wish to cancel the lessons, they will need to provide the teacher with half a term’s notice in line with their contractual arrangement, otherwise charges to the parents will likely apply.

Payment is subject to continuing good performance and behaviour and an ongoing contribution to the specialist subject areas. All scholarships are reviewed annually.

Up to 12 of the top scholars in Year 12 are nominated for these prestigious but honorary scholarships, for which there is no application process. King’s and Queen’s Scholars become members of the Cathedral Foundation, qualify for certain privileges, and receive a small financial award in recognition of their status.

Excellence is the only criterion.

Further funds are made available for:

• A fee remission of up to 10% for children of Clergy serving the Christian faith within the Anglican Communion (available from Reception Year).
• Boarding children eligible for Armed Forces Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) receive an allowance such that taking into account any other Scholarships and/or Awards, the parental contribution is limited to 10% of the boarding fees (the CEA Allowance pays the remaining 90%). This will be reviewed if the MoD changes significantly the CEA scheme and/or the funding arrangements at any time in the future.
• Children of those Crown Servants eligible for the existing Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) CEA scheme will be guaranteed that the School fees payable remain within the FCO’s CEA annual ceilings (from Year 3). Fee accounts of such funded children will receive a 5% discount from the day or boarding fee except in circumstances where other fee remission/award/allowance is provided, in which case any higher or equivalent fee remission/award/allowance will subsume the FCO 5% fee allowance.
• A sibling discount of 10% of the day fees is awarded to the third child and subsequent children of the same immediate family attending King’s Ely. The discount is only available whilst three or more children from the same parent(s) are at King’s Ely concurrently and only available from Year 3 onwards. The discount will apply to the youngest child(ren), irrespective of the order of entry into the school, and will cease as older siblings leave school.

To apply/be considered for any of the above allowances, please ensure that through the Admissions process (Acceptance Form) it is made clear that you fall into any of the categories above. For sibling discount, we will normally pick this up automatically, but again, this should be flagged up during the Admissions process.

Remissions Policy