“OUR son, Travis, joined King’s Ely Junior in Year 4, and moved to King’s from another local independent school. We felt the move to King’s was right for him as the focus on high academic standards, as well as pastoral care that supports pupils but encourages independence and resiliency, was absolutely right for him at that time.
“Travis was able to experience and enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities in the Junior School – golf, archery, karate, swimming and cycling club – every term brought the opportunity for a new experience beyond learning in the classroom. Travis has always been very STEM focused, subjects that he really thrives in, so the extra-curricular opportunities in these areas have really been beneficial to us. Travis has been a Digital Leader throughout his time at King’s and he has accessed Science Clubs, Coding Clubs and even the opportunity to fly drones around the local area! On top of this, the support and high expectations in the classroom throughout the Junior School mean that Travis has thrived academically and was ready for his next step into Senior School this academic year.
“The move into Year 9 has been a seamless next step for Travis. He has settled in quickly and he has really benefited from the increased expectations and rigour that is provided in all areas of school life. The teaching staff very quickly got to know Travis as an individual, and we have also been very impressed with the pastoral care systems in the Senior School. The staff are incredibly responsive but treat the students as the young adults they are becoming. Again, the range of opportunities open to Travis beyond the curriculum have been impressive – he has taken up Rowing, continued his STEM interests, and started on his DofE journey. We are very excited to see what the GCSE years will bring for Travis at King’s.
“During the recent lockdowns we were very impressed with the way the school responded to home learning and re-invented their curriculum offering. Travis benefited from daily ‘live’ lessons, including tutor times to socialise with his peers. He had feedback from teachers in many forms and the school really made the most of technology to support learning. Mr Whymark’s daily blog was also a welcome response that kept the community connected at this difficult time. As a result of all this, we were not concerned about Travis ‘losing learning’, as is so often talked about in the media.
“The move to King’s was a big decision for us as a family and it is one that we have been consistently pleased with. King’s is a real learning community where everyone is encouraged and supported to make the best of their strengths.”
Testimonial by King’s Ely parents, Mr and Mrs Bierton