“We started our King’s Ely journey in September 2021, just as the world was beginning to return to a new sense of ‘normality’. Emigrating to the UK from a very different country and culture, it was the toughest hurdle our family has ever had to overcome. We had to select a school and enrol our three children based purely on an online presence, as we were restricted to travel anywhere at the time.
“So, arriving on the first day to a school we had never seen was somewhat daunting, especially for our children – it was a new country, a new school, and a new world. We arrived an hour early and nobody was around. “School starts so late”, we thought. As the Prep School grounds began to flood with pupils, all greeting each other with friendly smiles and stories of holiday adventures, our family’s experience at King’s Ely got underway.
“After settling in to a very different way of life and schooling, our children all found a way back into their love of being outdoors as much as possible – always active, always busy, and always challenging themselves with new opportunities and experiences. King’s Ely gave each of them this outlet and allowed them to rediscover their individual passions to bring meaning and purpose back into their lives.
“Sport. Sport. Sport! For our family, this has been the biggest and most impactful department on our journey through King’s Ely so far. It is the reason our children want to get to school early and the reason they want to stay late – the reason we all have very few lazy weekends to spend in front of a TV, and we absolutely love this! The variety of sports on offer is commendable, both at Prep and Senior, and we are noticing a remarkable improvement in skill development opportunities for the pupils and an increased focus within this department since the start of the year. This has had a hugely positive impact on all of our children and their own enthusiasm, commitment, and drive.
“We find the Sports Department at King’s to be an incredibly supportive, encouraging, and inspiring group of leaders, always creating positivity and grabbing new opportunities and experiences for the pupils whenever they can – be it an opportunity to take part or compete on behalf of the school, or the opportunity to experience or compete, as individuals, in external events. The relevant coaches have been at the forefront of instilling and building confidence and belief in our children, commanding the utmost respect while inspiring and motivating them to perform beyond what they ever thought was achievable. Sport is something that is so often overlooked in schools, yet something that teaches children invaluable life skills – teamwork, commitment, perseverance, tolerance, respect, dealing with failure, and managing success. It is something that we feel is becoming a strong aspect of King’s Ely, alongside the excellent arts and academic departments.
“From choosing a school online and worrying about it maybe being too arts orientated or too academically focused, to now watching our children receive a rounded education, complemented by sporting opportunities, inspiring teachers and coaches, wonderful friends from all walks of life, and most importantly, happy children. We believe that we have chosen a school which fits each of our children’s unique moulds. Our children are all very different in their characters, challenges, and strengths, so to be able to send them all to the same school, where they are all happy, is something quite remarkable. It is also key for us to know that our children are at a school with plans of continuous advancement that will benefit all current and future pupils, focusing on the areas of paramount importance: facilities, bursaries, and staff development.”