Ella will be studying Commercial Photography at Arts University Bournemouth after achieving the A-Level grades she needed.

Ella joined King's Ely Senior in Year 9 from a school in Hampshire. She studied Photography, Textiles, and Film Studies at A-Level.

When asked what she plans to do career wise, Ella said: "I hope to pursue a career in Marketing Photography, but I will see how things plan out during and after University."

To describe King's in three words, Ella chose "encouraging, inspiring, empowering".

Ella was a full-time boarder at King's, firstly in Wendreda House and then in Hill House. She said: "I will really miss the boarding house, and the strong friendships that I made with people from all over the world. The annual House events, such as House Song, hold so many memories. Boarding staff, including Mrs Jackson and Miss Armstrong, went out of their way to make the boarding houses a home away from home, filled with warmth and compassion, while also pushing us to achieve our full potential."

When asked to describe the teaching and learning environment at King's, Ella said: "I attended many different schools due to moving around quite a bit, but I am beyond happy that I settled at King's. The school and teachers nurtured my passions for Photography and Textiles, while also enabling me to find other interests, such as production while studying Film Studies for A-Level. I could not have asked for for more supportive teachers. It was not easy for me getting through the academic challenges of school, but with the help and motivation from my teachers, those challenges were achievable. Mrs Shaw and Mrs Franklin guided me through my proudest achievement of passing my English GCSE, and I will forever be grateful for their dedication and patience. My Photography Teacher, Mr Longo, taught me for four years, and he understood my processing difficulties. He made sure to structure ways for me to improve and learn different techniques in order for me to excel in Photography, which I will forever be thankful for. My Textiles Teachers, Mrs Rhodes and Mrs Meddle, went out of their way to make sure that my work was seen and appreciated. Mrs Malster, who was my Film Studies Teacher, saw so much potential in me, which helped build my confidence in reaching the grade I wanted to achieve, as well as praising my short film, which was part of my A-Level coursework. All of my teachers allowed me to make use of the facilities after school hours as well, which I feel helped me to reach my full potential."

When asked how well supported she felt pastorally, Ella said: "I struggled a lot with the stress and anxiety of sitting exams, but the Wellbeing Team and Exams Team could not have been more helpful and calming. When facing any struggles outside of school, the boarding staff always made sure that I felt heard and seen."

In 2023, Ella was a winner in the Beyond the Frame Photography Competition, organised by Norwich University of the Arts, and which our Photography students are encouraged to enter each year.

Ella said: "I also entered the ILFORD Photo Student Photography Competition every year, which was an amazing opportunity to shoot using film cameras, followed by the developing process."

Congratulations Ella - enjoy Bournemouth and keep in touch!