“NO matter what your interests and strengths are, there will be an activity at King’s Ely for you to throw yourself into.”
And to say former Head of School, Paige Grey, made the most of her nine-year stint at King’s Ely would be an understatement.
Paige, from Newmarket, started her King’s Ely journey when she joined King’s Ely Acremont Nursery, aged just 3. Apart from a four-year period when she and her family moved to South Africa, Paige has been at the school ever since, and this summer was among 98 per cent of King’s Ely Sixth Form students who secured a place at their first choice university or institution.
Paige, now 18, achieved A*, A, B, C in her A Levels. She is now planning to take a gap year before heading to the University of Leeds to study Philosophy and History.
Paige, who was Head of School alongside Oliver Hutchison last year, played Rizzo in King’s Ely’s dazzling production of Grease just before Christmas, wowing the audience with her stunning voice and confidence on stage.
Reminiscing about her time at King’s Ely, she said: “No matter what your interests and strengths are, there will be an activity at King’s Ely for you to throw yourself into as there truly is something for everyone. In terms of extra-curricular activities, I particularly enjoyed taking an active role in the school’s Drama department throughout all my years at King’s Ely.
“I was able to meet and socialise with people from all different year groups that I otherwise probably wouldn’t have spoken to, and so it was a great way to make friends especially coming into the Senior school. I will always look back at the annual musical as a highlight of my time at King’s Ely and will be able to make use of the various skills I learned through drama productions and clubs, such as the ability to think on my feet and work as a team, as I go forward into the working world.”
Talking of the working world, Paige feels her experiences at King’s Ely Sixth Form have also prepared her well for her next chapter.
She said: “The Sixth Form team at King’s Ely were extremely helpful in preparing us for university, especially in terms of helping us to craft our personal statements. We had guest speakers from various admissions departments and universities, who also helped to guide us through this process and give us tips straight from the horse’s mouth, which helped to make the application process a lot less stressful.
“The style of teaching in the Sixth Form also helped to prepare me for university as more emphasis was placed on independent learning and thinking. Especially in subjects like History and Philosophy, a lot more discourse between students and teachers was encouraged, allowing us to form our own opinions and viewpoints rather than simply regurgitating information from a textbook, which I think is key moving forward to university and the workplace.
“Each teacher’s genuine desire to see their pupils succeed is what really stands out about King’s Ely. I always felt that if there was any extra help that I needed all I had to do was ask.”