THE school is celebrating this week after officially launching its brand new uniform.
Although children can still wear their current uniform for the next two years, parents can now purchase the new look garments from the website www.schoolblazer.com
The new uniform is being introduced as part of plans to promote the school’s identity as a successful and vibrant enterprise with a clear vision and brand, which also includes launching a new logo and website and developing the use of social media.
The new logo, which was also adopted by the former pupil’s Old Eleans Club on Monday (18) after agreeing that “new beginnings should be embraced”, takes its inspiration from the architecture of the cathedral, the colour from the ceiling of the nave and the movement of the river, whilst cleverly incorporating the school’s initials.
Deputy Head (Marketing and Communications) Felicity Blake said: “After consultation with all our stakeholders, parents, students, staff and governors, there is a phased roll-out of the new identity, tackling each manifestation when changes need to be made. There will also be huge savings as we bring the production of marketing materials in-house. Costly annual prospectuses will be replaced with simpler forms of communications and much saving will be made in investing in a really effective, informative and user-friendly website.”
Head of King’s Ely, Sue Freestone said: “We have waited until many amenities, such as signage, are considerably overdue for replacement in order to get best value out of this exercise and we have selected a new logo and uniform as part of a long and carefully planned and budgeted process.
“The old logo, or, more accurately, logos, were borrowed and mutated from a variety of sources and do not reflect the reality of King’s Ely today.
“It is also eight years since the last major change in uniform and in that time the school has developed beyond measure. Ultimately, schools are about tomorrow and we are not serving our pupils well if we stand still. The new uniform will be phased in over a two year period, by which time the majority of children will have grown out of their original garments. The cost of kitting out a pupil will also be the same as, or less than, the price the old uniform would have been, if we had continued unchanged.”
At its meeting yesterday (21), the school’s Board of Governors confirmed their continuing support for the new identity programme, a strategic initiative which they approved over a year ago.
The school changed its name from The King’s School in March 2012 to distinguish school from the many others in the UK with same name.