Hundreds would normally gather at Ely Cathedral for King’s Ely’s beginning of year ceremony, this year students came together in “safety bubbles”.
New heads of school, deputy heads, prefects and heads of houses were appointed at the annual King’s Ely’s Beginning of Year Michaelmas Term Service.
This year’s heads of school are Beth Carberry and Ben Marshall; deputy heads of school are Paige Newell, Alexander Scarborough and Molly Whymark.
Beth has been a pupil at King’s Ely since joining King’s Ely Acremont Nursery.
Now in Year 13, she is studying Biology, Chemistry and Psychology for her A Levels.
Beth hopes to read Nutrition and Dietetics at University, with the view to becoming a clinical dietitian and to work in the NHS.
She said: “I am excited for all of the opportunities that come with being head of school, but particularly engaging with the pupil voice and making a difference within our school’s diverse and vibrant community.”
Like Beth, Ben is also heavily involved with sport; namely football, cricket and athletics.
He has been part of the King’s Ely family since joining King’s Ely Junior in Year 5 and is studying Geography, Maths and Politics for his A Levels, with the view to further studying Geography and Politics at University.
Ben said: “Throughout my time at King’s Ely, I have always looked up to the heads of school as being examples of what I would like to be like when I get to that stage of school.
“Having the chance to be in that position now and hopefully being an example to younger students like previous Heads of School were to me is something that means a lot to me.”
School Prefect status this year has been awarded to Stella Bluck, Holly Burke, Harry Curedale-Rayner, Emma Garrett, Louis Gredley, Emily Hamilton-Bing and Tessa Hawes.
Jordan Hayward, Will Ingless, Oliver Johnson, Minchan Kim, Jamie Layfield, Isabella Lewis, Shentong Liu, Peter Lonsdale and Kimberly Shanika Olanma Nweze.
Michael O’Callaghan, Alfie Peckham, Emily Pluck, Giulietta Ravazzotti, Nicolas Salomaa, Eleanor Wallace, Natalie Youssef and Kseniia Zagorskaia.
Heads of houses for both King’s Ely Junior and King’s Ely Senior have also been welcomed into their posts. Senior heads of houses are Stella Bluck (Etheldreda), Emily Hamilton-Bing and Kseniia Zagorskaia (Hill).
Gabriel James (School), Jordan Hayward and Natalie Youssef (Torfrida), Harry Curedale-Rayner and Taku Gomera (Wilkinson) and Tessa Hawes (Withburga).
Louis Gredley (Hereward), Oliver Johnson and Peter Lonsdale (Osmond), and Alice O’Callaghan (Wendreda).
At King’s Ely Junior, Queen Emma is being headed up by Jemma Basford and Ben Alderton, Queen Philippa is being led by Zion Noble and Oliver Stirrup.
Saunders is being headed up by Tallulah Bruce and Maxime Prince, and Goodwin is being led by Amber Davison and Robert Reed.
Principal of King’s Ely, John Attwater, said: “We have never needed student leadership more than now.
“In the short term, this is true as we try as a community to work around the pandemic and need to rely on each other doing things right so much for our safety and wellbeing; this will take understanding and kindness above all, but also example-setting, ingenuity and resourcefulness which I know our students have in bucketloads.
“But we also need student leadership in the long term and on a broader canvas, as my generation comes to terms with the limitations of our expertise, experience and world views in meeting the changing needs and ambitions of young people today.
“I look forward to working with Beth, Ben and our other student leaders to continue that journey in the year to come.”
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