Great to see our Sport Leaders in the local news recently. In case you missed it...

More than 120 schoolchildren took part in a cross-country event involving East Cambridgeshire schools.

The Year 3 and Year 4 students from a number of schools across Ely competed in the event on February 13. The event, hosted by Ely College and organised by ActivePlay Education, saw pupils from Isle of Ely Primary School, The Lantern Community Primary School, Little Thetford Church of England Primary School, Millfield Primary School, Robert Arkenstall Primary School, and Wilburton Church of England Primary School run the 1,500 metre course.

   

The overall cross-country team winner was Isle of Ely Primary School.

The winners from each category were Millfield in the Year 3 girls' race, Wilburton in the Year 3 boys' race, Little Thetford in the Year 4 girls' race, and Isle of Ely in the Year 4 boys' race.

Caroline Morton, of ActivePlay Education, said: "It was a great morning, and all the children did really well. It was fantastic to see so many young people outside, running and enjoying themselves."

The event was supported by 20 young leaders from Ely College. Such a large event will count towards their #PLEDGES! Well done to all involved for helping our local primary school partners and inspiring younger pupils to be active and succeed in sports.

   

https://www.elystandard.co.uk/news/24959309.isle-ely-primary-school-wins-cross-country-event/

Also in the News:

A student from Ely College has made history with his athletics team.

Caleb Wilson, a Year 10 student and a member of Ely Runners Juniors, is set to compete in the national finals of the Sportshall competition.

His Cambridgeshire U15s team secured victory at the regional finals in Norwich on Saturday.

They are the first Cambridgeshire team in Sportshall's 40-year history to reach the finals.

Despite facing strong competition from Norfolk, Essex, Suffolk, and Hertfordshire, the Cambridgeshire boys delivered a dominant performance, amassing an impressive 653 points - well ahead of Suffolk's 583-point second-place finish.

Remarkably, the team, made up of athletes from across the county, had limited opportunities to train together.

In Sportshall athletics, teams of six compete in six individual events - long jump, triple jump, speed bounce, shot put, two-lap sprint, and four-lap race, before coming together for two relay events that contribute to the team score.

Caleb, who also plays rugby for Ely Tigers and football for Ely City Crusaders, will compete in the national finals in Stoke on April 12.

https://www.elystandard.co.uk/sport/24911064.ely-college-student-compete-national-athletics-finals/

Feb 10-16 is #NationalApprenticeshipWeek!

Ely College kicked off the celebrations early last week as Y8 and Y9 students had the opportunity to take part in workshops on Apprenticeships, T levels and A levels over the 4th & 5th. Don't forget we have our Apprenticeship Fair on Friday to cap off the week! These are all great opportunities for students ( 📢 and the wider community after 3pm on Friday 📢) to find out more about the different pathways available to them as they plan for their future careers.

Schools play a vital role in providing their students with both the skills and the knowledge necessary to succeed in the future, but parents play a key role too! We would be very grateful if you could lend your support throughout this week, whether that is sharing your apprenticeship or T Level journey or just having a conversation with your child to explore some of the ideas you will find in the #NAW2025 PDF document for parents below...

Thank you for encouraging them to take a closer looks at Apprenticeship careers. We look forward to hopefully seeing you on Friday 14th with your child! Please BOOK HERE if you think you can make it, but drop ins welcome 3-4pm:

  

With National Apprenticeship Week starting on Monday, 10 February, there’s no better time to explore exciting career opportunities!

Come along to meet training providers, connect with top local employers, and explore career opportunities across multiple sectors. Whether you're a school leaver or career changer get expert advice and direct access to apprenticeship opportunities to take your next career step.

This event is not just for our Ely College students. After 3pm we are open to the general public, ALL AGES and hope recent leavers or students from other schools as well as anyone looking to take their next step will join us!

Lisa Lambo-Hills, Careers Co-rdinator and event organiser said, "East Cambs has a growing community and fenland businesses and industries should not be overlooked. Our network of local employers are offering a wealth of opportunities across various industries. Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to gain real-world experience, earn while you learn, and develop the skills needed to thrive in today’s job market. This event is a great chance for local people to explore career options, connect with employers, and take the next big step towards a successful future in Ely and beyond!"

Friday 14th February 2025

 3 PM – 4 PM

Ely College, Adelaide Hall via Main Reception

Booking encouraged, but drop-ins welcome!

Secure your spot now: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/elycollege/apprenticeship-fair-2025-at-ely-college-open-to-the-public-from-3pm/2025-02-14/15:00/t-qjomeox          

It was a packed house, each of the three nights (15^th / 16^th / 17^th January) as Ely College students welcomed audiences into Needham’s Hall for their whole-school production of Lionel Bart’s OLIVER! After months of rehearsals and preparations, the College put on a spectacular performance worthy of the West End!

Ely College Principal, Simon Warburton praised the cast on opening night and exclaimed: “Let’s take it on tour!” “This was a show that would not have been out of place at the West End.  The cast put on an inspirational performance each night, where the acting and singing were of such a high quality. Such a smooth opening night was a testament to their many talents and months of hard work.” 

  

“It was particularly pleasing to see a cast that spanned the entire age range of the college and where the youngest of our performers really pushed the abilities of our older and more experienced students”; who in turn took lead on so many aspects, such as the challenging choreography. These colourful characters were brought to life by the main cast including Year 7’s Chloe Lee, playing the titular young orphan Oliver and Year 8 Alicia Clough, as the precocious Artful Dodger. What a duo! With a young ensemble and backstage crew driving the production forward, this year’s choice of musical truly felt like a passing of the torch, with Bishop Laney sixth former Joe Turner playing a complex Fagin and many of the exiting Year 11 cast reflected on their time at the college as they gave a speech at the end of closing night.

  

Taking turns to thank their teachers, they looked back on their collective past experiences, celebrating previous productions including The Caucasian Chalk Circle (2024), Little Shop of Horrors (2023) and School of Rock (2022). It was an emotional ending for Evie Bennet and Eleanor Wallman, who had sung their hearts out as Nancy and Bet, bringing light and love to this show with a right olde cockney knees-up! Notable performances from Charlie Sigrist (Mr Bumble), Tom Le Gresley (Mr Sowerberry) and Findlay Paul (Charley) brought the humour, whilst Year 10 Zac Tatum’s outstanding but contemptible Bill Sikes took us deep into the dark underbelly of Victorian London.

  

Oliver! was a first-time joint venture for co-director’s Jake Newton and Kate Arnold. Teacher of Music and Musical Director, Kate Arnold wanted to thank everyone for their support, especially parents who helped install overnight the staging and the skilful accompaniment provided by the professional and peripatetic pit band who: “brought this show to life with music.” Just days before the first public performance, she explained, the nerves were there and none of us would have believed just how spectacular it would be; students agreed.

"The final weekend before the show," said Year 10 Asia Glory (Mrs Sowerberry) "we finally came together on set as a cast and were able to improve all of our scenes. We sang and danced during our lunch breaks, everyone was fully committed!" Ben Lithe, who starred as Mr Browlow, added, "We became increasingly confident after the dress rehearsal. The backstage crew quickly iron out any kinks and despite being beyond tired after a full on week, as well as normal lessons, we are all so proud of what we have achieved together"

Still, said Teacher of Drama and Director Jake Newton: "That is the thrill of live theatre—when all of the separate elements come together at the last minute and create true magic. This cast and crew coalesced and found community with each other." Year 11 Catrin Andrews playing Widow Corney, said, "This is my third and last year performing in the musical, and I am incredibly proud of how this cast and crew succeeded together." She emphasized that none of the magic audiences saw on stage would have been possible were it not for the many teachers and parents who assisted behind the scenes or with the PTFA. She expressed gratitude for students and staff who ran the backstage, hair and make up as well the sound and lighting from the Trust’s technician. “We’ve made so many new friendships this year. The song asks ‘Where is Love?’ – it’s here in the heart of our school community.”

Happy new year!  As we start the spring term and are all considering the changes we want to make as we enter 2025 I wanted to make you aware that the College is hosting its first Ely Directory Day this Saturday 11^th January between 10am and 2pm.  The event is open to all residents of Ely and aims to showcase the variety of different clubs, groups, societies and opportunities that are available for local people to become involved in.  With over 40 stalls it promises to have something of interest to everyone in the family.  We encourage you to drop in to have a chat and find like-minded enthusiasts or a new challenge for this year.  There will be refreshments available and there is no entry charge.  Please share this widely with your neighbours and friends so we reach as many of the community as possible.  We look forward to seeing you there this Saturday.