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All the latest News from Ely College

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  • Welcome Back

    Published 05/09/16

    Dear Parents and Carers,

    It is a pleasure to welcome you to a new academic year and an exciting new chapter for Ely College.

    The summer has been a very busy one at the College. The students will arrive back to a school that looks and feels very different, with a number of areas repainted, House signage added throughout, and several new teaching spaces. We’ve also improved some of the outdoor areas and begun to create an attractive new space adjacent to the new dining hall and Science block. More work is planned over the next few months as we seek to significantly improve the learning environment.

    The exam results this summer represent a pleasing improvement on 2015, and reflect a lot of hard work from staff and students. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved. However, we have very high ambitions for all of our students, and everybody recognises the need to build further and improve. My message to students and staff this week is a simple one: let’s be more ambitious and seek to really raise the bar in terms of what we can achieve together. The improvements we will deliver will be founded on the values that CMAT are so successfully bringing to all of our schools. We have tightened our expectations in terms of the behaviour and effort we will expect, but we recognise that we must match that with teaching that challenges, excites and inspires. I know that I can rely on the support of parents as we embark on this journey and look forward to meeting more of you in the coming weeks and months.

    I’d like to extend a particular welcome to new parents and to our Year 7 students. Our new House and vertical tutor group system will provide parents with more regular feedback on the progress your children are making, while also generating a more cohesive and welcoming atmosphere. You should also find it much easier to make contact with us through the House offices and dedicated Student Support Advisers (SSAs). We recognise how important clear communication is to you, and will work hard to try and improve and sharpen this through the year. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.

    I’m delighted to be able to welcome a number of new staff to the College. We are particularly pleased to have a number of new mathematics teachers starting with us and look forward to delivering a more consistent experience in this area. There is a genuine sense of excitement and optimism that I am confident will translate into a happier and more settled experience for everyone in 2016/17.

    In the coming weeks we will be launching our new ‘PLEDGES’ system of rewards and extended curriculum opportunities. We’ll also be working on a new reporting system to provide students and parents with more helpful information about your child’s progress. We are working closely with local partners on an exciting new chapter for our sixth form provision, and I am looking forward to visiting a number of the local primary schools to spread the buzz and excitement about all the changes going on here at the College.

    I am confident that our minor modifications to the College uniform (shirts and House ties) are widely understood, but we have sharpened the guidance on the website for the avoidance of any doubt. We do intend to enforce and maintain high standards in this area, and will be challenging students should inappropriate shoes, skirts/trousers or make-up begin to creep in. Equally, we intend to enforce very high standards of conduct and discipline around the College: we will be continuing with the policy of not allowing mobile phones to be used in school, and will be absolutely intolerant of any rough, intimidating or bullying behaviour.

    There will be quite a lot of change this year, and change can be turbulent for any organisation. We have tried to get most of the most significant adjustments in place for September, but I would ask for your forbearance and understanding as we seek to implement the systems and practices that we know from our experience will make a difference. Be assured that we will work hard to ensure we keep the welfare and progress of the students at the heart of everything we do.

    It is an honour to be your Principal, and I look forward to working with you in the coming months and years. Since arriving at the College, it has been fantastic to discover how pleasant and welcoming the children and the community are. I can’t wait to get started. Here’s to a bright future for Ely College and a successful, happy 2016/17!

    Richard Spencer

    Principal

     

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  • Pleasing GCSE results for Ely College

    Published 01/09/16

    Students at Ely College recorded a pleasing set of GCSE results this year with 47 per cent of students achieving at least five A*-C grades including English and Maths. Twenty-one per cent of students also achieved the EBacc qualification.

    There were many strong individual performances, including those of Madeleine Rose who achieved 8 A*s and 2 As, Emily McCord who achieved 3 A*s and 7 As and Rosa Kelly who achieved 2 A*s and 8 As.

    Evelyn Forde, who stepped down as Principal, said “I am delighted that the strategies we put in place with a real focus on teaching and learning has led to this great set of results for Ely students”. 

    Chris Tweedale, CEO of CfBT Schools Trust commented “Ely College has been part of CfBT Schools Trust during the 2015/6 academic year and we would like to congratulate Evelyn and her staff on the improvements made during the year".

    On 1 July, Ely College transferred to a new sponsor, Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT), who will take over the running of the college from September.

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  • Results day success for VIth form students

    Published 18/08/16

    Ely College’s sixth form students celebrated today as they received their post-16 course results.

    The college offers a combination of both academic and vocational qualifications. The A-level pass rate was 87 per cent, and the pass rate for vocational courses was 95 per cent.

    Notable individual achievements include:

    David Meek – Triple starred distinction in Business Studies

    Ethan Cornwell, Jack Loveday, Max Russell, Jake Wills – Triple starred distinctions in Sport

    Harry Bailey And Lee Cooper – Starred distinctions in Applied Science

    Xena Day – Distinction in Performing Arts

                          

    On 1 July, Ely College transferred to a new sponsor, Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT), who will take over the running of the college from September.

    The incoming Principal, Richard Spencer said: “These results reflect a great deal of hard work from students and staff. We’d like to congratulate all of the students on their achievements.

    “We are very pleased that so many have secured excellent university, employment or further training opportunities and wish them well for the future.”

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  • INSIGHT: New Catering at Ely College

    Published 17/08/16

    You've heard the news and seen the sample menu but let's take a closer look at the new catering partnerships between Ely College and Pabulum...

     

    Students at Ely College are set to enjoy plenty of fresh food and a whole new dining experience when they head back in September, this is thanks to a new deal with education caterer Pabulum. Pabulum is the catering partner for Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT), which Ely College joined in July.

    Pabulum, which caters for a number of schools in the Cambridgeshire region, is known as a company for its commitment to using fresh food. The caterer is also passionate about the provenance and quality of the ingredients in its meals and has a 19% food spend on organic food. All of the meat used in Pabulum’s school meals is British and meets the Red Tractor Assurance Certification and the Soil Association Food For Life standards. In addition to this, 94% is freshly produced in the College kitchen and 75% of the raw ingredients used are locally sourced from the UK.

    The new contract with Ely College will commence in September and will see Pabulum making a significant cash investment into the catering facility at the college. This includes a brand new ‘Food Cube’ for the college’s newly constructed communal area. Pabulum’s ‘Food Cubes’ are state of the art external food outlets and provide an extra destination point from which to serve. This helps to reduce queues in the main restaurant and to meet the increasing needs of students who want a healthy fresh lunch but also want to attend Clubs and other Societies in the break/lunch time period. Pabulum will be rebranding and refurbishing the main restaurant to include a new express lane. In 2017 Pabulum will also launch its successful coffee shop at the college too. Known as ‘I Love Coffee’, it is an offer that is comparable to a high street coffee shop for the 6th Form and features a milder-flavoured coffee that’s popular with young people.

    Currently 30% of students at Ely College use the catering facility, come September Pabulum will start working to gradually bring this figure more in line with the 70% uptake figure it has achieved with the other CMAT schools. As part of this mission Pabulum has been spending time listening to staff and students and even forming a student focus group to gather feedback and opinions.

    Nelson Williams, Managing Director from Pabulum commented:

    "We’re delighted to be working with Ely College, this new contract combines what I see as our two key differentiators, we are a fresh food company without compromise and strong commercial partners. I am particularly delighted that our long term relationship with the CMAT Trust allows us to support them with new additional schools and colleges to provide the students with that all important healthy nutritious meal in an exciting dining environment"

    He continued: "The whole team is looking forward to welcoming Ely college’s 1103 students to their new dining experience in September. Here at Pabulum we are committed to working with schools and colleges who share our vision when it comes to food and the health and wellbeing of young people. We want to create a fresh food culture within schools, that’s why all our meals are produced on site, from scratch, using fresh, nutritionally balanced ingredients. This is something we hope will help inspire a lifelong love of fresh food in young people."

    Pabulum’s recent staff conference. L-R: Mike Richardson (Sales and Marketing Director), Dave Wardle (Support Manager) and Dennis Baille (Development Chef) Dave and Dennis were winners of an award for food innovation; Dave and Dennis will be representing Pabulum to help mobilise the new contract at Ely.

    Dr Ian McEwan, Chief Operating Officer for CMAT added:

    "We look forward to working with Pabulum at Ely College just as we work together across all of our CMAT schools. Diet and eating habits play a key role in the school experience and we’re pleased to be working with a caterer whose visions and values match our own high standards."

    Pabulum has a vision to be at the forefront of improving the next generation’s health and wellbeing, with a number of healthy-eating initiatives in place to achieve this. Currently the caterer has pledged to reduce granular white sugar uptake across its entire business by 50%. As part of this pledge, Pabulum’s team of development chefs have worked hard to make use of natural sugars and create a range of reduced sugar recipes.

    To find out more about Pabulum’s approach to fresh food and commitment to health and wellbeing, visit www.pabulum-catering.co.uk.

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  • NEW MENU

    Published 12/08/16

    NEW MENU

    mmmenu 1
    11th APR, 2nd MAY, 23rd MAY, 20th JUN, 11th JUL, 12th SEP, 3rd OCT

     

    mmmenu 2
    18th APR, 9th MAY, 6th JUN, 27th JUN, 18th JUL, 19th SEP, 10th OCT

     

    mmmenu 3
    25th APR, 16th MAY, 13th JUN, 4th JUL, 5th SEP, 26th SEP, 17th OCT

     

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  • Summer Cycle Sessions

    Published 21/07/16

    Expert tuition from British Cycling’s Regional Coach

     

    Supported by Ely & District Cycling Club Coaches

    FUN challenges & skills, individual & team competitions

    Thursday 28 July & 11 August

     

    Two sessions per day & each one different so you can attend one or all four.

    10am-12noon & 1pm-3pm

    Ely College

     

    Downham Rd, Ely, CB6 2SH

    9-14yrs – Girls & Boys

     

    £6 per session or £10.00 per day

    BIKES & HELMETS provided FREE of charge (subject to availability)

     

    OR bring your own bike suitable for riding off road with two working brakes

     

    What to wear & bring?

    Shorts or close fitting tracksuit bottoms/trousers, trainers (no flip flops or sandals), water based drinks in plastic bottles, break-time snack (& lunch if staying all day), waterproofs if wet.

    Contact Alison: 07983 809120 or e-mail: alisonlilley@britishcycling.org.uk

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  • Archaeology Trip 2016

    Published 20/07/16

    Higher Education Field Academy (HEFA) - 6th, 7th and 8th July 2016

    Earlier this month Ely College students were in the lovely village of Rampton, on the edge of The Fens six miles to the north of Cambridge. The locals were friendly (especially the cats and dogs in one test pit), the weather stayed dry and we joined some great students from Bottisham Village College, Soham Village College and Cottenham Village College. 11 archaeological test-pits were located throughout the village on King Street, Church End, Cow Lane and the High Street. Alison Wedgbury of the Fen Edge Archaeology Group organised the test-pits which were located in the gardens of local residents and Rampton Village Hall served as the base for the two digging days. This is the third year ACA have held a HEFA in Rampton and the fifth year Ely College has taken part.

    After receiving a briefing on Day 1 by Alison Dickens, Director of ACA, about how to excavate and record the test pits, the students went out on site and excavated for 2 days through the heavy clay, and sometimes thick roots, of Rampton. They worked brilliantly, in mixed-school teams, supervised by teachers and local volunteers. Also helping out this year was Emma Smith, Schools Liaison Officer at Homerton College, and ex- archaeology student at Cambridge; someone students could relate to and ask questions of, as she now works to widen access to Cambridge and help students make informed choices about university.

    Cat Collins, ACA archaeological supervisor, and Paul Blinkhorn, pottery expert, toured the test pits providing guidance on excavating and recording techniques as well as identifying finds and pottery sherds. This real-time identification and assistance is of great value. Test pits that had been discouraged at finding very little were encouraged as Paul walked around the village adding some perspective on the things they were finding some of which were up to 900 years old. Paul’s full pottery report is available here.

    TP 7f

    The students recorded all of their findings context-by-context in their individual Test Pit Excavation Record Booklets. They then use this to write up their own report on what they found. We also keep the records they produce which then informs academic research about Rampton itself, the record of Cambridgeshire and the wider CORS project . Ely College students really are contributing in a big way to ongoing academic research at the University of Cambridge by taking part in HEFA. 

    In previous years small amount of Roman pottery had been found which we added to this year in Test Pits 6, 10 and 11. Test Pit 11 had been finding very little, without the usual appearance of large amounts of Victorian pottery and more modern refuse. However by mid-morning Day 2 they were struggling through the heavy clays of Rampton when they came across a 1-inch fragment of dark grey pottery which turned out to be Roman, made between 100-400AD. Previous years have told us where settlements were concentrated in different periods, with finds of High Medieval pottery concentrated around the centre of the current village, and Late Medieval sherds coming from just outside that. It is only into the Post-Medieval and Victorian ages that dating evidence emerges from the furthest outlying pits. This year we continued to define the edges of the settlement with test pits 10, 9, 8, 6, 3 and 2 finding a lower density of pottery, and from later, suggesting their use as fields around the village before more recently being built on. Test Pits 5 and 4 have a higher concentration of medieval pottery, suggesting occupation there, but less from later periods suggesting they were then abandoned.

    TP 1b

    After two days excavating, students  got to spend their third day at the Archaeology Department in Cambridge. Despite living so close to Cambridge, many of the students had never seen the ‘gown’ side of the town and were excited to see the different colleges and departments. We at Ely College in particular, arriving early, took the opportunity to visit the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and started discussions about what going to a university so close to home might be like. Before long everyone had arrived and it was off for our first university lecture- a talk about the wider Currently Occupied Rural Settlement project from Debby Banham.

    13590233_1023837614359520_2204307170997309696_n

    The students then split into groups for lunch and a tour at Trinity College. These tours were given by the schools liaison officers (SLO). Sam Twells, SLO for Corpus Christi, then gave a presentation to the pupils about the University of Cambridge and life as a university student.

    The day concluded with Eoin Parkinson, pHD student at the Department of Archaeology giving a presentation on how to structure and present a written account of the excavation. The report collates and provides evidence for all of the skills students take from this course which they can then use when applying to 6th form, university and beyond. Students themselves recognise this saying in their feedback they now know how to produce a report and “I have gained new skills, an insight into archaeology and a better understanding of university work and application”. The work also boosted confidence with one student saying the realised that getting into a ‘good’ university was a possibility for them.

    Staff on the trip also appreciated the trust the University and ACA team put in the students to produce high quality archaeological work saying “being regarded as organised, adult individual helps boost their confidence and look towards the future”. Students felt they had gained other skills such as independent thinking, teamwork, communication: “I feel I am more able to work with new people and have more confidence”, “a lot of new and valuable knowledge and experience”.

    We would like offer the ACA team and the University a huge thank you for offering this programme and supporting Ely College as a Beacon School over the last few years. Having this relationship and the opportunities it offers on our door step is something we look forward to expanding on in the future. HEFA coordinator at Ely College, Mrs Vella would also like to add thanks to all the staff and students at Bottisham, Soham, Cottenham. It was a pleasure working with you all and we look forward to seeing you next year hopefully!

    Gentle Reminder: Students who attended the programme can email Mrs Vella at any point over the summer for support in writing their reports (kvella@elycollege.co.uk) and follow the HEFA at Ely College Twitter and Facebook links for hints, tips and photo sharing.

    Follow us: Facebook and Twitter

    https://www.facebook.com/HEFAElyCollege

    https://twitter.com/hefa_elycollege

     

    Credit:  Taken and adapted from ACA blog with thanks. https://accesscambridgearchaeology.wordpress.com/

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  • Science Challenge Winners

    Published 20/07/16

    Well done to our team from Ely College who won 2nd place at the Swavesey Science Challenge!

    Congratulations to Lucy Whittaker, Christopher Atkinson, Abigail Staines, Aren Clark, Harriet Cree and Sam Barfield; with a huge thank you to Mrs Batchford for coordinating the event with our students.

    The Swavesey Science Challenge has been running for over 20 years and is aimed at KS3.  Students have a two hour time slot where they have to complete 3 different practical scientific challenges.  This year, this involved water rockets, cooking an egg with an exothermic reaction and testing for vitamin C. They also had to complete a science quiz all within the two hour time limit. The team worked extremely well together and have won £75 for the science department.

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  • Coming Soon: Pabulum Catering

    Published 18/07/16

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  • New Principal Appointment

    Published 14/07/16

    A new principal has been appointed here at Ely College.

    Richard Spencer, who has been working in the college since April to lead the transition to Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT), said today he was delighted to have been appointed and was looking forward to the challenges ahead in improving educational standards and attainment.

    His appointment follows the college's transfer to CMAT on 1 July 2016.

    Richard has extensive experience of school improvement, and recently spent a year working as a lead Ofsted inspector in primary and secondary schools throughout the East of England.

    He said: "I am delighted to have been appointed as the new principal of Ely College and I am very much looking forward to working with all the governors, teachers, staff, students and parents to make improvements that will benefit the whole community.

    "Ely is a beautiful city with a long and rich history and I want to ensure the college is one of which we can all be proud. We are already taking steps to improve educational standards but we also recognise our journey isn't going to be easy and it will take time. But I am very much focused on making sure the college offers all our students a high quality education and the chances to reach their full potential so they are prepared for whatever their next steps in life will be."

    Richard joined Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT) as Vice Principal in January 2015. The father-of-two was previously the Vice Principal at Impington Village College and has worked for the past 15 years in schools across Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire teaching English and drama.

    Shirley Jamieson, chair of CMAT, said: "We believe Richard's appointment is another really positive step forward for Ely College. He has extensive experience in school improvement and is a serving Ofsted inspector so he understands the work that needs to go into raising standards to good and outstanding. The students and community have been overwhelmingly positive about the changes taking place.

    "CMAT already has a very strong reputation for improving schools and we are confident that together we can ensure all our students receive the high quality education they deserve."

    Among the changes here at the college will be the introduction of 3-year GCSEs. It means that Year 8 students will begin some of their GCSE courses in September.

    A new system of rewards and values will be introduced from September in which students will earn pledge points in lessons and activities for their positive behaviour and actions. These points will feed into the new house system so students will not only be achieving for themselves but also for their 'team'.

    There will also be improvements made to the school site over the summer including repainting some areas, new carpets and new toilets.

    County and local councillors, business leaders, primary school head teachers and other stakeholders attended a briefing on 1 July to mark the transfer of the college to CMAT.

    Richard and the staff at Ely College pay tribute to the outgoing Principal, Evelyn Forde, who has worked tirelessly to serve the students and the College. Ms Forde will remain in day to day charge until the end of term, allowing us to spend time implementing some of the systems and plans we have for September and beyond.

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  • Health Related Behaviour Survey - FAQ

    Published 30/06/16

    The Health Related Behaviour Survey in Secondary Schools

    Some Questions Answered

    Why does the survey ask for our postcode and does this mean we can be identified?

    The postcode can not identify individual homes and is only used to look at the information about children’s health in local communities. This is very useful for Public Health who need information to help them target their resources and support most effectively.

    Schools, too, can work with their Locality Teams to identify parts of their communities which may need extra support and care.

     

    Why my child is asked if they have free school meals?

    The government has set Cambridgeshire tough targets to reduce inequalities in health and achievement for children and young people.  We know that, generally speaking, children from homes with lower than average incomes may achieve less well and have more problems in terms of their health and wellbeing, although, clearly, this is not always the case. The government’s chosen indicator for this group of children/ young people is those who have free school meals and there are plans and programmes to give them and their families’ additional support.

    Being able to look at the survey information for this group of children/young people in our communities can help us see if these programmes are really helping and judge what more could and should be done.

     

    Won’t some questions upset and worry my child?

    Young people are always told that they do not have to answer any questions with which they are uncomfortable and most of the more sensitive questions have a “Rather not say” option.

    Pupils are reassured that, although important, the survey is not an “exam” or “test” of them. Our experience is that young people find the survey and the areas it covers interesting and stimulating for discussion.

     

    Is the survey reliable? Surely some young people will lie?

    Yes some probably will. But we take a lot of trouble to stress the importance of honest answers and this is reinforced by emphasising that the survey is genuinely anonymous. Even if some do lie, the size of the sample means that it would take a lot of young people to lie in one way to change the results.

     

    Is this just more information that will end up in a computer somewhere never to be seen again?

    We are a busy and fully committed school and we would not give our staff and pupils any more work to do if we didn’t feel it was of real benefit to us and what we do. We know this information will help us meet the needs of our young people and their families better. Also we are committed to sharing it with you to support our partnership of care for children and young people.

     

     

    A sample copy of the survey currently being offered to Ely College students in Years 8 and 10 can be viewed here.

     

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  • Short Story Competition Winners

    Published 27/06/16

    Back in April, we launched a short story competition with the Ely News.

    The competition was open to pupils in years 7, 8 and 9, and was kindly sponsored by Toppings Bookshop and Tindalls stationers, both who were involved in the judging, along with college staff and the Ely News reporter and editor.

    We would like to announce and congratulate the three winners – Sam Laws, Katherine Causton, and Abigail Brown – who each received vouchers to spend at Toppings and Tindalls, and also a Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary from the Ely News.

    Ely News editor Wendy Davey said: "We have very much enjoyed working with the college on this competition.

    "The standard of entries was amazing – which made our job as judges very difficult! Huge congratulations to our winners."

    Please take this opportunity to sit back and enjoy the three winning stories...

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