Chorister programme ties pupils directly into Ely Cathedral's professional choral schedule throughout the year.
A leading British boarding school for ages 2 to 18 in Cambridgeshire
Why this school
Chorister programme ties pupils directly into Ely Cathedral's professional choral schedule throughout the year.
Offers five post-16 qualification routes: A-level, BTEC, Business CTEC, EPQ, and Core Maths Course.
School origins date to 970 AD, formally reconstituted under royal charter by Henry VIII in 1541.
King’s Ely sits in the cathedral city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, around 15 miles north of Cambridge and a short train ride from the city centre. One of the oldest schools in England, its origins trace back to 970 AD; it was formally reconstituted by King Henry VIII in 1541. Today it operates as a co-educational independent school admitting pupils from age 2 to 18, with around 980 on roll. Accredited by HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference), IAPS, ISC, BSA, and BAISIS, it sits firmly within serious British independent education while retaining a distinctive identity rooted in its cathedral setting.
King’s Ely covers the full secondary curriculum through GCSE and A-level, supplemented by BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) and Business CTEC for pupils who benefit from applied learning pathways. The school also offers the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification), a Core Maths Course, and ESOL (English as an Additional Language) support. That last option matters to international pupils developing academic English alongside subject study.
Teaching is structured so that staff know pupils individually, with timely feedback passed to families. Graduates go on to universities across the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge.
At sixth form, pupils choose from A-levels, BTEC, and Business CTEC, with the EPQ available alongside any route. The mix of traditional and applied options means the sixth form accommodates a wider range of academic profiles than schools offering A-level alone.
King’s Ely offers both boarding and day places across its age range. The pastoral structure supports international pupils through a dedicated international study centre, designed to accelerate English language development and ease the move into full English-medium education. A registration fee of £120 and a deposit of £600 apply on entry. Annual fees from £19,500 (2025/26) make King’s Ely notably accessible compared with many comparable British boarding schools.
The school’s most distinctive co-curricular feature is its chorister programme, directly linked to Ely Cathedral. Choristers combine a full academic timetable with cathedral choral performance throughout the school year — an arrangement that sets King’s Ely apart from the great majority of UK independent schools. Beyond music, the Cambridgeshire setting provides access to a broad range of sport and outdoor activity. The school’s all-through structure, from early years to sixth form, also means older pupils regularly engage with younger ones in a mentoring capacity.
The school occupies a historic campus in the centre of Ely, with Ely Cathedral as its immediate neighbour. The city is compact and walkable. Cambridge is around 15 minutes away by direct train, giving pupils and families easy reach of one of the UK’s principal university cities. The combination of medieval setting and modern school provision defines the character of the site.
Ely has a direct rail connection to Cambridge (approximately 15 minutes) and to London King’s Cross (approximately 70 minutes). The nearest international airport is London Stansted, roughly 40 miles south, with good road and rail connections onward. London Heathrow is accessible via Cambridge or central London.
Annual tuition
£19,500 per year · boarding
Additional fees
Deposit
£600
Registration
£120
London Stansted (~40 miles); London King's Cross by rail ~70 min from Ely
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King’s Ely admits pupils from age 2 through to 18, covering nursery, junior, and senior phases on one continuous site. This all-through structure means siblings at different stages can attend the same school.
At GCSE the school follows the standard national curriculum. Post-16, pupils can take A-levels, BTEC, or Business CTEC, and may add the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) or Core Maths Course alongside their main programme. ESOL (English as an Additional Language) is available for international pupils building academic English.
Annual fees start from £19,500 (2025/26). A registration fee of £120 and a refundable deposit of £600 are payable on entry. The school publishes fees on a termly basis, so families should confirm the current schedule directly with admissions.
The school is in Ely, Cambridgeshire, approximately 15 miles north of Cambridge city centre. A direct train connects Ely to Cambridge in around 15 minutes and to London King’s Cross in approximately 70 minutes.
London Stansted is the nearest international airport, roughly 40 miles from Ely. London Heathrow is reachable via either Cambridge or central London and handles the broadest range of international routes.
Yes. King’s Ely runs a chorister programme linked to Ely Cathedral, one of the few independent schools in England with this kind of formal cathedral relationship. Choristers maintain a full academic timetable alongside their cathedral commitments.
The school has an international study centre designed to help overseas pupils improve their English and adapt to English-medium education. ESOL (English as an Additional Language) is offered as part of the academic programme for pupils who need structured language development.
King’s Ely is accredited by HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference), IAPS, ISC, BSA, and BAISIS. HMC and IAPS membership places it within the established network of inspected and peer-reviewed British independent schools.
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