King's Ely Prep School
Ely, Cambridgeshire
There is never a dull moment at King's Ely Prep. Our days are filled with learning, cooking, experimenting, discovering, sculpting, coding, chiselling, playing, swimming, dancing, painting, acting, debating, questioning and making friends for life. King's Ely Prep is exactly what an outstanding Prep School should be; a safe and inspiring place where pupils are enabled to flex their curiosity muscles in a bid to make childhood as exciting and exhilarating as it can be.
Mr and Mrs Bailey's view of the school is clear: "What has most impressed us is that our son has learned to work really hard and take pride in pushing himself to new heights. He has learned how much he is capable of and how much he can achieve with hard work - in short, he is achieving his potential. We could not ask for more".
| Gender | Co-ed (Prep) |
| Boarding/Day | Boarding and Day |
| Age Range | 7 – 13 |
| Roll Size | 420 (Prep) |
| Entrance Exam | Yes |
At King's Ely Prep, we believe childhood should be filled with discovery, opportunity, and fun!
Academic excellence lies at the core of all we do, delivered by outstanding teachers who challenge, encourage, and nurture every child to achieve their very best. Equally important is our exceptional pastoral care, ensuring pupils feel known, supported, and valued throughout their journey.
Guided by our values of Courage, Compassion, Confidence and Integrity, we place genuine importance on pupil voice, leadership opportunities, and character development, with kindness serving as our golden rule.Our unique relationship with Ely Cathedral further enriches school life through weekly services and renowned chorister opportunities for both boys and girls.
As a day and boarding school, we foster independence, friendship, and belonging. The result is grounded, confident young people, never arrogant, but articulate, compassionate, and fully prepared for the exciting next step into King’s Ely Senior School.
Simon Kibler
Head
Annual Fees
Fees quoted are inclusive of VAT and cover all tuition, accommodation (if boarding) and nutrition. Many of the Prep School trips and clubs are also included within the main fee. Individual music and drama lessons, transport (if required) and uniform are the main areas of additional cost. Fees are charged termly (three terms each year) although there is the opportunity to pay fees up front, details of which are available from fees@kingsely.org
Limited bursarial support is a possibility for students entering Year 7 and above. Scholarships are available ONLY from Year 9.
All fees shown are annual and are inclusive of VAT.
Boarding at King's Ely Prep School
Go Ape, Harry Potter World, ice skating, trampolining, toasting marshmallows and The Polar Express are just some of the recent weekend trips and activities enjoyed by our happy band of Prep School boarders. Surrounded by friends and experienced staff who genuinely care, our pupils feel very much at home in our two wonderful Prep Boarding Houses. There is outdoor space in which to let off steam, comfy sofas on which feet (no shoes) are allowed to curl up, table tennis tables for an impromptu game of ping pong and no end of board games, LEGO and craft stuff to keep everyone busy and feeling relaxed. Not to mention the dogs, cats and tortoises - everybody's new best friends! With views of the Cathedral, Walsingham (boys) and Priory (girls) Houses boast some of Ely's finest, and most quirky architecture. Picture perfect on the outside. Warm and inviting on the inside. All that the historic and beautiful city of Ely has to offer is a three-minute walk, or two-minute roller skate away. There's hot chocolate with lashings of cream, Toppings bookshop for our avid readers, a bustling Saturday market and at least three places from which to buy some of the finest ice cream in Cambridgeshire.
Prep Boarding at King's Ely is available to UK and international pupils from Year 5 on a full, weekly or flexible basis.
Strengths at King's Ely Prep School
Perhaps our biggest strength is our unwavering belief in the potential of each of our pupils, and how that belief manifests itself in tailored educational pathways for every child entrusted to our care. As a result, our community of enthusiastic teachers and learners is both happy and hard working. There is confidence and self-belief. There are moments of quiet reflection and re-evaluation. There is joy and cause for celebration. There is an indefatigable spirit which is Uniquely King's.
Music
You need a lot of energy to be Head of Performance Music at King's Ely Prep, and boy, does Mr Parsons have it in bucket loads. From choristers who sing daily in Ely Cathedral to a trumpeter who has performed on stage with UB40, our approach to music covers all genres, instruments and ensembles. Everyone gets a chance to experiment and to be introduced to a range of instruments and musical styles. 75% of our Prep community are actively involved in school music groups with over 30 visiting Music Teachers sharing their love of drums, clarinet, piano, harp, cello, guitar, voice, flute, saxophone, violin (alongside all other instruments) with our pupils. A King's Ely Prep Music Education prepares you well for the future with a good number of Senior School students not only achieving Grade VIII and Diplomas in their chosen instruments, but also going on to study at the prestigious London Colleges of Music. Our choirs, orchestras, bands and music groups get the chance to perform in the magnificent Ely Cathedral.
Leadership & Character Development
Our innovative programme, Prep Futures, is designed specially with our Year 7 and 8 students, and their futures, very much in mind. It prepares them for what lies ahead both at Senior School and beyond. Its four pillars of Personal, Research, Enrichment and Project combine to build confidence, develop lifelong skills and embed leadership qualities in each student. Leadership is about setting a good example for yourself and others to follow. Prep Future is both inward and outward looking. Opportunities are given to captain sports teams, to become Head of House, to nominate and be voted a School Prefect, Chair Person of the Eco Committee, Form Rep sitting on the School Council, to be a school buddy to a new starter in younger years. Training is also given in preparing a presentation and delivering it to an audience of critical peers and supportive strangers. All in all, our pupils at the end of their King's Ely Prep Days, emerge ready to take on their next challenge as leaders-in-waiting of King's Ely Senior School.
Performing Arts
If dance and drama is your thing, then the spotlight is waiting for you at King's Ely Prep. From our annual all-singing, all-dancing production in The Hayward Theatre, to our Theatre in Education Project which tours local schools, to our more informal performances in the Dance and Drama Studios, there is something for everyone. Whether your jazz hands are happiest front of stage, or behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly, the King's Ely Prep Drama Department will find the right role for you. Our production of 'Goodnight Mr Tom' was named Prep Performance of the Year (2025) in the National School Theatre Awards. Matilda, the Musical, came a close second the following year. High hopes are pinned on the 2027 production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to work its magic on the judges for a second win in three years. Awardus Returnus!
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
Wannabe medics, engineers, computer programmers and motor car enthusiasts find their feet at King's Ely Prep. Through the imaginative classroom curriculum which puts hands-on investigation and experiment at its heart, to the rich and varied cocurricular activities programme, pupils are engaged and enthused about the world around them, about how things work (and sometimes do not work), and how a simple reaction can have a far greater and more significant reaction. Our Stem on Track programme sees pupils in Years 7 and 8 build, design, refine and ultimately race a customised go-kart in a national competition against other Independent Prep Schools. Having qualified for, and finished within the Top Ten in 2025, the pupils of King's Ely Prep are looking for a podium finish in 2026. On your marks, get set, STEM!
Affiliated Schools
The majority of King's Ely Prep pupils will continue their academic adventure at King's Ely Senior. This transition happens at the end of Year 8 once the pupils have made the most of the leadership and mentoring opportunities that are available to them in Year 8. Whilst sharing the same historic site, most of the Senior School facilities are new to them, meaning that the early weeks of Year 9 hold all the excitement of the first days at a new school. Our students are joined in Year 9 by pupils who have chosen King's Ely Senior from the Prep Schools of Cambridge and the surrounding areas, from overseas schools and colleges and from Fairstead House, our King's Ely Family of Schools Prep School stabled in nearby Newmarket.
King's Ely
Senior School within the King's Ely family of schools
Latest events and open days
Whole School Open Morning
Year 7 Entry Assessment Day
Location
King's Ely Prep
Barton Road
Ely
CB7 4DB
Nearest Airports
- London Stansted35.4 miles (57.0km)
- London Heathrow70.2 miles (113.0km)
Nick Tappin
Director of Admissions and Marketing
King's Ely Prep School
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