Welcome to Etheldreda House
Who our house is named after?
Etheldreda House takes its name from Saint Etheldreda. An East Anglian Princess. Saint Etheldreda married for political reasons to the King of Northumberland. When she left him she became a nun and founded a monastery at Ely in 673. Saint Etheldreda restored an old church in Ely and built her monastery on the site of what is now Ely Cathedral. It fills us with great pride to have our house named in relation to such a prominent piece of local history and such a magnificent landmark.
Who we are and what makes us unique?
Etheldreda House is made up of the following subject areas; ICT, Design Technology, Physical Education and Health & Social Care. Etheldreda ensures however that we support and encourage students of all interests and talents.
Etheldreda House ethos is captured in the following quote: ‘Be the best version of yourself’.
We encourage students to be independent, resilient and motivated. We believe every student in Etheldreda is unique; some excel in academic areas, whilst some excel in more practical competencies. Some students will have to overcome barriers during their time at College to reach their final goal; whether that’s emotionally, socially or physically and as a House we are here to assist along the way. All our students are on a journey some with a destination known, with some yet to decide upon their final outcome. It’s our belief that we must provide the skills to ensure that our students whether they know or not can reach that destination.
As a house we embrace our ethos by asking students not to compare themselves to others but to consider whether they have done their best in pursuit of personal academic excellence or have taken the necessary steps along their pathway to their future. When students leave the college, we hope they have left a long lasting mark on our house, and in return we want them to feel a sense of pride in making the most of their opportunities, challenged themselves and applied 100% effort. We want to offer them the skills and qualities they need in order to be successful. This ethos has helped raise aspirations and create a house where students work together to achieve a common goal.
Etheldreda is building year on year and becoming stronger as a house, thanks to the incredibly diverse and energetic students that contribute to who we are and the environment we work within. We are currently the only house to have won the house cup twice and this is down to our students who strive for excellence and their participation, positive attitudes and teamwork.
Our House charity
For this academic year (2024-2025) Etheldreda students have voted to support and fundraise for the charity Power2Inspire. Power2Inspire’s vision is to ensure “no one is left on the bench!” and their mission is to “embed inclusive sport in the sporting, education and community landscapes.” The charity works across a variety of schools to offer events such as the powerhouse games, games2inspire and festivals of inclusive sport to encourage everyone to play sport together despite whether they are disabled or able bodied to achieve their mission.
Power2Inspire was established following a triathlon relay in September 2013.
Founder John Willis, born without fully formed arms and legs, joined forces with two of his able-bodied friends, to compete in an able-bodied triathlon relay at Eton Dorney rowing lake. Together they smashed their goal of not coming last – they finished 18th out of 27 teams – but more importantly realised it was great fun to participate in a mixed ability team.
Inspired by an advert showing non-disabled players joining a wheelchair user in a game of basketball, John established the core of the Power2Inspire’s mission – Inclusion through Sport. Determined that his experience as a child of being excluded from sports, should not be repeated.
As a house we want to support the amazing work that John and his team do to create inclusive sporting opportunities for all and provide opportunities for our young people to get involved in these events and be part of this mission.
What you can expect from our tutors
Our tutors within Etheldreda deliver purposeful tutor time activities that encourages students to explore a range of topics and develop skills that support them in all areas of their life. As tutor time takes place at the start of every school day, this provides a key contact for your child to develop a positive relationship with and therefore be there if any concerns or worries arise. Our tutors meet with each child on a 1:1 basis at various points throughout the year to discuss academic progress, behaviour, attitudes, successes and achievements to support the child in making progress and celebrate their accomplishments. Our tutors will also ensure contact is made home on a regular basis to communicate targets or share positives or concerns regarding your child throughout our monitoring procedures. We are here as a team to ensure that your child achieves the very best that they can during their time at Ely College and that they also enjoy the journey along the way.
Look out for us in the Parent and Student Weekly Bulletin, as we share achievements, events and key information about Etheldreda House.
Mrs S RasmussenVice Principal: srasmussen@elycollege.co.uk |
Miss G BaysSenior Tutor: gbays@elycollege.co.uk |
Mr J NewsomeAssistant Senior Tutor: jnewsome@elycollege.co.uk |
Mrs S ButcherStudent Support Assistant: sbutcher@elycollege.co.uk |
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Saint Etheldreda – An East Anglian princess. Married for political reasons to the King of Northumberland, she preferred a religious life. |
Key Contacts for Etheldreda House
House Office call: 01353 652873
House email: etheldredahouse@elycollege.co.uk
Student Support Assistant – Sarah Butcher
Assistant Senior Tutor – Jonathan Newsome
Senior Tutor – Gemma Bays
Vice Principal - Samantha Rasmussen
Curriculum Leader PE – Pauline Sansom-Roberts
Curriculum Leader Technology – David Bausor
Subject Leader ICT – Toyin Adegoke