[3] In September 2010, the College's governors adopted Foundation status, and in 2011, they applied to the Secretary of State to change to Academy status,[2][4] proposing to join the CfBT Schools Trust, an Academies Trust formed by CfBT, one of the UK's leading educational charities.

They are named Etheldreda (after Saint Etheldreda), Scott (after explorer Scott of the Antarctic), Franklin (after scientist Rosalind Franklin), Turing (after mathematician Alan Turing) and Seacole (after Mary Seacole, the British-Jamaican nurse in the Crimean War).

In April 2011 the Daily Express dubbed Ely College "Britain's strictest school".

[6] In a newsletter to parents that month, Headteacher Catherine Jenkinson-Dix had issued a warning about the introduction of a zero-tolerance policy for the school, rigidly enforcing existing policies on school uniforms and discipline, plus restricting the use of mobile phones and iPods.

Defending the action, she stated: "This is fundamental in preparing them for their future careers, where they certainly would not get away with being rude, dressing inappropriately and chewing gum.

[7] Some parents were supportive[6] and by the following month Catherine Jenkinson-Dix was claiming the policy to have been a success, saying that it had enabled teachers to spend more time teaching as they are dealing with fewer distractions in the classroom.