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Sixth-formers Karan Somani and Samrath Sareen have won the FT’s Schools Champion Award after stirring up huge interest in the news organisation’s work among their fellow pupils.

Having been selected for the FT Student Advocate Programme, the pair threw themselves into the role, securing 94 sign-ups from other QE boys keen to read the FT and find out more about its work. This figure was the highest for any school worldwide.

Head of Economics Krishna Shah said: “Karan and Samrath are to be congratulated on the great commitment they showed to the FT programme. I know they have benefitted significantly from all that it has to offer.”

The Student Advocate Programme gives up to three pupils from each participating school the opportunity to develop ideas on how the FT can better engage with young people and to raise awareness of the benefits of reading it.

Karan praised the programme: “As a student with a great passion for economics, it’s been helpful to learn more about stylistic writing and the technique to create informative content at the highest levels.

“The interactive webinars and sessions with members of the editorial team have been a great way to expand my knowledge around current affairs and the general economic state of the country.”

As part of their involvement, Karan and Samrath gave a talk to the Gresham Society (QE’s Economics society), in which they critically analysed the impacts of the most recent decisions of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on the economy. Another focus of attention was the economic policy of President Trump.

“The presentation at the Gresham Society was a great success, and it was very interesting to hear different opinions about Trumpian politics and its impacts on the politics and trade relations across the world,” said Karan.

During the programme, the pair were set a series of tasks. These, said Samrath, “allowed us to deepen our understanding and interest of key economic and financial principles, such as the large-scale impact AI is currently having on the economy”.

Samrath added: “It was great to see how many students in our School regularly read the FT to aid and enhance their studies. My favourite part of this programme was interacting with like-minded students from around the world.”

The pair won a £50 gift voucher and a certificate as their prize for winning the award.

As part of the School’s involvement with the FT, its Head of Visual and Data Journalism, Alan Smith, came in to give a lecture earlier this year.

He recounted to the boys his own educational journey. He had pursued A-levels and higher education when that was not the norm for those from his background, and he also seized an opportunity to study abroad, thereby gaining skills which he would not otherwise have learned.

Ahsan Rahman, of Year 11, said: “We heard about how technology and different forms of data analysis have helped Alan within his articles to display very complex information in a digestible form for their readers.”

Eesa Bhaijee, also of Year 11, added: “Alan stretched the boundaries of data presentation through his sonification [use of non-speech audio] of the US yield curve, making it accessible to a wider range of audiences, including the visually impaired community.”

Both Eesa and Ahsan were especially impressed by the work Alan and the FT team had done to bring to life the Moniac (Monetary National Income Analogue Computer). Designed as a teaching device, this was created in 1949 by London School of Economics (LSE) student Bill Phillips, using water to show how money flows around an economy. At least 12 were built.

In collaboration with Cambridge University, home of one of the last working original Moniacs, an FT project team created the FT Money Machine, which bridges the gap between the Moniac’s  historical analogue computing and modern digital learning, using the Apple Vision Pro headset to blend digital content with the physical world.

It was, said Eesa, simply “mind-blowing”.

Year 10 History students headed to Berlin to deepen their understanding of the central role played by the German capital in the 20th century.

The 25 boys arrived in the city having studied the Cold War and being close to completing their studies on the Nazi era.

History teacher and Head of Year 10 John Haswell said: “It was an opportune time to visit, helping the boys better appreciate what Nazi Germany meant for Berlin, how the horrors of World War II have been remembered and memorialised in the city, and how the division of Berlin during the Cold War affected lives on each side of the wall.

“There is something powerful about physically seeing the layers of history in a city that has seen incredibly difficult times, and understanding how it is now looking to remember the past while looking ahead to the future.

“The boys were excellent – they really got the most out of the experience, and have hopefully come away with some fantastic memories of their time in Berlin,” said Mr Haswell.

The boys had a full itinerary, each day going on walking tours and visiting museums.

They also took in tourist spots, including the:

• Berlin Wall, the concrete barrier which prevented East German citizens from coming to the West from the time of its construction, started in 1961, until the East German government abolished restrictions in 1989 amid the fall of communism in the Eastern bloc;
• Brandenburg Gate – the 18th-century monument that has often been the site of major historical events;
• Fernsehturm – the 369m-high TV tower constructed in the 1960s by the communist German Democratic Republic.

Community collaboration came to the fore in two special events involving youngsters from local schools working with QE staff and pupils.

QE’s youngest boys were joined by Year 7 pupils from The Totteridge Academy, Barnet, for a fun challenge in the laboratories – the Chemystery Conundrum.

Year 5 children from six primary schools also came to The Queen’s Library for an event that focused on creative writing and encouraging reading for pleasure.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “QE is deeply rooted in the community as a Barnet school, and we value our local partnerships. It was good to welcome some younger students from other schools and to host these two very different events!”

The Chemystery Conundrum, overseen by the Chemistry department, took place in the S11 and S12 laboratories.

Some 60 pupils from the two schools looked at modern drug design, with teams challenged to find solutions to get a medicine to dissolve in the stomach in 20 seconds.

They were given guidance on how to design an experiment to respond to the challenge. To present their findings, they were asked to produce a poster with diagrams and minimal text. Each member of the team was required to speak.

QE’s Head of Chemistry, Amy Irvine, said: “This was designed as a collaborative, hands-on, experimental work. The pupils from the two schools worked really well together, coming up with a range of good solutions, with support from some of our A-level chemists.”

The event for the Year 5 children was aimed at encouraging them to read more. It began with quiz questions centred on how to choose a book, covering areas such as cover designs, ‘blurbs’ and genres.

Sixth Form students Aarav Agarwal and Simi Bloom then led a creative writing session.

They used word-association and word-chain games, as well as showing the children objects intended to inspire and kickstart stories. Year 12’s Aarav and Simi looked at character and setting, generally encouraging the children to let their imagination run free.

• Click thumbnails to view images: the Chemystery Conundrum first, followed by photos from the event in the library.

QE pupils have picked up crucial skills – as well as awards – at two prestigious Model United Nations conferences in London and one hosted by an élite university in the US.

On the same weekend that one group of boys was rubbing shoulders with visiting delegates from around the world at HABSMUN (hosted by Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools), Year 11’s Vu-Lam Le-Nguyen was enjoying success during the London Youth Model United Nations (LYMUN) at the LSE. These events came just a few weeks after Year 11’s Keshav Aggarwal (pictured) had become one of only seven delegates to win a Best Delegate award at the prestigious MUN hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “I am pleased to see our boys throwing themselves into these very worthwhile events and I congratulate them on their successes. Debating is an important way for our pupils to acquire confidence, hone skills in public-speaking, develop their ability to build an argument, and learn to think on their feet.”

Vu-Lam explained that LYMUN 2025 involved over 560 delegates from UK schools such as Eton and Harrow, as well as from schools in Portugal, Sweden, France and other nations worldwide.

“I was part of the US Senate, one of the special signature committees, and played the role of the Republican Senator John Thune. Like Senator Thune in real life, I won my party’s leadership election on the first day to become the Senator Majority Leader, granting me both privileges and responsibilities to set the tone for debate and direct my party in passing (or opposing) bills. This year, the topic was to envision a new age of American energy in the aftermath of a fictional Great Midwestern Blackout.

“In the closing ceremony, I was awarded the Bipartisanship (Diplomacy) Award, not only for outstanding public speaking and performance, but also for my subtle concessions to foster bipartisan cooperation (in a hugely divided Senate).” Vu-Lam, who aspires to an eventual real-world career in international relations, said he was especially proud that the MUN’s Secretariat said in its comments that the award went to delegates who best assumed the role of real diplomats in committees.

Keshav Aggarwal’s award at MIT was for his contribution representing Australia at the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) – one of seven committees operating at the conference. Since no overall conference awards were given, this was one of the event’s top accolades.

With him at the conference were several hundred delegates from countries as far apart as Peru and Kazakhstan, as well as the US delegates and others from the UK. MIT itself describes it as “the premier international MUN conference for high school students, with a special focus on small committee sizes”.

The theme was Tech Diplomacy: delegates were charged with evaluating the global political impact of new technologies and strengthening or amending regulation to foster innovation. The SOCHUM committee members debated Regulating Cryptocurrency to Foster Innovation While Mitigating Risks and Mass Surveillance and Data Exploitation.

“It was great to interact with delegates from around the world with their different perspectives on global politics, and with differing cultural backgrounds,” said Keshav. “It also provided a great insight into studying at MIT: I got to interact with a range of student leaders, and learning about their experience at studying at MIT and living in Boston.”

He found time to visit neighbouring Harvard University, where he duly rubbed the foot of the statue of John Harvard, the 17th-century Puritan clergyman whose bequest helped establish the Ivy League institution. “Legend and rumours have it that by rubbing the golden foot of the statue, students gain luck and the ‘blessings’ of John Harvard for all their academic endeavours.”

Keshav and his fellow delegates heard from guest speaker Fadel Adib, Founding Director of the MIT Signal Kinetics Research Group, whose research has led to the establishment of multiple start-ups.

The group of Elizabethans making their way to HABSMUN included Samuel Sobolak, of Year 9, who reported that delegates had quickly got into their stride, lobbying fiercely in their committees to rally support for their resolutions.

“Day two brought about a rigorous seven-hour debate in the General Assembly, where delegates sparred over resolutions, thinking on their feet under pressure: a perfect opportunity to improve public-speaking skills,” said Samuel.

“Speaking in front of dozens of delegates may be overwhelming, so in order to unwind, students took part in a karaoke showdown, with each committee singing their hearts out for first place.”

The QE contingent picked up a number of awards, he said, and made many new friends:  “An intense but unforgettable weekend of diplomatic fun!”

Fellow HABSMUN delegate Nikhil Francine, of Year 10, added: “Learning that there were others that were passionate about solving the pressing issues of the world, ranging from health to disarmament and security, was fascinating to see.”

Like Samuel, he enjoyed both the formal debates and the event’s more relaxed moments. “Overall, it was a brilliant experience, in which I made new friends from outside QE, had lots of fun and crucially boosted my confidence, debating and public-speaking skills.”

Four young musicians won the junior category prize at the prestigious Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival – and the School put on a special concert to celebrate.

The Junior String Quartet impressed the Pro Corda judges with their rendition of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 4 in C minor opus 18 movement I, Allegro ma non tanto. Following their achievement, the four boys later secured Music bars, which are awarded to those who already have their QE Music colours.

A second QE ensemble, a trio of senior musicians, also reached the grand final of the national competition, which was held this year at Woldingham School, Surrey.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “This is a well respected competition in which standards are high and competition fierce: I offer my warm congratulations to our young musicians on their striking success.”

The Junior String Quartet – comprising Year 9’s Eshaan Anil, Kevin Mao & Jeremy Shi, as well as Joseph Donovan, of Year 10 – competed over three months through the qualifying and semi-final rounds of the competition. As in previous years, QE was among the host schools for the earlier rounds. The final featured more than 40 ensembles.

Director of Music Ruth Partington said: “In the adjudication, it was noted that this was the largest Pro Corda ever, with the highest standard, so it really was a tremendous achievement for our quartet to win: they did brilliantly!

“Our violin trio (Jason Tao, Year 13; Ryuki Watanabe, Year 12; Noah Morley, Year 11) represented QE in the senior category, which is by far the most competitive – therefore getting into the final was also an amazing achievement for them,” Miss Partington added.

The older boys performed Christian Sinding’s Serenade No. 2 Op. 92 Movement II Andante sostenuto in F sharp minor and Igor Frolov’s Divertimento for 2 violins and piano.

Just a few days before the Pro Corda final, the trio played their pieces at the final of South East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition, which is again highly respected in the music world. “Jason, Ryuki and Noah did very well to reach the final and played impressively in the crowded senior category, where they were up against the likes of Harrow and St Paul’s. In fact, both our finalist ensembles really were spectacular,” said Miss Partington.

At the celebratory lunchtime concert in the Friends’ Recital Hall, both ensembles performed their pieces.

• Click on the thumbnails below to view the images.