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This year’s School Play, The Father and the Assassin, was a thought-provoking treat for all the senses.

Anupama Chandrasekhar’s play focusing on the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi was a colourful spectacle that continued QE’s recent tradition of choosing bold, politically charged drama for the annual production performed by Lower School pupils.

Live music from the School’s Indian Ensemble provided a vibrant soundtrack, while even the catering continued the theme, with volunteers from The Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s serving up samosa and chai in the interval.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “My congratulations go to every member of the cast, crew, musicians, staff and volunteers who made The Father and the Assassin such an outstanding success. It was an evening of ambitious theatre, remarkable performances and unforgettable memories arising from a rich, complex script that asked difficult questions about conviction, extremism and the cost of political change.

“Our young cast rose magnificently to the challenge, relishing the opportunity to step into the shoes of some of history’s most influential figures.”

In recent years, Lower School productions have tackled themes including racism (12 Angry Men), the migrant crisis (The Jungle), tyranny and fate (Oedipus the King), and the struggle for Indian independence in Lions and Tigers.

This year’s production returned to India and to one of the defining moments of the 20th century – the assassination of Gandhi in 1948. Born in Chennai, India, playwright Anupama Chandrasekhar is best known for The Father and the Assassin, which was first performed in 2022.

The play opens in the immediate aftermath of the assassination, before transporting the audience back through the events, personalities and ideologies that shaped the Indian independence movement.

The production was directed by Penny Gkritzapi, of RM Drama, with support from QE Flourish tutor (and Philosophy, Religion & Society teacher) Brooke Farron.

Assistant Head Crispin Bonham-Carter (Co-curricular and Partnerships) praised every performer in the cast of almost 20, while highlighting several names in particular:

• “Yash Nadhavajhala [Year 9] brought warmth, dignity and quiet strength to the role of Gandhi.
• “Aarav Abhijit Pathak’s [Year 10] Veer Savarkar was forceful, charismatic and utterly convincing as the advocate of armed resistance.
• “At the centre of it all was Vihaan Sirpa [Year 9] as Nathuram Godse. Rarely does a performer of his age command the stage with such assurance. His portrayal was thoughtful, layered and remarkably self-possessed, carrying the emotional weight of the production across two absorbing hours and holding the audience captivated from beginning to end.”

Yet, said Mr Bonham-Carter, perhaps the production’s greatest triumph lay not in any single performance, but in its “extraordinary sense of ensemble”. He added: “Every actor knew exactly where they belonged, every movement had purpose, and every scene flowed seamlessly into the next. It was a performance that felt polished, confident and wholly collaborative—a remarkable achievement for a Lower School cast.”

The Indian Ensemble’s instruments and singing welcomed the audience before the performance, during the interval, and again at the close. “Their contribution added authenticity, atmosphere and warmth to an already memorable evening,” said Mr Bonham-Carter.

He also hailed the sense of community provided by the contribution of the FQE volunteers. “Their delicious samosas and steaming cups of chai transformed the interval into a celebration in itself.”

The whole evening will have whetted appetites for next year’s production, which is to be a musical, Jekyll and Hyde, Mr Bonham-Carter said.

Year 9 boys used artificial intelligence to help them design a sustainable bus for London during a special day at Salesforce’s new AI Innovation Centre.

The 27 pupils took part in a workshop, learned about careers in AI, and discussed the ethics of the technology during their trip to the American software giant’s facility at Devonshire Square, opened only a few weeks ago.

One of the highlights was a team challenge to design the sustainable bus – an exercise which gave the boys hands-on insights into how AI can be used creatively to solve real-world problems.

Assistant Head James Kane (Destinations & Progress), who leads the QE Futures careers and universities guidance programme, said: “It seems especially appropriate to celebrate this exciting opportunity during Youth Employment Week.

“Artificial Intelligence will undoubtedly form part of all our futures, and there is so much to be learned. Whether it was finding out how to write effective AI prompts or getting to grips with the ethical considerations, the conversations on this very special day provided valuable guidance for QE pupils growing up in an increasingly AI-driven world.

“We are sincerely grateful to Neil Sanghrajka, parent of a Year 8 QE student, for kindly facilitating this fantastic opportunity,” Mr Kane added.

The pupils discovered how Salesforce, a $186 billion company known for its customer relationship management software and related applications, uses AI to enhance the services it provides to its clients.

The day explored the effective and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

During the lunch break, students explored a range of innovative AI technologies, including a machine that created portraits from photographs and an AI-powered LEGO set that demonstrated interactive learning through artificial intelligence.

The visit concluded with an AI careers Q&A session, where the boys had the opportunity to ask questions. The panel included two degree apprentices, who shared their experiences and highlighted alternative and increasingly popular pathways into the technology sector after sixth form. QE’s pupils were particularly interested in the role of AI in education, and the panel emphasised that AI should be used to support learning and develop understanding, rather than replace independent thinking.

QE have won first place at the national finals of the English Schools Chess Championship.

The A team took QE’s first-ever top place at the prestigious competition’s Nottingham finals, beating opponents from several famous schools on their route to victory.

They secured their win with a hard-fought final-round victory over Westminster School.

Teacher in charge of chess Geoff Roberts said: “This is a truly outstanding achievement, made even more impressive by the fact that Queen Elizabeth’s are only the second state school to win the event in the last forty years.

“My congratulations to all the boys who represented the School. The trophy is a fitting reward for their consistent dedication and excellence – the most coveted trophy in schools’ chess, with a rich history dating back to 1958.”

Earlier this year, QE had become the first school ever to have two teams qualify through the regional rounds for the national finals in its current format. Of the 24 teams to reach Nottingham, QE’s A team was seeded sixth and the B team seeded bottom. Both teams comprise pupils of all ages from throughout the School.

The A team powered through the first two rounds, defeating Lancaster Royal Grammar School 4.5-1.5 and then King Edward VI GS Chelmsford 5-1.

In round 3, they faced a team seeded higher than them, last year’s winners, Hampton School, for the first time. Taking wins on boards 1, 3, 4 and 6, QE convincingly won the match 4.5-1.5, placing them in joint-first place with Magdalen College at the end of the first day.

Day 2 began with a crucial match against Magdalen. Taking on an International Master on board 1, QE captain Nishchal Thatte, of Year 12, put up a tough fight but was ultimately outplayed. But QE then struck back, with three wins and two draws, taking the match 4-2.

Round 5, against Westminster, had by now become a final showdown: QE was in first place by a full point, so a win or a draw would secure the tournament, but a loss would result in Westminster taking the crown.

QE began strongly, with two wins and a draw making the score 2.5-0.5: with three games remaining, only a half-point more was needed. However, two losses followed. levelling the score at 2.5-2.5. All eyes turned to Year 8’s Advait Keerthi Kumar on board 2, who had to draw or win his game.

“At QE’s team base room, everyone waited with bated breath, staring intently at the live board transmission,” said Mr Roberts. “With only seconds left on his clock, Advait’s opponent blundered a checkmate in one move, which Advait coolly capitalised upon.” The final score was QE Barnet A 3.5 to Westminster School’s 2.5.

Captain Nishchal said: “This moment was the result of every hour of training we put in over many years. We believed we would win from round 1, and, having played in this competition since joining the School in Year 7, I cannot explain how happy I am that we finally achieved victory. To stand here as national champions is something we will always remember when we reflect on our time at secondary school. I am incredibly proud of my teammates and everyone who supported us along the way. We earned this together.”

The B team also far exceeded their expectations as bottom seed. Although they fell to defeat in round 1, they then took down Lancaster Royal 4.5-1.5 and held the stronger St Paul’s Girls’ School and Haberdashers’ Adams to 3-3 draws. Despite losing to Wilson’s in the final round, they still finished in a respectable 16th place out of 24.

“Players in both teams showed great focus and resilience,” said Mr Roberts, adding that a special mention should go to Rohan Katkar of Year 11, who won all five of his games, said Mr Roberts.  Three more players also went undefeated: Aayush Dewangan and Ashwin Ravithas, of Year 10, both scored 4.5/5, while Year 8’s Hubert Bates scored 3.5/5.

Team A

1. Nishchal Thatte, Year 12
2. Advait Keerthi Kumar, Year 8
3. Aayush Dewangan, Year 10
4. Rohan Katkar, Year 11
5. Hubert Bates, Year 8
6. Shlok Parakh, Year 10

Team B

1. Gautam Sriram, Year 7
2. Djad Ben-Eshak, Year 8
3. Akshaj Khandelwal, Year 10
4. Shehroze Labeeb, Year 8
5. Nuhad Khan, Year 11
6. Ashwin Ravithas, Year 10

In addition to the boys named above, Daiwik Solanki (Year 13), Rithwik Gururaj (Year 12), Bharath Jayakumar (Year 10) and Kian Aggarwal (Year 10) all represented the School in the regional stages.

Speaking during Barnet Climate Action Month, campaigner Nick Mabey gave a sunny assessment of political progress towards a low-carbon future, despite the United States having moved away from its previous leading role.

Invited to QE by sixth-formers Vu-Lam Le-Nguyen and Keshav Aggarwal, the co-founder of climate change thinktank E3G argued that nativism and isolationism have too often hindered effective global climate action.

Yet, taking a long view, overall he found many reasons to be sanguine.

Year 12’s Vu-Lam said: “Mr Mabey delivered a fascinating talk. Perhaps most strikingly, he was optimistic about the progress made in climate diplomacy despite the scale of the challenge.”

Keshav, who is also in Year 12, added: “In looking at the challenges and opportunities involved in international climate policy, he reflected positively on international cooperation going right back to the Villach climate conference in 1985. ‘A huge amount is happening; it’s just an enormous issue,’ he observed.”

Mr Mabey mentioned especially the significant progress made since the 2015 Paris Agreement, pointing out that the largest increase in climate investment has come from China and East Asia, where investment has grown sixfold. Africa is beginning to adopt solar energy on a much larger scale, giving the continent enormous potential.

Mr Mabey was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours list in 2022 for services to climate change and support to the UK COP26 Presidency. (Conference of the Parties, or COP, is the supreme decision-making body of the UN Framework on Climate Change, or UNFCCC). He is also a founder of London Climate Action Week, which finished on Sunday and mobilised 75,000 people to attend city-wide events ahead of the COP 31 UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, in November.

He spoke about the work of E3G (Third Generation Environmentalism) as it celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. Its purpose, he said, is “to build the machinery to make [climate action] happen,” adding that this was something that foreign ministries normally failed to do. One of its most significant achievements was helping to secure the first-ever climate security debate at the UN Security Council.

He also explained the ‘Iron Triangle’ that comes into play in COP negotiations: the EU and UK, developing nations, and the countries most vulnerable to climate change often operate as three separate blocs.

Successful climate action depends on making change acceptable to society, he added. “Fundamentally, we need to find a leverage point to make people comfortable.”

He was hosted by Vu-Lam and Keshav as part of their Ideas Unmuffled talk series.

During a question-and-answer session:

• Vu-Lam, who is one of QE’s 2026 Senior Vice-Captains, asked why the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment (which concern reducing the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons) had been successful, while broader climate agreements have often struggled. Because, said Mr Mabey, the broader agreements often lack one or more of the conditions necessary for them to be effective: a clear and achievable goal, the necessary technology, and the willingness of major economic powers to act.
• Keshav asked whether the UK’s pursuit of net zero had made the country “colder and poorer,” as claimed by former Brexit Minister Steve Baker, among others. Mr Mabey argued that climate policies have instead helped improve the UK’s historically poor record on home insulation, making homes warmer and more energy-efficient. He further stated that dependence on fossil fuels leaves countries more vulnerable to energy price shocks, such as those caused by the war in Ukraine.
• Head of English Robert Hyland posed a question about careers in the green economy, to which Mr Mabey stressed that opportunities extend beyond STEM subjects. While confirming that careers in areas such as green agriculture and clean technology will continue to grow, he highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary roles that combine science, technology and the social sciences. In particular, he argued that the world needs more “people who do people” – individuals who can work in government, diplomacy and policy to bring about meaningful change.

Mr Mabey concluded his visit with a resounding final message: “Diplomacy is not something diplomats do. Diplomacy is something everybody does. Everybody can contribute to building something together.”

Year 10’s Aaryan Prabhaker entry to a Cambridge-based international essay competition saw him placed in the top 10% out of more 15,000 submissions worldwide.

He has now been invited to the Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition’s awards ceremony at King’s College, Cambridge, where the speaker will be Physics Nobel Laureate Dr Barry Barish.

Aaryan’s Honourable Mention for his essay comes just weeks after it was announced that he had won another global competition, the 2026 World Math Hackathon.

Head of Digital Teaching & Learning, Michael Noonan said: “It’s proving to be quite a year for Aaryan! Our congratulations go to him on this latest success.”

Aaryan’s entry in the 14-17 senior division of the competition explored the question Should AI systems be granted legal personhood, or are they tools that must always remain under human accountability?

There were prompts to help answer all the questions. For Aaryan’s chosen topic, these came from Dr Biswadeep Khan, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the US’s Stanford University. A recommended reading list was provided.

Mr Noonan added: “As AI continues to reshape society, this question sits at the heart of important ethical, legal, and technological debates. Aaryan’s essay is, thus, a very good and pertinent example of the free-thinking scholarship that we seek to encourage among our pupils.”

The competition is run by the Cambridge Centre for International Research, which was founded by a group of Cambridge graduates committed to making academic research more accessible to the public. Entries this year came from more than 50 countries.

The awarding of Aaryan’s Honourable mention followed four rigorous rounds of blind review conducted by scholars from Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, MIT, and several Ivy League universities.

Aaryan, who has received a digital certificate, balances the time he spends on competition entries with his studies at QE and his love of cricket. He plays the piano and is a member of QE’s strings orchestra. He said: “You have to be organised and you have to have schedule to fit in the things that you are interested in.”