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Three sixth-formers won first place in an international economics competition with their exploration of why some life-saving medicines in the US can cost more than a car – and what should be done about that.

Keshav Aggarwal, Yash Mehta and Jasmaan Sahota, who entered Year 13 this month, took the top spot in the Youth Economics Initiative’s (YEI) EconOlympiad.

As a result, they received YEI’s backing to enter the International Economics Olympiad – an élite competition which requires an organisational endorsement for each team taking part.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “My congratulations go to Keshav, Yash and Jasmaan on this impressive achievement. Their entry not only represents a great deal of hard work, but is also an excellent example of the free-thinking scholarship we seek to nurture here at QE.”

Yash said: “US drug pricing is one of the clearest examples of economics directly affecting people’s lives. Behind every graph, market failure, patent, and policy debate are patients who may be forced to choose between financial stability and essential medication. That made this challenge especially meaningful for me.”

The QE team, Veblen Goods*, and 52 other teams entering from around the world spent ten weeks researching a complex real-world economic issue and delivering a ten-minute policy presentation. Entrants were challenged to act as policy advisers to the US Department of Health and Human Services, developing innovative solutions to address the growing crisis of soaring prescription drug prices.

The QE boys’ ten-minute presentation video proposed a balanced policy package. They examined structural challenges within the American pharmaceutical market, including patent monopolies, information asymmetry and the influence of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). The team argued that while drug price caps may improve affordability in the short term, they risk significant adverse long-term consequences, including medicine shortages and substantial reductions in investment in early-stage medical research and development.

Instead, they proposed a sophisticated three-stage policy framework designed to reduce costs while preserving incentives for pharmaceutical innovation:

• Short term: expand Medicare price negotiations using existing legislation;
• Medium term: increase competition through reforms that encourage the production and uptake of generic medicines;
• Long term: introduce government patent buyouts with immediate generic licensing, based on the economic framework developed by Nobel Prize-winning economist Michael Kremer. This approach, they said, would eliminate monopoly power while fairly compensating pharmaceutical companies, ensuring continued investment in the development of new medicines.

You can see the team’s winning pitch here. 

 * Named after American economist Thorstein Veblen, Veblen goods are types of luxury items for which demand increases as the price rises, which contradicts the typical relationship between price and demand.

As Old Elizabethans Rahil Shah and Bhiramah Rammanohar told QE pupils going into Year 12, much about the future is unclear – but at least they can be sure that for the next two years they will have all the help they need to prepare for it.

The alumni pair returned to the School to deliver a new induction workshop for those joining the Sixth Form next week.

Entitled Preparing for an Uncertain Future, the QE Futures workshop encouraged the pupils to reflect on their strengths, embrace new experiences, and develop confidence in making decisions without clear-cut answers.

Assistant Head (Destinations and Progress) Robert Hyland, the new head of QE Futures, said: “QE Futures seeks to equip our pupils not only for higher education, but also to prepare them for the rapidly changing world of work that they will enter after graduating. Workshops such as this help them develop the QE Employability Skills – a set of transferable skills that are exactly what they will need to thrive in that uncertain future.”

The Employability Skills are: communication, critical thinking, digital proficiency, leadership, resilience and teamwork.

“Rahil and Bhiramah’s advice to do what you enjoy and follow your curiosity wherever it takes you was a key takeaway – and one that is of benefit to all our pupils,” Dr Hyland added.

Rahil related his journey from QE to completing a Master’s in Computer Science at Imperial and into a successful career as a software engineer with Bloomberg, while Bhiramah Rammanohar, who recently completed his sixth year at Cambridge, shared insights that included his experience of studying Medicine.

One highlight of the workshop was a collaborative problem-solving challenge, where participants tackled a complex graduate recruitment task, discovering that there is no ‘right’ pathway forward in the ever-changing world of work.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “It is tremendously encouraging to see current pupils benefitting from our growing OE network, seeing what alumni are doing in their careers and learning from them.”

The Sixth Form induction workshop followed a recent visit by entrepreneur Leon Zadeh (OE 1996–2003), who drew on his experience of building Saint Espresso into a successful London artisan coffee business over 15 years.

His interactive workshop, with a central message of action builds confidence, engaged pupils from the outset with quick-fire questions and a discussion of their own ambitions. Leon explored what entrepreneurship really involves – spotting opportunities, solving problems and taking consistent action over time.

Broughton ousted last year’s winners, Harrisons’, to reclaim the Eric Shearly Cup following an exciting year of inter-House competition.

The trophy for the winning House overall returned to Broughton, the 2024 winners (and the winners of this year’s Sports Day). It was presented as the climax at the end-of-year House assembly.

Broughton Captain Paarth Aggarwal, of Year 12, said theirs was no easy victory: “At one point, we were in fourth position. However, we persevered and made the ultimate comeback to take the trophy. It means a lot, as it shows our hard work and resilience have paid off.”

The House competition involves points being awarded for competitions across academic, sporting and co-curricular events.

The assembly celebrated these events and others that form part of QE Flourish, the School’s co-curricular programme, which this year featured 186 educational visits and events, encompassing 6,844 pupil participation slots.

There were innovations – including the first Latin translation competition – along with continuing initiatives, such as QE Together, a joint community service project involving senior pupils from QE and Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School. QE Together this year raised money for Home-Start Barnet, Brent and Harrow, which offers emotional and practical support to families.

Pupil-run activities are increasingly prominent at the School. QE Flourish Clubs & Societies Awards went to: Hiyaan Maru, of Year 7 (Marvel Club); Vivaan Gupta, of Year 9 (Coding Club); and Rishan Virmani, Year 11 (Law Society).

Earlier this year, pupils travelled to Canada for skiing, Iceland (Geography), France and Germany (including language exchanges but also trips related to subjects such as History and Latin), and The Netherlands (rugby).  There are also summer visits to Czechia (Music), Tobago (cricket), and Borneo (a World Challenge expedition).

The assembly celebrated the remarkable feats of the School’s chess players. QE made history as the first school ever to have two teams in the 30-team national final of the English Schools Chess Championship, where the A team went on to be crowned national champions.

This year’s film-related House Music competition, House Music to the Movies, raised more than £1,000 towards new equipment.

The House Cup is named after Eric Shearly (1920–2005), a former pupil and teacher who spent a total of 76 years at the School. The Shearly Hall, opened in 2009, is also named after him.

With drought continuing to hit London and the South East, Year 12 geographers braved soaring temperatures to hear from academics at University College London who specialise in disasters.

Their trip to UCL’s Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction was hosted by Dr Mohammad Shamsudduha, Professor of Water Crisis and Risk Reduction, who sent the sixth-formers on their way with a stark warning and a resounding appeal: “The world is facing multiple crises and needs people who can work across disciplines and in varied contexts, and who can think in new ways to help solve those problems. Business as usual cannot continue.”

The group also heard a taster lecture from Dr Ting Sun, Associate Professor in Climate and Meteorological Hazard Risks, while other members of the department each shared their own expertise on topics that included Middle Eastern migration and natural hazards across South Asia.

Deputy Head (Academic) Anne Macdonald said: “Dr Sun’s research interests include the impacts of climate extremes in cities – especially appropriate at the moment!”

Reflecting on the visit as a whole, she said: “The themes that were covered are central to our A-level Geography curriculum, particularly in the topics of Water Cycle and Water Insecurity, Carbon Cycle and Energy Security, and Health, Human Rights and Intervention, as well as through our enrichment programme.

“It is essential that students consider questions such as: ‘How do my actions impact the world? How will societies of the future function in the face of challenges such as climate change and inequality? How can I prepare to make a positive contribution?’”

“Experiences like this encourage our students to develop the confidence, ability and responsibility to shape a more sustainable future.”

The visit began with a tour of UCL’s main campus, led by a postgraduate Architecture student. The 13 sixth-formers were also joined by Old Elizabethan Hamza Mohamed (OE 2018–2025), who has just completed his first year studying Medicine at UCL. Hamza spoke to the QE boys about university applications, student life and his experiences at UCL, offering advice and encouragement as they begin considering their own higher education.

The group received a warm welcome at the Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction. (“The risk of heat stroke was averted due to their generosity in providing a full spread of afternoon refreshments!” said Mrs Macdonald.) They heard from:

• Dr Shamsudduha, whose research focuses on hydrogeology, water security, public health, sustainable development and climate resilience, particularly in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Dr Estella Carpi, Associate Professor in Humanitarian Studies, a social anthropologist specialising in conflict, migration and humanitarian responses in the Middle East;
• Dr Dan Haines, Associate Professor in Disaster and Crisis Response, an environmental historian whose work explores the politics and culture of natural hazards across South Asia;
• Dr Sun, whose research investigates the impacts of weather and climate extremes in urban environments.

“Dr Sun delivered a fascinating taster lecture on urban heat islands, explaining how artificial intelligence and climate modelling can be used to evaluate strategies for reducing heat in cities,” said Mrs Macdonald. “Students also saw a demonstration of the Surface Urban Energy and Water Balance Scheme (SUEWS), an urban climate model that Dr Sun helped to develop.”

Dr Shamsudduha then introduced the boys to one of today’s most pressing global challenges: freshwater salinisation. Using Bangladesh as a case study, he explained how a country with abundant monsoon rainfall can still experience severe water insecurity due to drought, flooding and climate change-induced sea level rise.

The Year 12s also took part in a practical demonstration, using conductivity meters to compare the salinity of a bottle of drinking water with seawater collected from Brighton earlier that day.

Throughout the afternoon, staff highlighted UCL’s BSc in Global Humanitarian Studies, an interdisciplinary degree launched in 2021. The course equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to address complex global challenges. Graduates progress to careers in organisations including the United Nations, governments, NGOs and international charities.

Year 10’s Noah Green secured first place and won a gold medal at the regional School Fencing Summer Championships, while fellow pupil Yaw Hayfron took bronze.

Noah’s victory came as he competed for the very first time in an individual capacity.

Both boys started their fencing careers at QE, where it has long been a co-curricular sports activity and is part of the QE Flourish programme.

Director of Sport Jonathan Hart said: “It’s great to hear of these successes on the piste – my congratulations go to both Noah and Yaw. Their performances at the championships really demonstrate the character, resilience and sportsmanship that fencing at QE seeks to develop in the boys.”

QE’s fencing coaches come from the Paul Davis Fencing Academy, which is based at the Hertfordshire Combat Centre in St Albans, where the championships were held.

The event drew more than 170 young fencers from across Hertfordshire and surrounding counties, giving them the opportunity to showcase the progress they had made during the academic year.

Noah started fencing while in Year 9. He has previously competed in team tournaments, but never as an individual. Reflecting afterwards on his success, he said: “I was really surprised to get it – totally unexpected, but really happy with the result, which was very encouraging and inspires me to keep competing.”

Yaw, who is in Year 9, started fencing when he was in Year 7. He won his bronze medal after coming in joint-third place at the championships.

“It is my first-ever medal at a tournament, and this was an individual tournament, too. So, it shows that I have improved a lot. I am so happy with my result,” Yaw said.

The youngest fencers at the championships were from Year 2 at primary school.