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These are unprecedented times in the modern history of Queen Elizabeth’s School. Follow our Six Ss below to get the most out of this Summer Term in lockdown.

SET-UP
If you have not already done so – and hopefully many have – create an environment to support effective learning. Set aside a study space, or at least one that is dedicated for learning during study hours. This makes it easier to avoid distractions; it places pen, paper and key equipment in easy reach, and it should put you in the frame of mind for work. For some, creating the right environment might mean putting on proper clothes, too!

STRUCTURE
Much was said in the first QE Update about the importance of a routine; it certainly makes things much easier, both in terms of effective study and of your overall wellbeing. Structure is a good weapon against procrastination; it helps ensure a suitable balance between different subjects (by working on subjects Monday–Friday, as they would be on your timetable), and it gives us a sense of purpose, while helping maintain clear boundaries between work, recreation and rest. Aim to build in sufficient breaks to enhance overall productivity and wellbeing.

SOCIALISING
Maintaining social interaction is very important for wellbeing, whether that is with your family or with friends and peers. Many avenues for this have emerged, including the form forums on eQE for Years 7 and 8. Think about collaborating and communicating with others about work where relevant, as well as talking to them as friends. Try to look out for one another: with all that is going on, some may be having a harder time than others.

SWITCH OFF
Build in time for rest and relaxation, and switch off from work at the end of the day. It is all too easy to end up glued to electronic devices, so take time away from screens, too. Within the boundaries of the social distancing rules, try to get out, if only for a short while, and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air, thus benefiting from opportunities for exercise, as well as simultaneously boosting your mood and vitamin D levels. In the current crisis, many are turning to mindful activities that are good for their wellbeing, appreciating afresh life’s simpler pleasures.

STAMINA
We do not know how long this situation will all last. Whilst term will not be as high-octane as when we are at School, it is important that a good, even pace is kept up, so that you are covering the material you need to learn and feeling that you are achieving things during this period. We cannot make up all this time when we are back in School, so everyone needs to stay on track.

SCHOLARSHIP
The greater reliance on independent learning methods is actually a prime opportunity for exploring different ideas and approaches, and drawing on different sources, to aid deeper and broader thinking. There will be greater scope for you to shape the direction of some of your learning, allowing you to develop your own interests within a subject. For those in Year 11 and Year 13, the extended transition to A-level and university provides an opportunity to get ahead by engaging with material that you are drawn to.

Heads of Department provide a quick summary of news and innovative developments during lockdown.

Sarah Westcott, Head of Science

“We are making full use of online resources so that, on the one hand boys can interact with their teachers and, on the other, we, as teachers, can assess and support pupils’ learning. Across all age groups, eQE forums are enabling boys to ask questions about the topics being taught and receive personalised answers: these can be seen by all students, thus helping everyone who may have a similar question. ‘Dynamic learning’, involving the setting of quick progress tests and quizzes, gives teachers an instant view of their students’ progress and level of understanding. Creative open-ended assessment tasks linked to thinking skills are being used across age groups in Chemistry and in the Lower School, so that students can demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge, as well as recall it.

“Of course, normal School life is not only about lessons and what is in the syllabus, and we are now developing online club provision, so that students can explore science ideas at home, using simple ‘kitchen’ experiments to research projects that also make use of The Queen’s Library resources.

“Year 7 and 8’s Summer Term online Science projects will be linked to the America’s Cup yacht race, giving students the opportunity to research and explore ideas around materials science, sports technology and nutrition.”

Emily Parry, Head of Geography

“Each week, we provide all students with lessons set up in eQE in PowerPoint format that include a range of tasks which students should be confident to complete independently. Embedded within the PowerPoint presentations are links to videos and websites for further research.

“The following week, students self-review and mark their own work, using mark schemes we send them. In addition, eQE’s technological capabilities are being used to monitor progress, with timed class tests being set which are automatically marked so students instantly receive their marks.

“There are also plenty of enrichment activities taking place in Geography. Over the Easter holidays, boys were given a range of fun activities. We made a special eQE page for Earth Day, featuring two climate-themed competitions for which there are just a few more days to submit entries, and we have now launched the Royal Geographical Society Young Geographer of the Year competition at QE.

“We are continuing to run our Sixth Form extension group via an eQE forum: the current topic is exploring Doughnut Economics. Year 12 are to be invited to join a series of five webinars run by the Geographical Association to help them prepare for their NEAs (Non-examined assessments, which will make up 20% of their overall A-level mark).”

A major component of QE’s remote learning study programme has been specially tailored for Year 11 to provide a bridge so that boys can cross over successfully into their A-level studies.

The GCSE to A-Level Transition area of study will be a prominent focus for current Year 11 pupils in the coming weeks, together with a distance-learning course on academic research skills run by Eton College, which will be used to complement the in-school study programme.

In a letter to Year 11, Year Head Simon Walker wrote of the importance of the transition programme: “You as a year group have an opportunity to be uniquely well-prepared for starting your A-Level studies, and it is by harnessing the activities within this component that you will do so.

“These activities will prepare you…in all the key areas in which Sixth Form study differs from and develops upon GCSE: they will help you to deepen and enrich your subject knowledge and understanding of concepts that are central to your chosen subjects; and to explore those subjects in an independent and self-motivated way, drawing on research skills and a wide range of physical and online resources in order to read widely within those subjects. In doing so, the activities will provide a foundation for success in AS and A-level examinations.”

Acknowledging that the activities are very different from those that Year 11 would normally be undertaking at this stage, he states that the School’s expectations of excellence remain unchanged: “Your teachers, tutors and I will all be expecting to see thorough and thoughtful work reflecting a conscientious and enthusiastic approach.”

From now on, the boys will be completing activities only for subjects they intend studying at AS-level, thus focusing on fewer subjects and investing commensurately more time in each.

“Those of you who have A-level courses confirmed know which courses to consider at this stage; those of you who are still uncertain should start with those for which you have a definite offer at this stage,” Mr Walker wrote. “You will be assigned three tasks over the course of the term – two this half-term and one next – and should focus on using all the time available to complete the work in as much detail and depth as possible, rather than prioritising quick completion of the tasks: think of this work as something that can be continually refined, extended and developed rather than as something with a clear-cut end-point beyond which there is no scope for further improvement.”

The Eton College distance-learning course, which will run in parallel with the transition initiative, is an online course to help boys develop their skills of academic research – skills that will play an integral part in their AS and A-level and, ultimately, undergraduate studies.

The course is provided by EtonX, a branch of the public school that provides online-learning courses globally. EtonX have made the course available free-of-charge to UK state schools to support the distance-learning programmes being implemented in response to the global pandemic. The course offers a systematic and structured introduction to all the key components of academic research, including managing time effectively, using research tools and databases, evaluating sources, using reading strategies and referencing.

David Ryan, Deputy Head (Pastoral), sets out how bespoke online tutorials are being used to maintain the School’s pastoral support for boys in these difficult times.

‘Keep in touch!’ It is a phrase we use frequently in our everyday lives, yet in the current situation when we have lost regular face-to-face contact with everyone except our immediate family, doing so is a considerable challenge. For our part, we are very keen to keep touch with all our students, firstly by using our established ways of working, and then by enhancing those with new lines of communication. This will allow us to discuss how your sons are and how their studies are progressing, to celebrate their achievements, and to consider any concerns they might have that we can help them with.

We are already doing this in a number of ways and will seek to expand our provision for the period of the School’s closure as we go through the next few weeks. Primarily, in their online bespoke tutorials, students have an opportunity to give answers to a number of questions. Their form tutors read these answers and respond to them when issues arise. We are now confident that online platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams pass the ‘fit for purpose’ test both in terms of how we provide pastoral support for your son, but also with regard to his online safety. Therefore, we will use those platforms more in meeting virtually with our students in the weeks to come.

Normally it will be your son’s form tutor who meets with him in this way, but he may also be contacted by his Head of Year or another member of the pastoral team. Our normal procedure will be to set a date and time for an online tutorial in advance. This allows for the staff member to be notified if your son is unable to attend the meeting. Please be assured that there will be procedures that School staff will keep to in order to ensure outstanding online safety at all times.

We understand that, for some families, access to IT devices may be very limited and/or shared between family members, and that it might prove difficult for a student to take part in an online meeting. If this is the case, we ask that you contact your son’s form tutor: we will always find alternative ways to stay in touch with your son.

For some of our students, the School closure seems to be providing an opportunity to learn in a different way, to learn new skills and to do so from home as summer starts. But for others, there may be challenges: their family’s well-being; their access to IT; or, just feeling anxious – either about the circumstances we are currently in, or about an issue they have been facing for some time. Whatever the situation, we hope to able to work closely with your sons to provide them with the outstanding pastoral support that helps them to thrive and continue to develop.

Year 9 pupil Pratyush Dutta Gupta’s packed holiday programme of lockdown activities featured  sports, baking and making music, to name just three, while other Lower School boys getting creative include Aarav Agarwal, of Year 7, whose painting, above, is inspired by the work of modern impressionist Leonid Afremov.

Among the culinary creations mentioned in the  illustrated Quarantine Diary Pratyush has been keeping are seafood paella, brownies, quiches, quesadillas, gnocchi and cakes.

He burned off all the calories from those through a combination of running (5km), skipping (500 skips in one go) and cycling (two rides, 2km and 5km).

He also combined music and movement by dancing to a Bhangra video from QE History teacher and Extra-curricular Enrichment Tutor Akhil Gohil.

And his own music-making featured strongly, too: Pratyush made several recordings for his YouTube channel, while he also started work on coding his first video game.

Kiaron Lad, of Year 8, was another example of a Lower School boy getting busy during the holidays. In fact, he demonstrated his creative side both in the home and in the great outdoors.

Not only did Kiaron expertly fashion a delicate rose out of white chocolate, but he turned his hand towards making a shoe sculpture from the off-cuts of a tree that he himself had helped to fell.

In Year 7, the boys’ holiday endeavours were just as diverse, with some turning to the opportunities for creativity offered by modern technology and others heading into the kitchen.

The first-year boys’ activities included:

• Soham Kale making mango ice cream
• Aadam Aslam learning to cook and doing magic
• Akhil Potteti and Samhith Agganna getting to grips with video-editing
• Sai Murarishetty and Harshith Sharavana learning the Python programming language
• Kayilai Dinesh creating pop-up art.

School Captain Ivin Jose reports on how he has been spending his time since the virus-related restrictions hit.

“First and foremost, I have been prioritising my studies, at what would have been an important time of year in terms of AS exam preparation, completing the tasks set for me by my subject teachers and sticking, as much as possible, to my usual School timetable, to retain some semblance of order and routine.

Aside from the academics, I have been trying to use this ‘stay-at-home’ period to develop my extra-curricular skills, which are sometimes pushed to the sidelines during the normal School week. Thanks to the Music department, I have been able to transfer my violin lessons (which would usually happen at School with my teacher) on to Skype. This has enabled me to continue having lessons on a weekly, scheduled basis, and keep progressing to my goal of achieving Grade 7 in violin. A similar arrangement has been achieved with my piano teacher (with whom I used to have lessons outside of school). Sticking with Music I have also recently been told by Miss Grint [Caroline Grint, Graduate Assistant] that I have passed my Grade 5 theory exam with a strong merit, having sat the exam earlier this year. Fortunately, she has also taken the initiative to continue with our usual theory lessons in the Summer Term via tasks set through eQE.

In terms of super-curricular activities, I have used my spare time for reading around my subjects, both for academic purposes and for enjoyment. Currently I am reading: Your life in my hands: A Junior Doctor’s Story by Rachel Clarke, which is a powerful evocation of her life on the NHS frontline – a story particularly pertinent to, and resonant with, the current pandemic.

In order to supplement my AS subjects, I am reading:

• Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations: ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Harold Bloom
• Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress by Steven Pinker
• Biological Sciences Review and Chemistry Review magazines from the Philip Allan magazine series from the Library section of eQE.

Additionally, I now have more time to devote to my EPQ (which is on Preventive Medicine and its applications in the 21st century) and have therefore been doing research and reading into that. I am thinking of starting a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), but I have not yet decided what medical topic to do it on.

For pure enjoyment, I’ve delved back into one of my favourite childhood fiction series called His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman and started re-reading Northern Lights.

For the following weeks, I hope to carry on with my academic studies and my extra/super-curricular activities. Particularly, I will also be focusing on creating PowerPoints and activities for members of MedSoc (QE’s Medic Society, a Thursday lunchtime club I run with a few others). This is in response to the Clubs and Societies eQE page that Miss Grundy [Rebecca Grundy, Head of Extra-curricular Enrichment]  is planning to set up – a brilliant idea. Touching on my desire to go into medicine, in addition to my reading, I have started listening to the Royal College of Physicians’ RCP Medicine podcasts, which give in-depth analysis of certain medical conditions and diagnoses.

And, still with that career choice in mind, I’ve been really inspired by the heart-warming and heroic acts of selfless professionalism shown by all medical staff on the NHS frontline. Their courage and dedication to patient care, despite the risks to their own personal safety and well-being, never fails to touch my heart, and it has never been more apparent that they are fully deserving of every bit of gratitude and respect that the public are giving them at this difficult time.”

My name is Manomay Lala-Raykar and I am a Year 11 student, going into Year 12 this September. The announcement of school closures and exam cancellations has been a significant turning point for thousands like me.

The message did not come as much of a surprise, but it gave me a sense of foreboding. And though letting off exam stress was relieving, I did feel a bit deflated that we weren’t going to experience something that has been considered a rite of passage in British culture for so long. Many other Year 11 students nationwide would likely have echoed this sentiment.

The initial lack of clarity about how our grades would be decided resulted in some anxiety among my peers, but Ofqual soon assured all students that a variety of evidence would be used to produce a teacher-assessment grade, and I am confident that QE’s meticulous approach towards keeping an up-to-date record of our progress will mean the grades we are given are indeed a true reflection of the level we were on track to achieve. It is reassuring that exams will be available later, if students wish to raise their grades even further.

Home learning has always been a part of the QE experience, originally as an important supplement to the interactive classroom environment, and now at the forefront of our learning. This is where eQE comes in. Through its user-friendly, immersive and interactive interface, our virtual learning environment has offered unrivalled support – providing easily accessible resources for students, while keeping teachers in the know about our progress. It also allows us to fit our learning around other commitments. I’m glad that I can make use of eQE to guide me during these unusual times, a fitting new home for our world-class education.

We are close to finishing and consolidating the GCSE specification content for all our subjects. The transition to A-level in the subjects we are continuing with will begin soon, and the added time provides a huge opportunity to get a head start on bridging the considerable gap between GCSE and A-level. In due course, I also plan to take part in a few free MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that will help boost my transition to A-level.

Of course, with less intensive study comes extra personal time, which can be used productively to develop extra-curricular skills. To name one example, I have been pressing on with my study of the ancient Sanskrit language and its associated culture, including weekly Zoom meetings with other members of our group, and the added time has given me the capacity to take my study to an even higher level.

It’s easy to forget the vast world of independence waiting for us. I have been setting aside the time to research, and discuss with my family, information on the world of work. I am especially enjoying the discussion with my father on our daily walk: staying two meters apart doesn’t stop me from learning from, and remembering, every word of wisdom.

But before we can reap the huge benefits of such things, there is a massive hurdle to be overcome, that being self-discipline. In term-time, I have been trying to use my School timetable to support my home learning: completing work set, as well as further independent work for each subject, while also taking breaks so I don’t overwhelm myself. It also means that I have time to rest, spend time with my family and pursue my extra-curricular enrichment.

In the holiday period, I did take some time off to rest and relax, and spend time virtually with friends and extended family, but I also kept going with preparing for the changes in my life at Sixth Form and beyond.

While it’s important I remain up-to-date about the latest news and information regarding the coronavirus pandemic, I try not to spend too much time dwelling on it, so it doesn’t affect my mental health – and that would be one of my biggest recommendations.

I was recently hit hard by the news that a few people I am close to have likely been infected with coronavirus. I try to stay in contact with and take care of them through the gift of modern technology. I know they’ll be grateful, even if they can’t express it now.

I keenly await the moment I can walk back into School, greet friends and family, and go out into the wider world again. But for now, I think it’s important to rest assured that we are all in this together.

Want to make the best use of your study time at home? Deputy Head (Academic) Anne Macdonald  has produced these handy hints to help you with your remote learning.

Keep to a routine: Undertake work Monday-Friday, following a timetable to build variety into your day and week, take breaks to rest, pursue hobbies and interests, and to exercise (whilst following Government guidance about social distancing).

Use eQE: Make the most of the support being offered by your teachers via eQE – ‘add comment’ to tasks set on eQE if you want to ask questions about the work or if you are stuck.

Be organised: Click ‘complete’ for tasks that are finished, archiving them to keep your task list organised; ensure you are following teacher instructions about how to set out and organise your work, printing and filing anything you are asked to by your teacher.

Collaborate: Where possible, collaborate with your peers on your work. You may already by doing this, but there are opportunities to test each other on new vocabulary or content, help each other when stuck, converse in French and/or German, play musical duets etc. This could be achieved, with your parents’ permission and guidance, via social media/communication platforms (some of which you may already be using) e.g. FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype etc.

Challenge yourself: When you have completed the set work, explore the subject pages on eQE, visit The Queen’s Library page to use the online resources such as links to free Audible audio books, The Day newspaper (including exploring the Become an expert links on any articles that are of interest) and so on.

Revision: Regular revision has benefits for your long-term learning; follow the guidance you are given by departments about how to develop/organise your revision notes, memorise new content and test yourself on it.

More information: After Easter, we will issue further information about how teachers will monitor and assess your learning.

David Ryan, Deputy Head (Pastoral), has some tips for boys and their parents on how to maintain psychological wellbeing during this challenging time.

Routine is important, as it gives us a sense of purpose; without that sense of purpose, it’s easy to feel down, so having a routine that we keep to helps us through a period of isolation, such as the one that we are experiencing. Differentiating Monday to Friday from the weekend, and doing something different then, is very helpful.

Talking is important, too, for all of us. Many people will talk as much to their work and school colleagues as to their family members, and losing this contact can make us feel a little lost. Ensuring that we talk as a family is definitely important. Also, while too much ‘screen time’ is not good, young people are very good at communicating and staying in touch with each other electronically and we shouldn’t under-estimate this as a way of keeping up spirits and alleviating boredom.

Positivity: In the time of a national emergency, it’s very easy for young people to perceive the world in a negative way. Therefore, it is important to encourage them to consider the many positive aspects of life that we see, even in a crisis. Many, if not all, QE parents will be able to tell stories of their parents, grandparents and other relatives in their family’s history who have had to overcome similar, if not greater, challenges than that which we are facing now. Reminding young people that while we are vulnerable to illnesses like this one, the human story is ultimately one of survival, can help the boys maintain perspective at this worrying time: there are many inspirational stories within families.

Re-thinking: Seeing the situation that we are in as an opportunity for reflection, re-thinking and doing some things differently is no bad thing, whatever our age. Having time to think about how we study or work; what our future plans are; what in life is important and what isn’t – these are all ways to help us get through the time that we have on our hands and to plan positively for the future.

Never be too proud: Some families may go through challenging times in the weeks and months ahead, personally, emotionally and financially. As a school, we want to do all that we can to assist all of our students and families; we would encourage you to let us know how things are for you, whatever the situation might be, and to tell us if they are problematic.

Further help: One of the biggest challenges of the current situation is how little time we have had to prepare for it, and that can affect people, as life seems to have changed radically, very quickly, and this can even lead to a sense of loss. Ensuring that the boys are looking after their mental health is very important, and we have a counsellor available to work online with students, if a parent has a concern. The advice available at this site is really helpful – hopefully it will be useful to you.