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The international migrant crisis in southern Europe may have faded from the headlines in recent months, but the humanitarian challenge remains, Old Elizabethan Nicholas Millet reminded QE boys when he returned to his alma mater.

Nick (OE 2001–2008) co-founded Refugee Education Chios, which provides education, support and training for teenagers and young adults living on the Greek island of Chios, which became a de facto detention centre after the 2016 EU-Turkey agreement.

The project offers safe places – a youth centre and a learning centre – outside the Vial detention camp, reaching up to 250 children and youth aged up to 22 each week. Both centres tailor their work to the refugees’ particular needs, with, for example, the learning centre offering a trauma-sensitive curriculum and the youth centre helping teenagers develop trusting relationships and confidence in their own abilities and skills.

He spoke to boys in the middle years of QE about the charity’s work and about the migrant crisis in general, highlighting the ongoing nature of the problem, which, he said, was all too easily forgotten.

Thanking him for his visit, Head of Academic Enrichment Nisha Mayer said afterwards: “Nick provided an enormously insightful and, at times, emotional talk, which was a good reminder of the importance of being involved with humanitarian causes.”

Nick first got involved in the refugee relief work before the 2016 agreement came into force. Inspired to take action to help refugees by a weekend visit to the ‘Jungle’ camp at Calais, he put his successful career as a management consultant on hold and flew to Chios, which lies just 7km off the mainland of Turkey.

The island was the arrival point for the highest number of refugees after Lesbos, with up to 1,500 men, women and children making the journey across the Aegean Sea every night at that time. During his talk, Nick showed the boys photographs of refugees arriving on Chios, often in perilously overloaded rubber dinghies. Other images revealed the poor conditions in the camp.

Nick, of Stanmore, has a history of involvement in humanitarian projects. Shortly after leaving QE, he spent time at the Sri Sathya Sai School – a village school in Kerala, India, which QE has supported since 2002. And, while he was reading for the Politics, Psychology and Sociology Tripos at Cambridge, he undertook research for the Grameen Bank, the Nobel Prize-winning microfinance organisation based in Bangladesh which works to help the poor.

On his most recent visit to QE, Nick mentioned especially the desperate plight of lone child refugees, telling the boys: “Children are sent because their parents can’t afford for the whole family to escape.”

New School Captain Bhiramah Rammanohar and his team take up their positions today at the start of the new term.

Together with his Senior Vice-Captains Fozy Ahmed and Oscar Smith, he heads a 120-strong group of School officials for 2019, who are all drawn from Year 12.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “I congratulate all the prefects upon their well-deserved appointments. They come from a much-liked and well-respected year-group within the School.”

“Bhiramah is a worthy recipient of this honour, as is made clear by a recent School report which described him in these words: ‘One of the most affable, decent young men that one could care to meet or teach; he marries his many innate talents with a determined industry, the combination of which allows him to be successful in all facets of his School life.’”

Bhiramah entered Year 12 in September fresh from celebrating a run of ten grade 9s in his GCSEs – the highest possible grade under the new marking system. His current Head of Year, Lottie Coleman, points to his “compassion, enthusiasm and commitment to all that he does”.

The team of officials includes ten Vice-Captains, six House Captains, six Deputy House Captains and 92 Prefects. One innovation this year is the appointment of three Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Ambassadors – Leo Kucera, Vithusan Kuganathan and Josh Osman: their new positions reflect the increasing focus upon these areas across School life. They have been introduced following discussions conducted with boys through QE’s pupil panel.

“We are committed to nurturing leadership skills among our pupils,” Mr Enright added. “There are opportunities to develop these, beginning from boys’ first arrival in Year 7 and with the prefect system being very much the pinnacle. For those boys who secure a place in this illustrious cohort, there are certainly significant duties and responsibilities, but their positions also serve as a reward for the commitment and broad contributions they have made to the School in their time with us.”

Senior Vice-Captain Fozy Ahmed is a First XV rugby player. Assistant Head David Ryan wrote about him in his Year 11 report that he “sets an excellent example to other students, always acting in a relaxed, but thoughtful manner; he is mature beyond his years but also kind and considerate towards those around him.”

Like the School Captain, Senior Vice-Captain Oscar Smith, performed outstandingly at GCSE, achieving a clean sweep of grade 9s. A particularly keen and able linguist, he is described by Head of Languages Christopher Kidd as “impressive in every way…diligent, industrious and [with] the desire to perform at the very top level. He is mature, acting and working as a young adult, and attaining the results that his hard industry deserves.”

Mr Enright thanked 2018 School Captain Aashish Khimasia and his outgoing team for their efforts and commitment over the course of the year.

All pupils in Years 7–10, staff and some senior boys joined together in the Shearly Hall for a special remembrance assembly to mark the centenary of the Armistice in 1918.

The Headmaster, Neil Enright, read aloud the names of the 48 Old Elizabethans killed during World War I, whilst the names of the 65 who died in World War II were projected on to a screen.

The ceremony featured music, poetry and a procession by the School’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF). The silence at 11 o’clock was heralded by six of QE’s senior trumpeters sounding the Last Post; they played Reveille to signal the end of the silence.

The two-minute silence was also observed separately by Years 11–13, although many were in fact involved in the assembly, whether as readers, musicians or members of the CCF.

At the end of the assembly, the CCF contingent marched with the commemorative wreath to the War Memorial located in the Crush Hall, where it was placed.

The Headmaster said afterwards: “This remembrance assembly was a fitting commemoration. It is important for the boys to understand fully the significance of this centenary and to reflect upon the service and sacrifice rendered by their forebears.”

In an address to the assembly, Old Elizabethan and Governor Ken Cooper (1942-50), a former officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, charted the course of the war, making clear the scale of the conflict and its great cost. He explained how the emergence of trench warfare on the Western Front led to combat that lasted for months and years yet resulted in minimal or no territorial gains for either side.

Prior to the introduction of conscription in 1916, some 2.5m Britons had volunteered to fight. Participants from many nations sacrificed themselves in the service of the greater good of their communities and home countries. And although there were, of course, many instances of heroism, Mr Cooper said World War I was less about such individual acts than about the huge numbers of ordinary people making the ultimate personal sacrifice in service. He spoke about the importance of remembering, quoting Churchill’s maxim: “A nation that forgets its past has no future,”, which he related to the boys’ understanding of the School’s own history.

The assembly, which took place on Friday, was organised and compèred by English teacher, Micah King, an Extra-curricular Enrichment Tutor. He began with these words: “Welcome to this assembly to commemorate Remembrance Day. In almost exactly 48 hours’ time, it will be the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month.

“At that time, 100 years ago, the First World War finally came to an end. It was an Armistice, a peace agreement, signed a few hours earlier in a railway carriage in France, that ended four long years of hostilities. Millions had died. Millions more were wounded. And even those who did not directly take part in the fighting, had to endure heartache and grief, as men and women from around the globe fought, and suffered, and died; and the world changed forever.

“Yet amidst the suffering, heroes on both sides of the battlefield risked their lives and safety for their countries. Incredible acts of courage, dedication and service were witnessed both on the battlefield and on the home front, and today, we will remember and honour those who sacrificed so much for so many.”

The assembly featured:

• A recording of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s reflective 1978 piece, Spiegel im Spiegel
• A poem written especially for the occasion by sixth-former Rivu Chowdhury
• School Captain Aashish Khimasia recounting the heroic actions on the battlefield in 1917 that led to Old Elizabethan Acting Captain Allastair McReady-Diarmid being posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
• The Senior Wind Ensemble performing John William’s Hymn to the Fallen, conducted by Year 13 pupil Binu Perera
• Binu then reading perhaps the most famous single poem from the extensive World War I corpus, John McCrae’s In Flanders Field
• The Barbershop Group performing the hymn, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, during which a scene from the film, Atonement, was shown, which captured a moment on the Dunkirk beaches in 1940.

Before the retiring procession to the accompaniment of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Mr King said that if the boys would use their “gifts and talents as leaders to share the message of peace, then that would fill me with a deep sense of hope and optimism for the future”.

The assembly concluded with the School Prayer, which includes the following supplication: “Inspire us, O Lord, so to do our work today that, even as we are being helped by the remembrance of the loyal lives of those who came before us, so our faithfulness in thy service may aid those who shall take our places.”

A group of sixth-formers are working to set up a new charity in London after spending a day out on the streets helping the homeless.

Kieran Dhrona, Humzah Hameed and Kabishan Sivarasan, along with a non-QE friend, planned the event in which around a dozen of their friends from QE and a further 25 from other schools, spent a Saturday handing out essential provisions to homeless people in the heart of the West End.

The group, all in Year 12, gathered packs of water, non-perishable foods, clothes and toiletries from friends and families which they then distributed to those they encountered living on the street. On the day, 85 packs were given out and the volunteers engaged with more than 100 people. In certain cases, where additional needs were observed, they took other steps, such as bringing hot food.

Headmaster Neil Enright said “I sincerely commend the boys for taking the initiative and giving up their own time to organise and participate in this charitable event. It sets a fine example to their peers whilst embodying the QE spirit of service unto others.”

Throughout the day the boys had conversations with people living on the streets from Soho through Leicester Square and Embankment down to Southwark. They gently asked the homeless people they encountered how they came to be in their current position and made sure they were aware of the work of Centrepoint. Centrepoint is a leading homelessness charity which provided a room for the volunteers to use as a base for the day.

Kieran, Humzah and Kabishan are working to set up a new charity called youthconnectionlondon which will focus on helping the homeless in the capital. “The more we grow, the more people we can help,” said Kieran. They are also exploring whether they can work further with Centrepoint, looking for a base from which they could prepare hot food.

Kieran had previous experience of similar charitable activities with his family when younger. “I was touched by it and so thought I’d use my initiative to start this project. We all live in a wealthy city and have grown up in comfort, and often don’t see how others live – yet you have wealth and poverty in such proximity. We are the future generation and it is really important that we make a contribution as early as possible to keep this vital work going.”

They are establishing a social media presence and working on a website to draw in further volunteers.

“I wish them every success as they attempt to establish this charity and help more people as they progress,” said Mr Enright.

One of QE’s leading sixth-formers enjoyed a day of a lifetime rubbing shoulders with members of the Royal Family and celebrities within the walls of Windsor Castle.

Binu Perera, who is a Senior Vice-Captain at QE, was just a few metres from the carriage of the newly-weds as it left the castle.

He was one of 1,200 members of the public invited to the castle for the day by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, based on nominations from the nine regional Lord Lieutenant offices. Binu was selected by the School for the honour, with the recommendation then passed on to Martin Russell, who is Deputy Lieutenant for the Borough of Barnet and a former QE parent.

Since he is under 18, Binu, of Year 12, was accompanied by his mother as a chaperone. “It was an absolute honour, truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said afterwards. “The wedding was absolutely amazing. Windsor Castle was beautiful, and I had such a great time with my mum. We were so close to the carriage, the rest of the royals – and so many other celebrities. The atmosphere was buzzing!” The picture above was taken by Binu.

“The service itself was wonderful, and there was such a warm and summery atmosphere: it sounds really clichéd, but in many ways, it truly was a perfect wedding,” he adds. “I never imagined that I would be among such a small number of people chosen to attend such an iconic and symbolic event.”

Thanking the School for the opportunity, Binu added: “This royal wedding was a symbolic one: representative of the modern, changing image of Britain – a country of acceptance, variety and multiculturalism. The service itself was unique in terms of the mix of gospel and traditional music and the readings given, embodying the couple’s contemporary approach to the Monarchy.”

Assistant Head David Ryan’s nomination to the Deputy Lieutenant described Binu as “an excellent role model” who set up his own online blog for young people tackling topics as diverse as medical ethics, depression and identity.

“Within the School he has been appointed as senior Vice Captain to the School Captain on account of his excellent record of involvement, in peer-mentoring, in music and a range of other school-based activities. Modest yet charming, witty and effervescent, it is hard not to be impressed by him.

“In many ways he embodies modern Britain; he is hard-working, marrying his innate talents with industry and determination, which underlies his desire to enter the field of medicine when he moves on to undergraduate studies. We recommend him wholeheartedly,” Mr Ryan wrote.

QE Headmaster Neil Enright has announced the prefect team for 2018, including the new School Captain and the other Senior Officials.

Aashish Khimasia will take over at the head of the team of Senior Vice-Captains, Vice-Captains, House Captains, Deputy House Captains and Prefects, all drawn from Year 12.

The Headmaster said: “My thanks go to the outgoing School Captain, Oliver Robinson, for the excellent way in which he has conducted himself and handled his responsibilities. I congratulate Aashish and his team on their appointment: these are positions of significant responsibility, critical to the smooth running of the School, to the success of major events and to the culture of QE.

“Being awarded one of these roles is rightly seen as a great honour and reward, and it reflects the sustained commitment the successful candidates have already shown to the School and to their peers. I am convinced that the new team will do a sterling job in upholding our fine traditions.”

In addition to the duties he will undertake as School Captain, Aashish will continue to play a significant role in the extra-curricular life of the School. “I play rugby for the School and am currently in training for water polo,” he said. “I’m also part of the Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Barbershop Group and Flute Ensemble, I’m a member of the QE Model United Nations debating team and am involved in leading the Medical Society, as well as assisting at Friday Biology Booster sessions. I am a peer mentor and I plan to take part in voluntary work to help the homeless in the Christmas holidays.

“I try to keep an open mind to different ways of life, and to ways of personal mental and emotional development outside of an academic context,” added Aaashish, who is described by this tutor as an “excellent all-rounder” who is “calm and methodical”.

His Senior Vice-Captains are Binu Perera – “driven, passionate and creative” according to his tutor – and Aditya Ravindrakumar, who is “organised, methodical, precise and charming”.

Both are musicians, while Binu’s extra-curricular interests include membership of the Combined Cadet Force and Aditya enjoys judo and rugby, as well as helping to mentor the élite mathematicians in Years 10 and 11.

“I think I am quite an approachable person that people can trust to listen to them…Also, I am quite passionate about the things that I do, and if I do something, I like to do it properly,” said Binu.

For his part, Aditya said: ““I think that one of my core values is honesty; I try to be considerate and respectful to everyone, regardless of who they are and where they come from.”

Under this trio is a ten-strong team of Vice-Captains, together with a Captain and Deputy Captain for each of the six Houses. A slight expansion of the prefects team to 90 reflects the fact that the Sixth Form is the largest in the School’s 444-year history.