Boys from QE achieved success across the board in a competition about World Citizenship.
The competition, which was organised by the Baha’i Community, was open to Year 7 pupils in all Barnet schools. This year’s topic explored whether world peace is possible without unity and justice. Pupils were invited to submit a poster, an essay or a poem. Koji Takahashi won first prize in the poster category; Alex Chinweze came first for his poem, while Reuben Chacko’s essay was also judged best.
Twenty QE students who had shown particular commitment to the School’s play, Animal Farm, were rewarded with a visit to The Globe theatre.
The theatre on the South Bank is a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe. The students watched a clever adaptation of As you Like It, enjoying individual acting performances of real quality.
The whole of Year 7 took part in a visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor in the village of Aldenham as part of the Summer Term’s Religion & Society topic of Hinduism.
The boys dressed up in traditional costume, observed an Arti ceremony at the shrine and toured the grounds. The day also included a visit to the cow sanctuary and bullock cart rides. Back at School, the boys used their experiences to research and build a website on various aspects of the Hindu religion.
QE’s U13 cricket XI qualified for this year’s national David English/Bunbury Cup as last season’s Middlesex champions – the first time a QE team has achieved this feat.
The team had a bye in round 1, then achieved an emphatic win in the next round over Hertfordshire champions, St Albans. In the third round, Surrey Champions Whitgift proved too strong, setting a formidable target which the QE boys could not match.
At a regional level, the U14 XI cruised to an easy victory in the Gubby Allen Challenge match – an annual game between the Middlesex Champions and the Inner London Schools champions.
Hopes are high for similar success in these national and regional contests next year, since both the U12 & U13 XI have reached the final of the Middlesex Cup for the second consecutive year, following convincing wins over Highgate in the semi-finals. The U14 XI face Enfield Grammar in their semi-final.
A group of QE boys who reached the North London finals of the Young Enterprise Award have gone on to run their own professional company successfully for a year.
The 13 boys, all aged 15, came up with a novel idea to tackle bingedrinking, creating a beer mat ‘with a twist’. The Alcomat features the recommended alcohol consumption levels for men and women along with the unit content of the four most popular drinks, with advertisements on the reverse side.
Advertising was sold at 7p per mat – making a 2p profit per mat for the company. The mats were then given out free in local pubs, hotels and restaurants.
The product has received glowing accolades from big business. Tesco Chairman David Reid said: “Our experience of alcohol retailing over many years has led us to conclude that positive measures to educate consumers about alcohol, such as this one, can be most effective.”
The team, who called themselves Alcomat after their product, won the Barnet area Young Enterprise competition and only narrowly missed out on victory in the north London finals. QE’s Business Education teacher, Christina Wu, praised the students for their efforts: “All the boys are academically very strong, but this competition develops their leadership skills, initiative and creativity.”
QE Year 11 pupils Priyesh Patel and Sam Catchpole-Smith have both secured places on the prestigious Arkwright Scholarship scheme for young engineers.
The Arkwright Scholarship is recognised as the flagship engineering accomplishment that pupils can achieve at Key Stage 4. Arkwright Scholars pass a rigorous selection process and are expected to act as ambassadors of the Design & Technology and Mathematics Departments in their schools.
Priyesh and Sam will personally receive £250 per year towards educational equipment in both years of the Sixth Form, while the Design & Technology Department receives £200 for each of them. Importantly, the Scholarship also provides them with close working connections to cutting-edge engineering firms.
QE’s Head of Design & Technology, Simon Vincent, said: “This is excellent news and a notable achievement on the part of Sam and Priyesh. It’s by no means easy to win places on this scheme, which is a nationally respected organisation that effectively provides students with a scholarship for both of their A Level years as well as offering help in their later careers.
“The links with engineering firms help build confidence in the Scholars, giving them a greater understanding of real-life working practices, which can be applied in their studies. These foundations are seen as being a major factor in ensuring that students continue their studies to a professional level.”