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This term’s Leavers’ Concert was acclaimed by the Headmaster as one of the highlights of the School’s musical year.

The event featured an eclectic programme. Leaver Benjamin Yadin paid homage to the 200th anniversary of the death of Joseph Haydn with a movement from Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major.

There were pieces by a diverse range of composers from JS Bach and Johann Strauss to film music composers Ron Goodwin and Howard Shore. The programme concluded with a collection of theme tunes from the James Bond films to mark 100 years since the birth of 007 creator Ian Fleming.

The ensembles taking part were: Concert Band; Senior String Orchestra; Indian Music Ensemble; Bollywood Ensemble; Top Brass; Chamber Choir; Camerata and the Symphony Orchestra.

QE’s Director of Music Kieron Howe paid tribute to those involved: “The boys all worked incredibly hard and showed excellent commitment in preparing for the concert. I would also like to thank all the ensemble directors for preparing the groups to such a high standard.”

It has been a particularly creative term in Art, according to QE’s Head of Art, Ashley West. Boys entered a range of competitions including The Founder’s Day Poster, Google Doodle, Body Language, Olympic Logo and Digital Arts Awards, the outcomes of which are still awaited.

This term student-teacher Emily Welham contributed enormously to the Year 8 Natural Form Project. “She encouraged the writing of some wonderful poetry written in response to the making of clay sculptures, in connection with the work of such artists as Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore,” said Mr West. A short video was made of the boys talking about their work.

Mr West added that the GCSE moderator made very positive comments about the breadth and high level of skills displayed in the boys’ coursework.

Three Year 13 boys entered for this year’s Chemistry Olympiad were awarded either gold or bronze. Jian Siang Poh and Jimmy Lam both picked up gold, with Jack Scannell receiving a bronze award.

Jan Siang was among the top 25 students who qualified for Round 2 of the competition at Cambridge University. He just missed out on selection to represent the UK internationally, although he was invited to attend the London International Youth Science Forum at the end of July. “Jian Siang did tremendously well to finish in the top five or six in the competition,” said Head of Chemistry, Malcolm Russell.

Jian Siang also took gold in the Biology Olympiad; Jimmy Lam was awarded silver and Jack Scannell bronze. Piri Ananthavarathan, Diarmuid Chevalier, Kareem Ibrahim and Shiva Varma were all highly commended.

The School has received glowing feedback from employers who hosted Year 11 QE work experience placements. Here is a selection of the comments:

• “Sagar was extremely enthusiastic and very competent…he is an asset and very good representative of the School.” (Roger Weston, Saffery Champness) 
• “Rikesh was probably the best school placement Ihave worked with here.” (Mick Harvey, C+G ) 
• “Matteo made an excellent impression on everyone here. He made contributions at one meeting which two year-qualified solicitors did not make.” (Richard Evans, Beachcroft LLP)
• “Priyank was a great pleasure to have in our company – would have him again.”(Laxhi Patel, Varbud Construction Co Ltd)

Year 8 boys participated in a new careers event at the start of July: Careers 4U, run in conjunction with the Barnet Education Business Partnership, brought a number of professionals into the School, ranging from lawyers and management consultants to surveyors and doctors.

The Summer Term brought an excellent end to a very good year for QE’s mathematicians.

Four boys from Years 8 and 9 beat off 35 other teams to win a regional Team Maths Challenge at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls. Nigethan Sathiyalingam (team captain), Shane Mahen, Gabriel Gendler and Mahdi Elango [pictured] demonstrated communication and teamwork skills as well as mathematical ability to win the competition. They qualified for the National Final in London – the first time QE has reached the National Finals.

Shane and Nigethan also enjoyed success in the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Intermediate Mathematical Olympiad, in which they and Nelson Tang were all placed in the top 25% of entries and awarded certificates of distinction. Nigethan and Nelson received additional medals for being in the top 100 of their year group. 

In addition:

• Gabriel was awarded ‘best in School’ in the UKMT’s Junior Mathematical Challenge. A total of 264 QE boys in Years 7 & 8 entered: 89 received gold certificates; 93 silver and 60 bronze. Eleven boys qualified for the Olympiad. 
• Two teams of QE Year 9 boys reached the final of the 2009 Edge Hill Challenge. The boys had to provide detailed solutions to challenging mathematical problems and then produce an eye-catching poster. All boys in the top set of Year 9 produced posters. The two teams qualifying for the final were: Apple Pie, comprising Alex Du, Vignesh Gopalan, Robert Hu and Nigel Leung; and Imperial Units, comprising Nigethan Sathiyalingam, Shivan Thakrar, Arjuna Sivapalan, Kosuke Shirasaki and Ronak Shah.

International table tennis player William Maybanks provided an end-of-year treat for QE’s sportsmen when he played an exhibition match in the School’s new Shearly Hall.

Organised by the PE Department, his visit gave boys an opportunity to see the game played at the highest level.

William is currently the Hertfordshire Senior No. 1. He has recently taken second place in the National Junior Masters and won a boys’ team gold in the 2008 UK School Games.

Head of PE Peter Coke said: “We are very lucky to welcome Will. He is one of the few young talents to be targeted for the 2012 London Olympics.”

The recently completed hall will accommodate 12 table tennis tables and provides a venue for QE’s new table tennis club.