Oxford Vice-Chancellor points prize-winners along a very human path to happiness at Senior Awards

Queen Elizabeth’s School welcomed Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, as Guest of Honour at this year’s Senior Awards Ceremony.

Professor Tracey handed out prizes in the School Hall to around 80 award-winners drawn from Years 10, 11 & 12. The prizes covered not only the full gamut of academic subjects, but also extra-curricular activities that ranged from music to debating & public speaking, and from drama and to involvement in the Combined Cadet Force.

Later, Professor Tracey delivered an address in which she urged the boys: “Put more into the world than you take out,” adding: “That is the path to happiness in its truest sense.”

Many staff and guests later commented on how engaging her speech was, highlighting especially the importance she had placed on kindness and the strength that true kindness can require.

Senior Awards 2025 began with an introduction from Headmaster Neil Enright, who, in welcoming Professor Tracey, pointed out that this year, a record number of QE pupils applied to Oxford, with 15 receiving offers – just one below last year’s all-time record high figure.

In his address, he commended the example of Sir Magdi Yacoub, a retired professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Imperial College London and pioneer of surgery to repair heart valves. “Sir Magdi successfully operated on my grandfather in the 1970s, when coronary bypass surgery was in its relative infancy and when many procedures were at an experimental phase.

“He took academic and professional risks, working at the frontier of science. When asked for his advice to young and aspiring cardiothoracic surgeons, he simply replied: ‘PPH. Passion, persistence and humility.’

“Even in an increasingly technological age – in which algorithms and AI possess so much potential – human creativity, ingenuity and imagination will continue to be important,” Mr Enright said, also thanking The Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s for providing hospitality at the event and to the Foundation Trustees for their sponsorship of the awards.

For her part, Professor Tracey encouraged the boys to use their gifts and educational privileges responsibly, and to be confident without being arrogant.

Reflecting on the wide range of activities beyond the classroom being celebrated through the awards, alongside the academic subjects, she noted the importance of keeping hold of the human in an increasingly technological and artificial world. The world had changed greatly over the past 40 years from her own school days, when there were no mobile phones, and no World Wide Web. Like Mr Enright, she mentioned AI, recognising that although it is another technological tool, it is also qualitatively different from much of what has been seen before.

Just as it had not been possible for her to predict what would happen either in the world at large or in her own career, today’s students would not be able to either. But that is exciting, she said. “After you leave school, life becomes less linear, more complex and nuanced.” The boys might have two or three quite distinct different careers.

She would return to Oxford with hope, she said, having seen the evidence of the ability of the next generation at QE. In an uncertain world, she argued that pupils could take confidence from their place in the School’s long history, urging them to be proud of it, as she, the 273rd Vice-Chancellor, was proud of her university, with its near-1,000-year history.

The evening was punctuated by musical interludes delivered by violinist Parth Jain, vocalist Rishi Watsalya and saxophonist Leo Sellis, Music award-winners in Years 10, 11 & 12 respectively.

The VIP party included the Mayor of the Borough of Barnet, Councillor Tony Vourou and the Mayoress, Mrs Caroline Vourou.

The 2025 School Captain, Simardeep Sahota, concluded the proceedings with a vote of thanks in which he not only lauded Professor Tracey’s work as a neuroscientist, but also her passion for education, and commitment to making knowledge accessible to all.

Simardeep, of Year 12, expressed gratitude to all the parents present for their support. “Thanks are also due to all the School staff for setting us so firmly on the path to success,” he added.

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