School Performance

Going for gold

With his straight A* grades in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Further Mathematics Showgo Kimura comfortably outstripped his university offer and will eventually be taking up his place at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, to read Natural Sciences. First, however, he has another plan! He will be taking a gap year in Japan to work on his judo, a sport in which he is already a national champion. “I am looking at possibly Tokyo 2020 [Olympics], although that may be too soon – so definitely Paris 2024.”

At QE, Showgo’s sporting prowess was mainly seen in rugby – he was no. 9 in the First XV. “I really enjoyed the rugby: after school, after all the work, being able to relax and have fun.” He is also a talented musician who plays the violin and was part of both the School Symphony Orchestra and Camerata. Showgo highlighted the support the School, and particularly his Sixth Form tutor, gave him in preparing for university. This included help with his personal statement for his UCAS application and bringing in interviewers, including old boys of the School, to conduct mock interviews. He would eventually like to go into pharmaceutical research.

Passion for politics

Rehaan Bapoo's straight As and an A* have secured his place to read Law at Lincoln College, Oxford. At QE, Rehaan has made his mark especially through his role as Chairman of the flourishing Politics Society. He has been instrumental in bringing a number of well-known speakers to the School over the past couple of years, including Sir Vince Cable, and also enjoyed conducting an interview with Boris Johnson. But he is especially proud of the society’s success in reaching the younger boys: “Even if they are not old enough to vote, it is very satisfying to get them interested in things that will have a massive impact on their future.”

As part of voluntary work undertaken through the School, Rehaan worked with people suffering mental illness and, with others, took steps to raise awareness: “Our aim was to get people thinking ‘Maybe I should keep a close eye on the people I care about, just in case.’” In his leisure time, Rehaan enjoyed games of Eton Fives with his friends – QE is one of very few state schools to offer this sport. Reflecting on his time at QE overall, he says: “I think this has been a very good journey. The highlights have probably been certain classes where you are either learning something that is really interesting or where your teacher really inspires you. Those lessons become a highlight of your week which you look forward to.”

He hopes to become a lawyer – probably a barrister – although an eventual career in politics is “not off the table”.

Mentor and mathematician

With three A* grades and an A in his A-levels, Oliver Robinson, who is a gifted mathematician, has won his place on Warwick University’s celebrated MORSE (Mathematics & Operational Research & Statistics & Economics) degree course. Oliver, who was the School Captain in 2017, said: “It’s quite a unique course and the combination of Economics and Maths suited my interests quite well. The good thing about doing Maths is that you keep so many career options open.”

During his highly successful School career, Oliver enjoyed activities as diverse as captaining the Second XV rugby team and taking part in the QE mentoring scheme, both as a beneficiary of mentoring when he was a younger pupil and as a Sixth Form mentor. “Being a mentor helps develop areas such as leadership, while when I was younger it helped me with my confidence and I also learned different ways of approaching things – such as different approaches in Maths. In fact, one of the main things about the School has been the support I have received – it’s really been excellent, especially the Maths department.”

Bouncing back

Milan Shah bounced back from a disappointing performance in his History AS last year to achieve straight A* grades in History, Art and English Literature, which was more than enough to confirm his place at University College London to read History. He recalls how QE’s teachers helped get his studies fully back on track: “I went through things with my form tutor and the head of department, looking at areas of weakness and learning different techniques to use for the questions. Actually, the support is not just for A-levels, but right from Year 7 there are clinics and lunchtime sessions where teachers offer one-to-one and group help.” Like several of this year’s A-level success stories, Milan is the first in his family to go to university.

Milan is a self-confessed “big fan” of 1920s America – its sport, politics and culture. He has enjoyed exploring this interest further not only through his History studies but also through English – F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was one of his set texts – and even through his Fine Art. His Year 13 project looked at both British and American politics, including the not-so-new notion of ‘fake news’, and featured collages and paintings, as well as a 7ft artwork that draws parallels between the Berlin Wall and President Donald Trump’s plan for a wall along the US-Mexico border.

At home at Harvard

Che Applewhaite represents a growing trend for QE sixth-formers to win places at leading international universities, particularly in the US. The former Senior Vice-Captain took up a place at Harvard in the autumn of 2017, having secured an unconditional offer from the Ivy League university. Che is reading for a Liberal Arts degree, having chosen Harvard in part for its strengths in the arts, humanities, economics and politics.

His extra-curricular involvement at QE spanned debating to the School Choir. He set up QE's Forward Thinking Society, where boys discuss new ideas or current social issues, and was instrumental in establishing a Food Bank at the School. At Harvard he is hoping to get involved in the Harvard Crimson student newspaper and the international relations committee.

Che pays tribute to the extensive assistance he received from the School in making his university application, which included an information session on US universities attended by QE alumni already studying stateside.

The sky's the limit

Stars featured prominently in Aadil Kara's final year at QE: not only did he shine at A-level with four A* grades, but he also enjoyed a trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after being selected, alongside classmate Brian Kong, for a European Union team in a space design competition – “a brilliant, fantastic experience”.

Aadil started his Physics degree at Imperial College, London in the autumn of 2017. All this was achieved despite his suffering for several years from a chronic illness that flared up during his examinations. “The School have been tremendously helpful, especially my head of year and form tutors,” he says.

Engineering excellence

With A* grades in all his A-levels – Art, Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics – Tochi Onuora secured his place to read Architecture at Churchill College, Cambridge in 2017. He appreciates the high expectations set for him at QE: “You take the advice and you work hard – and then you do get the reward.”

Tochi immersed himself fully in school life. He was part of an Engineering Education Scheme team that won national acclaim for its project; he excelled in the British Mathematical Olympiad; he sang in the School Choir; he took part in public speaking; and he mentored younger pupils in Mathematics.

The clean sweep

For the Basheer family, the summer of 2017 was a double dose of success with Bushry obtaining 4 A*s at A-level and younger brother Bashmy (pictured with Akshat Sharma) gaining a clean sweep of 8 A*s and 3 9s (the top level in the reformed English and Maths GCSEs). "There may be a small family celebration" Bashmy conceded. "We are both ecstatic, having worked so hard for this."

Akshat also achieved A*s and 9s across the board. “I was hoping for results like these, but with the new GCSEs and syllabuses I was unsure how it would play out. We were all in the same boat, though, and our teachers prepared us so well – I’ve got to give it to them! My experience at GCSE and at QE in general has been brilliant thus far and I’m excited about what comes next.”

A leading all-rounder

Aashish Khimasia gained all A*s in his GCSEs and has now begun A-levels in Maths, History, Chemistry and Biology. He is also a talented sportsman (rugby and water polo) and post-grade 8 musician, having gained a Distinction in the Associate of the Royal Schools of Music exam last year.

“I did not expect this, so am pleased. Grades don’t determine who I am, but this is a great stepping stone to what’s next. I had my diploma for flute a week before my first GCSE exam and prepared equally for that. Everything is important together, music, sport and academics. What’s great is that you get a fully rounded experience at QE; it develops you as a person.”

It was no surprise when Aashish was appointed as School Captain for 2018.