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This year’s Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s main social event had a Latin theme running through both the menu and entertainment.

Entitled Viva la Fiesta, the evening included a three-course dinner of authentic South American dishes, as well as Latin American music and dance.

“The evening was very well attended and the occasion was enjoyed by all,” said Headmaster Neil Enright. “We value very much the contribution FQE make to the life of the School.”

The guests were welcomed by Mariachi El Mexicano, a band based in the UK who perform traditional music, dressed in Mexican attire. 

Choices for starters included mojo potatoes, bean dip, gazpacho and chorizo, eaten to the accompaniment of Conjunto Sabroso, a London-based band specialising in salsa.

The main course included choices of traditional or vegetarian chilli and chicken or vegetable empanadas, served with taco boat shells, sour cream and guacamole, during which Mariachi El Mexicano played again.

Following the main course, guests were treated to a performance by dancers from the Dream of Dance School, which led in to a dance session for the guests, accompanied by Conjunto Sabroso.

Deserts included chocolate chilli mouse, mango fool and pineapple platters. A further opportunity to dance followed on to round off the evening.

Culture and religion were the focus of a Year 7 trip to the Museum of London. Thirty boys toured the galleries, which cover the history of London from pre-Roman times through to the modern day.

“The boys enjoyed the opportunity to discover what London was like during the Pre-historic, Ancient, Mediæval, Early Modern and Modern periods,” said History teacher Kristina Lewis, who organised the trip. “They were told to choose an object to illustrate one key feature of any of these periods and selected a number of interesting artefacts, including mediæval knives. They were also asked to describe and explain the item’s significance and its value to the museum.”

In addition to the permanent galleries there were a number of exhibitions, including one on the history of bicycles in London and another on royal children.

“We were able to sit outside for lunch – directly next to the remaining parts of the Wall of London, construction of which was started in the 1st Century. It was a very enjoyable day, which combined educational opportunities with fun!” added Miss Lewis.

Alumnus Roger Pearce (1961-69) has been putting his experiences as former Head of the Met’s Special Branch to good use, with the publication of his second work of fiction. He has also given a number of media interviews in the wake of recent revelations about Special Branch’s undercover unit.

His latest book, The Extremist, has been launched this summer, the second in a two-book deal with Coronet, an imprint of Hodder and Stoughton. As with his first book, Agent of the State, published in 2012, Roger has drawn on his first-hand experience for his second foray into the thriller genre.

Roger graduated with a BA Honours in Theology from St John’s College, Durham University, in 1972 and originally planned on becoming ordained as an Anglican priest, but instead joined Durham Constabulary before transferring to the Metropolitan Police in 1975. After joining Special Branch he also completed an external LLB Honours degree from London University, qualifying as a barrister-at-law in 1975.

He has been increasingly in demand by the national media as an expert voice, following a number of news stories in 2012 and 2013 about the Branch’s undercover unit. Since he was not only Head of Special Branch from 1999 to 2003 but also a former Director of Intelligence at the Met who authorised surveillance and undercover operations, Roger is particularly well placed to offer informed comment.

All his latest news and a video of him talking about Special Branch as the impetus for his writing can be found on his website: http://www.rogerpearce.info/

Roger has been married to Margaret for more than 40 years. They have two sons, both former QE pupils: Andrew, a composer, and Matthew, an airline pilot. Their daughter, Laura, is a personal assistant.

A trip to Bhaktivedanta Manor provided Year 7 boys with a broad taste of Hinduism. The boys enjoyed dressing up in traditional Hindu clothing, face-painting, a bull-cart ride and a tour of the grounds, as well as a having a vegetarian paneer cheese curry for lunch.

“The purpose of the visit was to develop the boys’ learning and understanding of Hinduism and the practices and culture of Hindu people,” said Guy Boyes, QE’s Head of Religion & Society and Head of Geography. “The boys got a real sense of the importance of community in Hinduism, of its colour and of the dedication of Hindus.”

The Manor near Watford is celebrating its 40th anniversary: former Beatle George Harrison donated the building to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in 1973. The main house is surrounded by five acres of grounds with a lake and a garden of contemplation. Flowers grown in the grounds are used to make garlands for use in the house and temple.

The Inter-House Drama competition was a keenly fought affair as five of QE’s six Houses each produced their own take on a science fiction-themed brief.

For this year’s competition, Harrisons’, Leicester, Pearce, Stapylton and Underne each prepared a short devised piece of Drama based on the stimulus of the first paragraph from H G Wells’ War of the Worlds. “The audience were treated to an entertaining, funny, sometimes scary, but very inventive series of plays,” said Elaine White, QE’s Drama Co-ordinator. “We witnessed eerie aliens brought to life, parallel universes, a frightening alien-possessed genius and an American diner with strange inhabitants.”

“Pearce finally won with a play that had both sound and lighting effects, an evil despicable twin, secret agents, the Queen and even Barack Obama! The standard of the plays was a tribute to the boys’ Year 10 mentors who ensured that the bar was raised for this year’s competition,” she added.

Below is the full list of Awards:

Best Performance: Pearce (Directors; Paavan Sawjani, Timur Salih)

Highly commended: Stapylton (Directors; Ryan Shah, Hersh Kataria, Akash Ruparelia)

Best Interpretation of Stimulus: Leicester (Director; Sahil Handa)

Highly Commended: Zain Danish/Stapylton

Best Actor: Mark Thomas/Pearce

Highly Commended: Keenan Dieobi/Underne

Best Supporting Actor: Jasihan Kanthithas/Stapylton

Highly Commended: Asad Shah/Leicester

Best Direction: Pearce

Highly Commended: Leicester

Best Team Effort: Harrisons’  

Highly Commended: Underne