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A QE old boy treated three current pupils to a rare behind-the-scenes tour of Buckingham Palace – and gave them an insight into careers on offer there.

Christopher Sandamas (OE 1978-1983) is Chief Clerk to the Palace and offered the opportunity for three boys and a member of staff to find out more about the inner workings of ‘Buck House’.

“We thought the best way to choose three pupils was to run an essay competition,” said teacher Sarah Westcott who accompanied the boys on the visit. “They all had to write about what it means to be British.” Year 8 boys Hector Cooper and Zakariya Shah, and Ivin Jose, of Year 7, were the winners. Their essays covered a broad range of experience, including growing up in France, how the traditions of British life are interwoven with the increasingly technological world, and an evaluation of the tolerance and multiculturalism experienced in modern Britain.

“After we cleared the security checks at the Palace gates, we had tea in Christopher’s office, where he outlined the duties of the Private Secretary’s office and his role as Chief Clerk,” said Dr Westcott.

“We were given an extensive tour of the Palace, including state rooms and some areas not usually open to visitors. We received the impression very much of a ‘working palace’, where functions of various types – be they investitures, garden parties or state visits – occur on a regular basis.”

The party was also given a ‘back stairs’ view of the Palace – meeting the numerous people who support the Queen in her duties, from handling correspondence with Heads of State or members of the public and acting as intermediaries with various departments of Government to organising her extensive engagements list.

The boys were given an insight into careers within the Palace organisation and the skills necessary for such roles. “The key message of how important it is to study what you enjoy came through loud and clear,” added Dr Westcott. “Many of the staff we met had backgrounds in the arts, particularly History and Politics with experience in research.”

The tour concluded with lunch in the staff dining room, where Christopher was keen to hear about the boys’ current experiences at QE, and to share his own memories. He was interested to hear about the boys’ preconceptions about Palace employees and was amused by Hector Cooper’s comments on how “normal and pleasant” the people working at the palace are.

“I think we were all amazed at the number of people working behind the scenes to support the Royal Household’s work and how welcoming they were when asked to tell us about their roles. It was a wonderful experience and we are all grateful to Christopher for giving us this rare opportunity,” concluded Dr Westcott.

QE’s new pupil librarians and reading mentors are enjoying fresh opportunities as The Queen’s Library continues to develop, while an initiative to build the book collections has been extended to include parents as well as Old Elizabethans.

Twelve volunteer pupil librarians and seven reading mentors have been appointed from Years 8–11. The process involved submitting a letter of application, carrying out a sorting task and undergoing interviews with the Vice Captains for Learning and Enrichment and the Librarian, Ciara Murray, who was appointed last year when the Library opened.

Having received training at the Library desk, the pupil librarians are now responsible for loans, returns and reservations once a week at lunchtime, as well as having regular shelving duties.

Both the pupil librarians and the reading mentors have been writing book reviews for the benefit of other boys and are taking part in the annual WeRead Award.

 “They have all been busy writing some excellent reviews to guide other users, and the pupil librarians are working on their own independent projects to enhance the Library service, as well as designing bookmarks and book lists to promote reading around the School,” said Ms Murray.

The WeRead Award takes place at University College School in Hampstead. Entrants must review at least one from a shortlist of six books, with these reviews being submitted in advance and published on the competition website. On the day of the competition, 25^th June, the authors of the six books are invited to attend and pupils from participating schools are able to hear them talk about their books, before voting for their favourite. There are also prizes for the best reviews.

The shortlisted books are:

• Shine by Candy Gourlay
• The Poison Boy by Fletcher Moss
• Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
• Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan
• Infinite Sky by C. J. Flood
• Valentine Joe by Rebecca Stevens

“Our book-purchasing scheme using tailored online Amazon wishlists has been extended to parents and it is going very well,” added Ms Murray. “Hundreds of books have now been purchased from a wide range of suggested subjects, from fiction and poetry to Geography, Science and Philosophy.”

QE’s new induction events have given boys joining QE this September and their parents a real insight into the School as well as the chance to make friends.

This year for the first time, boys as well as parents were invited to the welcome events and they took place across three afternoons, instead of just one evening. Two of the 2015-16 Year 7 forms were invited to each of the three events.

Proceedings started with a series of illustrated talks in the Main Hall. Headmaster Neil Enright gave a welcome and current Year 7 boys and the School Captain, Norbert Sobolak, spoke about life as a QE pupil. In his talk, Mr Enright explained the School’s mission statement: ‘to produce young men who are confident, able and responsible’ and looked both at the extensive new facilities provided in recent years through the support of the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s (FQE) and at future plans for further improvements.

The Head of Year 7 and Assistant Head Michael Taylor gave an introduction to Year 7 for parents and Emi Aghdiran, another Assistant Head addressed them on technology and support.

Topics covered included the need for both parents and boys to adjust to secondary school life in general, and to life at QE in particular. Dr Taylor pointed out, for example, that, having been high-flyers at primary or prep school, boys coming into Year 7 at QE might find they were no longer at the top academically in every subject. There was also an explanation of the School’s House system and of policies on aspects of School life such as uniform, absence and mobile phones. In her talk, Mrs Aghdiran explained how the School’s integrated use of technology and IT both helped boys in their education and also made communication between home and School easier and more efficient.

In the meantime, the boys were led out by volunteer helpers from Year 12 who took each form group into one classroom, where they tackled a quiz designed to find out what they had in common with their future classmates, thus helping them get to know each other.

The Sixth-Formers then took the boys on a tour of the School, during which the visitors’ powers of observation were tested with another quiz, featuring questions such as ‘There is a noticeboard opposite Dr Taylor’s office. What is it for?’

Parents and boys all then met up again in the main Hall where they enjoyed informal conversation with the Headmaster and other staff. Refreshments were served by representatives of FQE, who were also on hand to answer any questions about volunteering for the School. Staff from the School Shop attended to sign families up for the boys’ uniform fittings.

Speaking afterwards, the Headmaster said: “These afternoons were a new venture for us and they seem to have been successful, so we plan to run them again next year. It’s certainly given all our visiting families – and especially the boys – ample opportunity to find out more about the School and future classmates.”

Two former QE students have been awarded prestigious engineering scholarships, which offer not only a cash prize, but also mentoring and work experience opportunities.

Michael Zhao and Aniruddh Raghu (OEs 2007 – 2014) were amongst a select group offered Diamond Jubilee Scholarships by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. The award, which is in its second year, is only offered to students who have achieved at least three A grades at A Level, or the Scottish or International Baccalaureate equivalent grades. Michael and Aniruddh have also been accepted on an IET-accredited engineering or technology degree course. Michael has also received an iMechE undergraduate scholarship.

Both are now studying Engineering at Cambridge University: Michael at Downing College and Aniruddh at Trinity.  Michael was awarded an IET Great Exhibition Scholarship, which is supported by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. Aniruddh won an IET Diamond Jubilee Scholarship. They received their awards at a special ceremony held on board HMS Wellington.

The scholarships offers at least £1,000 per annum for the duration of a degree course, alongside a mentorship programme and work experience placements through the IET’s network of more than 160,000 members, operating in 127 countries.

Michael paid tribute to the Headmaster, Neil Enright, and to his Maths teacher at QE, Wendy Fung: “I’m very appreciative of their assistance for me to secure this award. I’ve really enjoyed my time at Cambridge so far; in our first week we built a robot using the Lego Mindstorms kit and since then we’ve built and tested a bridge structure from scratch. Basically it’s great fun and work is what you make of it.”

“I’m delighted with the award,” said Aniruddh, who learned about the scholarship through the School. “It will enable me to subscribe to research journals and purchase relevant books and resources to supplement my learning. In the longer term I think it will undoubtedly help my career in terms of potential employment opportunities.”

Aniruddh said he is drawn to engineering because it involves the creative application of science, coupled with inventive solutions to real-world problems. “I chose Cambridge because it offers a general engineering course, which is very important, as much industrial work is often interdisciplinary.”

Neither of the Old Elizabethans has definite career plans yet, although Michael says motorsport engineering – including Formula 1 – interests him.

The rich traditions of Founder’s Day were leavened with a good helping of fun and spiced with a pinch of innovation for 2015.

At the Church service which starts the day, guest speaker Andrew Kramer (OE 2001-2008) mused on his own memories of Founder’s Day: “What I remember most was the short walk back up Wood Street to the School, a walk that I am honoured to be joining you on shortly.”

In processing from Chipping Barnet Parish Church to the School, Headmaster Neil Enright, teachers and pupils were literally following in the footsteps of countless generations dating back to the Charter that established the School 442 years ago, Mr Kramer said. “Elizabeth I, who granted that Charter, was also a believer in communal outings like this. Every summer she would take the court on her travels, travelling about the kingdom to keep an eye on things.”

In a lively and entertaining address, the guest speaker also reflected on two major ways in which QE has shaped him. Firstly, he learned that it is “ok not to know what you want to do when you grow up”. Boys should take the time to explore their interests widely at QE and respond to the bespoke advice offered by their teachers.

The second lesson was “the importance of remembering how lucky you are”, he told boys in the Thanksgiving Service congregation. This luck consisted especially of: the calibre of the teachers; the wider community of parents and friends “always ready to lend a hand, offer a work experience placement, or organise the fete we’re about to enjoy”, and in the friendship and competition offered them by their QE classmates.

After the walk back through the town, the annual Reading of the Roll Call and the Chronicle took place from the steps of the Main Building. VIPs attending included Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers, former Mayor of Barnet Councillor Hugh Rayner and Mrs Susan Rayner, Chairman of Governors Barrie Martin MBE and Mrs Perin Martin, as well as two former Headmasters, Dr John Marincowitz and his predecessor, Eamonn Harris.

The formal proceedings completed, guests, staff and boys then enjoyed the Founder’s Day Fete, organised by the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s, which is the biggest cultural event in the School calendar. Parents, guest and boys took to the Stapylton Field and other areas to sample numerous attractions and entertainments, ranging from traditional fairground stalls to more high-tech delights. Fete-goers also had the opportunity to win in the raffle a weekend’s use of the new Jaguar F-type sports car.

New this year was a display of fencing, while Irish dancing was back, following a successful debut performance in 2014. The International food tent was again a hit, with cuisine on offer from India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, West Africa and Turkey. The barbecue and cake stall also went down well with hungry fete-goers.

An old boys’ team took on the School XI in the Stanley Busby Memorial Match, a fixture played regularly in the early 20^th century and then revived in 2012. Unfortunately, after a period of play, the game had to be abandoned as the rain closed in later in the afternoon.

The Headmaster said: “I know that the many hundreds of Old Elizabethans, parents and friends who came along to the fete had a thoroughly good time. I am grateful to them and to our VIP guests for supporting us and making Founder’s Day a thoroughgoing success. I am perhaps especially grateful to our Year 12 boys who were clearing up at 4pm: by then, the heavens had opened and they got very wet!”