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It is with regret that the Association announces the death of James McLeish (1940-47) on 20 February 2017.

Wellington College became only the second school in the 41-year history of QE’s annual Rugby Sevens to ‘do the double’ – winning both the U16 and U14 main cup competitions.

QE itself fielded A and B sides in both competitions, which each attracted 32 teams this year. Both QE A teams advanced to the quarter-finals of the respective plate competitions.

PE teacher James Clarke, who organised this year’s event, said: “Given the strength of the field, the QE A teams’ results represent a considerable achievement. Overall, it was a good day, amid playing conditions that were a little wet and very muddy.”

The only other school to have won both main cup competitions in the Queen Elizabeth’s School Seven-a-Side Tournament is Eltham College, which achieved this feat in 1986.

This year, at U16 level, Wellington beat Whitgift School 24-7 in the cup final, while in the plate final, Aylesbury Grammar School won with a 29-0 score against Hampton School. In the U14 competition, Wellington saw off Eton College 21-10; in the plate final, Brighton emerged as 21-5 victors against the London Oratory School. Other leading schools taking part in the competition included Bedford, St Paul’s, Dulwich College and Merchant Taylors’.

Teams play three matches in a group of four teams, with the group winners and runners-up moving on to the quarter-finals of the cup and plate competitions respectively.

QE’s two wins in the U16 main cup came in 1979 and 1983, with a plate victory in 2002. The School has enjoyed greater success at U14 level, with cup victories in 1987, 1989 and 1997, and plate wins in 1982 and 1993.

Mr Clarke, who is an Old Elizabethan (1999–2004) was assisted, among many others, by two familiar faces, Mark Peplow and David Maughan, who are both former QE Heads of Games. Mr Peplow was at the School from 2002 to 2016, while Mr Maughan, Head of Games from 1974–2003, was instrumental in founding the QE Sevens tournament in 1976 and then nurturing its subsequent growth. A renowned rugby coach, he managed the England U16 team until 2013.

Matches were played at the School and at Barnet Elizabethans Rugby Club in Byng Road.

After last year’s visit to Neverland for its production of Peter Pan, QE’s Drama department took an altogether darker course this year as it brought three H G Wells stories to the stage.

A cast drawn from Years 7-10 grappled ably with the Victorian author’s tales of dystopian futures where technology creates misery for mankind. The production was entitled Out of Time: A Wellsian Trilogy.

The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The War of the Worlds were adapted and directed by sixth-formers Keenan Dieobi, Mark Thomas and Nicholas Pirabaharan and performed in the Shearly Hall.

Director Elaine White, who oversees Drama at the School, said: “Our production paid tribute to one of our greatest science fiction writers and we found that the cast engaged enthusiastically with Wells’ imaginative, somewhat dark themes.”

The audience found themselves cast in the role of delegates to the 71st Annual Wellsian Symposium of Future Sciences. And in another innovative feature, pre-recorded film was used for the first time in a QE play to complement the action on stage. For The Time Machine, Year 12 pupil Milan Shah first generated raw footage, building on the green-screen techniques developed last year, and then Art teacher Jeanne Nicodemus added suitable backgrounds and the film was further edited. QE’s Head of Science, Malcolm Russell, put in an appearance as a pre-recorded ‘talking head’, providing a scientist’s welcome to the symposium.

“Our vision of the future had a deliberately ‘retro’ feel, harking back to the days of the representations of space and time in early cinema. For this, great credit goes to Year 12 pupils Ricky Eatough and Jathieesan Umaasuthan, who led the team of technicians,” said Mrs White.

The action on stage was supported by a number of musical compositions overseen by Director of Music Cheryl Horne, who also conducted the 12 live musicians. The music for: The Time Machine was composed by Himal Bulathsinhala, of Year 13, and Joshua Wong, of Year 12; for The Invisible Man by Abbas Adejonwo, of Year 12, and Mark Thomas, also of Year 12, and for The War of the Worlds by Alfie Clarke, of Year 12. Mark also composed electroacoustic music for the auditorium.

Spoken-word artist, rapper and social commentator George Mpanga performed in front of the Queen and Prime Minister Theresa May at the Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day in Westminster Abbey.

George (OE 2002–2009), who is known professionally as George the Poet, performed a version of Whitney Houston’s My Love is Your Love during the service, which was broadcast live on BBC1.

Among the congregation were prominent Commonwealth politicians representing 52 nations, senior members of the Royal Family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, and numerous other dignitaries. It was the 45th such annual service.

Interviewed before the service by the BBC World Service, George explained the reason for his choice of song: “It’s got universal themes of unity and it’s all about finding myself in someone I love.”

George was accompanied by a band and backing singers. His lyrics included: “I was given this life – I didn’t make it – but I can make it better,” and “you might not have the same features or complexion as me, but you are by far the best reflection of me.”

Asked about the Commonwealth, George said: “My family is from Uganda in an area previously under British colonial rule. It’s a fraught history; it’s not straightforward; it is difficult in places, but ultimately it is a story of early globalisation, of people coming together and trying to make sense of things. A lot has been gained and there is a lot more to set our sights towards.”

He felt the Commonwealth had declined in terms of its cultural prominence: “It is not involved in pressing political decisions and it does not usually get salience in the media.” It was also not well known or understood by young people. Yet he saw a strong role for it, especially in the current climate of political upheaval: “The Commonwealth provides a common ground in which we can talk about where we want to be, where we see ourselves in the future. It is a big part of the reason for diasporas’ histories,” he said.

In the interview, George explained the process by which he had come back to music after a period in which he focused on poetry. He had started as a rapper, but then found the medium insufficient for the level of detail and type of sentiment he wanted to express, so moved into poetry, he said. “I returned to music because it really is in the fabric of my being and it is a very sophisticated way to communicate.”

George has maintained strong links with QE and was a well-received guest speaker at the annual Year 12 formal Luncheon, as well as leading a poetry workshop for the whole of Year 9.

QE’s senior water polo team competed against five other leading schools in some close-fought games in the sport’s national finals.

The 2017 U18 English Schools Swimming Association water polo finals were held at QE’s Martin Pool in a last-minute change of venue after Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School’s pool plant room suffered problems on the day.

QE’s senior team had reached the nationals by seeing off Warwick School, Cheltenham College and hosts Northampton School for Boys to take second place in the semis.

PE and Games teacher Richard Scally said: “In the national finals, even with the unexpected bonus of home advantage, the competition proved very tough. Although the games were close, any missed opportunities at this level are punished and unfortunately we did not progress out of the group stage.

“Overall, this term has been a busy one for many of the QE water polo sides, with many firsts achieved. The Seniors did magnificently to qualify for the national finals. The U15s qualified for the National Plate finals held in Northampton, notching up some convincing wins over Bedford School, St Ambrose College and Birkdale High School. However, defeat by City of London meant they were runners-up in the final.  The U13s are currently in round 2 of their national competition and will hope to emulate the success of the older years.”

QE operates its water polo in partnership with Watford Water Polo Club, and the club’s Chairperson, Nikki Baker, has congratulated the team on qualifying for the finals, describing it as “an awesome achievement”.