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Three QE pupils were among the winners in a local competition run by the Baha’i Faith Group.

The Year 7 boys’ achievement builds on successes by QE boys in previous years in the annual competition. This year, it involved creating a poem, poster or essay on the topic of ‘What is the purpose of religion?’

Samuel Li took first prize in the 10-12 age category for his poster design, while Ryun Pang came second. In the essay-writing section, Norbert Sobolak was in third place.

The boys were awarded their prizes at a ceremony hosted by the Deputy Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Hugh Rayner, at Chipping Barnet Library.

"The fact that QE boys have won in two out of the three categories demonstrates what a strong ability the students here have to think through spiritual, moral and religious issues," said teacher Dr Sarah Jones.

Queen Elizabeth’s School concluded its Summer Concert with a huge joint performance featuring both its own musicians and those from its German partner school.

The Big Band from the Friedrich von Bogelschwingh Gymnasium (grammar school) in Bielefeld joined QE’s Big Band, Training Band and Junior Strings to play Herbie Hancock’s jazz standard, Watermelon Man.

Welcoming the German school’s musicians, Director of Music Kieron Howe congratulated them on their performance the previous weekend to a ‘large and appreciative audience’ at the East Barnet Festival.

The Summer Concert in the Shearly Hall also featured another partner school, Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School. For three weeks prior to the concert, three girls worked with nine composers from QE’s AS Music group on an innovative creative project inspired by poetry and pieces of art. The 12 were divided into three groups, each comprising three QE composers and one choreographer from the girls’ school. The concert programme was thus punctuated by three ensemble performances, with each piece danced by all three girls.

There was original work too from a group of Year 9 pupils who have recently been studying the genre of minimalism. “The group you are going to hear tonight were so innovative and musical and creative with their arrangement we thought it a shame to leave it in the classroom and thought it should be shared with you tonight,” wrote Director of Music Kieron Howe in his programme notes.

Other elements of the programme included:

• The Year 7 String Quartet – S. Hanson’s Fiddlers’ Contest 
• The Junior Indian Music Ensemble – works by Thyagaraja and Annamacharya 
• Junior Strings – pieces by Handel and S. Bulla 
• The Training Band – The Simpsons TV theme tune and an African-American spiritual
• Summer Strings – four pieces, ranging from Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring to Singin’ in the Rain.

Pupils from QE performed strongly in a competition that is open only to the country’s best young mathematicians.

Fifteen QE boys were among 1,200 of the highest scorers in the UK Mathematics Trust’s Junior Challenge and thus qualified for the Junior Mathematical Olympiad.

Of the 15, five were awarded certificates of distinction, which are given to the top 25% of entrants in the Olympiad: Kieran Chan, Daniel Chen, Andrew Hui, Bhavik Mehta and Tianlin Zhang.

The top 50 candidates in the competition were also given a book prize, The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers by David Wells. “Bhavik and Tianlin were very worthy recipients of this book prize,” said QE’s Head of Mathematics, Gee Scarisbrick, who congratulated all the boys.

In addition, Kieran, Daniel, Bhavik and Tianlin were awarded silver medals for their impressive solutions to four questions in section B of the competition. Bhavik won a bronze medal in this competition last year. Andrew was awarded a bronze medal for providing three substantially correct solutions.

A Queen Elizabeth’s School team won the U14 tournament at the National Schools’ Chess Team Championships – and two boys received prizes for their individual performances too.

The QE U14 A team amassed an impressive score of 24 points out of a possible 30, narrowly beating another school with a strong chess tradition, Magdalen College, Oxford.

Year 9 boys Ben Collins and Madhi Elango both won prizes for the leading performance on their board. The other members of the victorious team were: Joseph Levene (Year 8), Jake Breindel (Year 7) and Ram Popat (Year 9).

In addition to the successes of the U14 A team, other QE teams also competed in the U14, U16 and U18 competitions, with Akshaya Ahuja and Jon Hoong (both Year 13) winning board prizes.

“We had two highly enjoyable days of chess, with some outstanding team and individual performances from our boys,” said teacher Geoff Roberts, who leads chess at the School. “After several near misses in recent years, to capture a national chess title is very pleasing. I would also like to thank the Year 13 pupils, Akshaya Ahuja, Jon Hoong and Ravi Popat, who have represented the School with distinction over their seven years at Queen Elizabeth’s.”

The event was held at Pontin’s Holiday Centre, Somerset.

Queen Elizabeth’s School’s First XI gained a hat trick of victories on their tour to the North West.

The tourists played three matches on three consecutive days and, led by captain Nir Shah, they emerged as winners in all three.

In the first fixture, the QE boys took on Hutton Grammar School from Preston, Lancashire. Their 97-run victory included Alex Goring’s 3 wickets for 9 runs from 8 overs and Chandi Uduwawala’s 3 wickets for 22 runs from 10 overs.

Next they took on Liverpool College, in which Paarth Darbar was 49 not out and also amassed a 5-wicket haul for just 13 runs off 10 overs.

Finally, the QE team played their hosts for the tour, The King’s School, Chester. “This was a great team performance and there were also notable individual performances, including the 9th wicket stand of 66 between Alex Goring and Drew Williams,” said Assistant Head Tim Bennett.

“The game went down to the last ball, with QE requiring 33 runs from the last 3 overs. This they achieved, with Alex and Drew hitting 14 off the last 5 balls to win.”