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Two QE Sixth-Formers joined young musicians from across the UK for a special event at the close of year-long celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Cadet Force movement.

Clarinettists Alex Liangas and Richard Collins, of Year 12, assembled with more than 150 other cadets at St Martin’s Plain camp, Folkestone, for the cadets’ annual music ‘concentration’ before taking to the stage for A Musical Spectacular – a special event in Croydon’s Fairfield Halls to end the Cadet150 year. Earlier this year, Alex and Richard were among 40 cadets selected for a Cadet150 band assembled to perform at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.

At the Croydon finale event, cadets from the Army Cadet Force, Combined Cadet Force, Sea Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps played in front of the Lord Lieutenant of London, Sir David Brewer, the Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Avril Slipper, and an audience of more than 500. The 1812 Overture ended the concert, when the bands taking part were joined by the Moscow Militia re-enactment society. In their period dress, they fired their muskets and cannons over the band at the famous climax to Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece.

Concert organiser, Colour Sergeant Adrian Beckett of the Welsh Guards Band, said: “To end the year in such spectacular fashion was the aim of Cadet Force Music. We have worked hard all year at various events around the country and it was now the cadets’ time to shine on stage, with some great surprises.”

The Band & Bugles of The Rifles under the direction of WO1 Bandmaster Brydon performed alongside the cadets and made a triumphant return to Croydon following their homecoming march through the town last year, culminating in them being given the freedom of the Borough.

Another highlight was the return of Scott Ellaway, an ex-cadet from Powys ACF and now an accomplished organist and one of the top conductors in the Country. Like the other performers, he gave his time on the evening to raise money for the charity, Help for Heroes.

And Welsh tenor Wynne Evans, “Gio Compario” from the Go Compare television commercials, came along both to offer backstage support and to sing alongside the musicians from the Cadet Force.

A Queen Elizabeth’s School team came third in a regional mathematics competition against 19 other schools, scoring just 2% less than the winners.

The four-member team from Year 12, captained by Jaymin Thakrar, were selected by the School to take part in the London North round of the Senior Team Maths Challenge at Westminster Kingsway College. Jaymin’s team-mates were Ian Leung, Satya Ramanathan and Janaka Sumanasekera.

QE’s boys scored 184 points out of a possible 200 – only four points behind the winning team, from the City of London School. Other competing schools included City of London School for Girls, Henrietta Barnett and Wilson’s School.

The competition, which is jointly organised by the UK Mathematics Trust and the Further Maths Support Programme, combines mathematical, communication and teamwork skills. It also offers pupils a way to express and develop their enjoyment of mathematics.

“The boys had an enjoyable afternoon competing with, and meeting, other keen young mathematicians, but were understandably disappointed at narrowly missing out on the top spot,” said Mathematics teacher Wendy Fung.

QE boy Ife Adepegba was among just a handful of winners from across London schools in a new city-wide art competition, while fellow Year 10 pupil Daniel Fernando took one of the runners-up spots.

Both boys visited City Hall to receive certificates from the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who had launched the Look Out London 2010 Schools Awards earlier this year during Children’s Art Day. The prizewinners came from just eight schools, including QE.

The competition was organised by Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education, which invited young Londoners in primary and secondary schools to create artwork in any medium, working individually or in groups. The idea was to take inspiration from their local surroundings – the streets and buildings, the parks and open spaces – looking at them in a new and exciting way. The competition is part of the Big Draw festival.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Engage Director Jane Sillis said: “We have had entries from schools across London…and the young people who have come today have produced some stunning drawings all about London and London Life.”
The Mayor, who himself enjoys drawing, added: “Drawing is not about being the best; it’s about putting across the way you feel, right there, in the moment. The world is your sketchbook and I hope everyone will be inspired to join in the Big Draw.”

On the same day as the presentation, City Hall also hosted a preview of the Battle of the Cartoonists and the Mayor launched another Big Draw highlight, Make Your Mark on the Future. This two-day event featured 40 activities at key locations such as Southwark Cathedral and HMS Belfast in which top artists, cartoonists, architects and archaeologists joined Londoners to celebrate London’s changing river and skyline.

Sue Grayson Ford, Director of the Campaign for Drawing said: “Big Draw events are designed to break down the ‘I can’t draw’ barrier. Our aim is to show that drawing is a vital tool for learning, observation, thought, creativity and communication. Best of all, it’s accessible – at the end of our fingertips.”

Queen Elizabeth’s School students have drawn plaudits for their contribution to a civic event held as part of National Inter Faith Week.

Year 12 boys Adeel Haque, Henry Peto and Harish Karunalingam took part in the Question Time-style debate with pupils from three other schools, Ashmole Academy, St Mary’s High School and JFS. They discussed questions about the role of faith in society at large and also within schools.

The debate was chaired by Father John Hawkins, of St John’s C of E Church in Barnet. He subsequently wrote to QE Deputy Head, Neil Enright: “It was my privilege to chair the evening and your students shone and did themselves and QE […] proud.

“At the end, the Superintendent of Barnet police, Mr [Neil] Basu, came up to speak with me and said that he had been in meetings all day with senior police men and women and the level of debate this evening far outshone anything he had heard all day. Indeed he had hoped to slip off home after his own contribution, but had remained to the end of the evening because he was so riveted by the students’ debate.”

The event was attended by the Mayor of Barnet and by several faith leaders. It also featured entertainment from the Jewish Care choir.

“It was extremely good to get to grips with the role of the inter-faith concept in schools and to learn about the opinions of others,” said Henry. His fellow debater, Adeel, added: “The event was an extremely enriching experience and one that widened my perspective on the role that faith has to play in our modern society.”

Twenty-one boys at QE have gained their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards – little more than a year after the School offered the Award at this level for the first time.

A further three boys from the group of 29 Year 10 pupils who registered for the Award in September 2009 are awaiting confirmation that they are also entitled to their Bronze certificates and badges.

Teacher Christina Wu, who co-ordinates the Awards, said: “I am delighted that 24 of the 29 boys have gained Bronze already or about to receive the Award: this is a completion rate of 83%, which is most encouraging.”

To complete the Award, boys had to undertake an hour’s activity per week in each of the Physical, Skills and Volunteering categories and complete a two-day expedition. Two of the activities had to be sustained over three months and the third for six months.

Examples of activities carried out by the boys included:

• Physical: Cricket, rugby, golf, swimming, tennis, badminton, martial arts
• Skills: Photography, musical instruments, Young Enterprise, public speaking, learning Braille, computer repair, learning Mandarin, writing articles for a rugby club match programme, chess
• Volunteering: Charity shop helper, sports and music coaching, assisting at temple/Sunday School/retirement home/NHS clinic/vet, Combined Cadet Force

Before their 15-mile expedition through Great Waltham in Essex, the boys attended four classroom-training sessions, where they learned walking skills, campcraft, map and compass-reading skills, first aid and emergency procedures. They planned their own routes, navigated themselves and cooked their own meals while camping.