Viewing archives for

This summer marks the 50th anniversary of QE’s pioneering expedition to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe – reportedly the first-ever British school party to visit Russia.

The month-long trip in two Dormobiles covered 5,000 miles, with the party of three teachers, 12 Sixth-Formers and two former School Captains mostly camping along the way.

The expedition came at the height of the Cold War: the Berlin Wall was barely a year old and, coincidentally, was to claim its first victim during the QE trip, when an 18-year-old German bricklayer was shot and left to bleed to death while trying to escape to West Berlin. And just two months after the expedition returned, the world would be teetering on the brink of nuclear war as the Cuban Missile Crisis erupted.

Led by Kay Townsend and Richard Dilley – two masters at the School who had learnt Russian during their National Service – the preparation started a year before the expedition’s departure on 30th July 1962.

The party comprised these two, together with fellow teacher Eric Crofts, as well as former School Captains John Swann and Brian Salter and pupils John Paternoster, Pete Connor, Alan Bloch, Frank Edmonds, Andrew Tarry (known as ‘Ned’: a reference to a character in the Goons, a popular radio programme at the time), Torj Herbert, John Holloway, Pete Mitchell, Sam Smith, John Keeley, Hugh Sinclair and Willy Upsdale.

In parts of Poland and Czechoslovakia, camping was not possible so they were were accommodated in student hostels.

Their experiences ranged from eating takeaway caviar wrapped in newspaper to being stared at by women working on building sites in the Ukraine who muttered “Capitalisti” and spat on the ground. For much of the time, they were accompanied by two young women who had been assigned to them by the authorities to keep watch over them.

John Keeley and Andrew Tarry have produced a full account of the trip, which will appear in the Old Elizabethans’ Association’s forthcoming issue of its newsletter.

They write: “Many of us who left the School 50 years ago do have very happy memories of our time at QE. Our education in the broadest sense was certainly not exclusively focused on exams; many of our life skills were developed playing in sporting teams on Stapylton field, as well as travelling further afield during such challenging school trips as this one.”

Former QE pupil Claude Francois Muhuza (2001-08) urged award-winners to make the most of their opportunities when he returned to his alma mater as guest of honour for the 2012 Junior Awards Ceremony.

And Claude has certainly been true to his own advice. He has progressed from war-torn Rwanda as a small child to success at Cambridge University, following a distinguished School career at QE.

Welcoming him to the event, Headmaster Neil Enright told the audience of award-winners, parents and staff: “Claude’s story is a remarkable one and one that I hope is inspirational for boys currently at the School, particularly those of you in the hall this afternoon.

“He is an Elizabethan who completely embraced everything that the School stands for and has to offer and we are incredibly proud of his many successes and achievements.”

Born in Kigali, Rwanda, in 1990, Claude spent the first four years of his life there before being forced to flee the country with his mother when war broke out. During the next two years spent with his mother in Tanzania and Kenya, he had no formal education. He arrived in London at the age of six and started to learn English when his mother enrolled him at Harlesden Primary.

“Claude quickly made a positive impression when he joined this School in 2001 and his leadership qualities emerged soon after,” said Mr Enright. He was Deputy Form Captain in Year 7 and started Year 8 as Form Captain and was chosen to greet visitors at open evenings and School events. Claude also worked hard in his studies, picking up many commendations whilst in the Lower School.

In Year 10, he was selected as one of the Colt Prefects and later, as a Sixth-Former, was appointed a Senior Prefect. Whilst in the Sixth Form he consolidated his passion for debating and was jointly responsible for organising and leading the School’s entry to the European Youth Parliament. That particular team’s success in the regional and national rounds saw them ultimately being invited to represent the UK in events in Turkey and Greece, which was a first for the School.

“So, in his final year at the School, on an occasion much like this one, Claude’s significant contribution to the life of QE was recognised when he was awarded the Chairman of Governors’ prize,” the Headmaster added.

His Year Head’s report praised him as “one of the outstanding students in his year group, or indeed any other, Claude is all that one would wish for in a Year 13 student; he balances academic drive with good humour, while giving of his time freely and openly.”

He gained A grades in Economics, English Literature, French and History and French A-levels, together with an A in Critical Thinking. Claude secured a place at Pembroke College, Cambridge, to read Law.

He was elected President of Pembroke College Student Union and was presented with the Crowden Award for making such a distinguished contribution to the life of his college. Claude is also committed to opening access to Cambridge, serving as treasurer to a committee charged with putting on a Law conference for more than 300 sixth-formers from around the country and also serving on the 1347 Development Committee, which raises money for causes including an African Scholarship scheme and student support. He was the Publicity Officer for the Black and Ethnic Minorities Students’ Campaign, helping to organise careers events and a diversity week.

Now that he has gained a good degree and completed his studies at the College of Law, he starts at the London offices of international law firm Baker & McKenzie in March 2013.

In the meantime, he has secured a place on International Citizen Service and will be going to Nicaragua in October for a three-month placement with the charity Raleigh International.

“This was a memorable afternoon,” concluded the Headmaster. “In his speech, Claude encouraged the boys present to make the most of all that is on offer at the School and not to limit their aspirations. He also recognised the important influence of his mother’s support, having now accepted, as he said, that ‘my mother does know best’ – a comment which went down well with the mothers in the audience!”

Data released this week by the Department for Education has revealed that a higher proportion of QE pupils gained places at Russell Group universities than at any other state school.

QE was the top-performing state school in 2009/2010 in terms of the percentage of students awarded places at the Russell Group, an organisation comprising the UK’s leading universities, including Cambridge and Oxford.

It is the first time that the Government has released ‘destination data’ revealing how every school, college and local authority is performing in terms of pupil progression to higher education.

Lord Hill, Schools Minister, said: “We are opening up access to this new data so people can see how different schools and colleges and local authorities perform.”

QE topped the national table of schools sending most leavers to a Russell Group university, at 66 per cent. The Blue Coat School in Liverpool came second with 62 per cent. The data confirms the findings of the leading education foundation, The Sutton Trust, which reported last year that QE not only sends more pupils to the UK’s top universities, but also proportionately more students to Oxford or Cambridge than any other State school.

“It’s gratifying that Government statistics confirm that QE stands out as a place of academic achievement,” said Headmaster Neil Enright. “We take boys from all backgrounds and we urge and encourage them to achieve the highest standards at all times, not just academically, but intellectually and socially, too. The figures reflect QE’s status as a genuine academic meritocracy, which makes a significant contribution to social mobility.”

The data show that 330 schools – about 15 per cent of the total – sent no children at all to Russell Group universities, while at 1,395 schools or colleges no pupils went to Oxbridge. Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the University and College Union, said: ““We cannot afford to have areas in the country where it is unheard of for people to go to Oxford and Cambridge. The UK badly needs more highly skilled workers if it is to compete with other countries, but this cannot be achieved if youngsters are not allowed to strive to reach their full potential.”

“We encourage our boys to pursue study for the love of the subject,” added Mr Enright. “In addition to Russell Group universities, pupils from QE have taken up places at Ivy League colleges in the US. We also wholeheartedly support those who apply to other universities in the UK which offer them the best opportunity to study the subject of their choice.”

The statistics revealed the performances of local authorities with the largest proportion of students continuing in “sustained education” – a definition which takes in sixth form and further education colleges as well as universities. This included relatively deprived areas such as Tower Hamlets, with 78 per cent. Barnet was among the top ten in both the table for students going to Russell Group universities and the table for Oxbridge.

The Government’s stated purpose in publishing the statistics is to give parents and the public greater information which they can use to help them choose the right school or college for their child.

This year’s trip to the World War I battlefields held a particular poignancy for one Year 9 student. Frederick Carruthers sought out the name of his ancestor, William Keith Carruthers, on the Thiepval Memorial.

Second Lieutenant Carruthers died at the age of 25 at the Somme in July 1917. Another of the family’s ‘great uncles’, Cameron Roy Carruthers was killed at Ypres, aged 28, within three months of his brother. Neither body was ever found.

Frederick read a tribute then laid a wreath on behalf of the School at the memorial, where William is commemorated. The QE party also visited the Menin Gate, where Cameron is honoured.

Thirty-three boys from Years 9 and 12 took part in the tour to Belgium and France, taking in Vimy Ridge, the Lochnagar Crater and the Somme battlefields.

Students also visited British and German cemeteries at Tyne Cot and Langemark, as well as debating the significance of memorials for a war in which so many were killed.

“The tours added to the informative and educational value of the trip, which enabled students to appreciate the horrendous scale of human cost during the First World War,” said History teacher Laura Tobia.

Year 12 students David Medzinskii and Ken Kawamoto both picked up gold medals for judo in their weight divisions at the London Youth Games.

Ken fought in the Under 66 kg category whilst David came out on top in a category which combined the Under 50 kg and Under 55 kg categories. “It was a really enjoyable experience, with hundreds of competitors from all the boroughs of London competing against each other at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre,” said David.

Both boys have now qualified for further national youth competitions, which will take place later this year.