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Sixth-form economists turned out in force for a lunchtime Zoom talk on ‘Covid-19 and the Economy’ from a leading Oxford economist.

The speaker, Michael McMahon, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford and Senior Research Fellow at St Hugh’s College, is a leading expert on communications in central banks. His interests also lie in monetary economics, fiscal policy, business cycles, and applied econometrics. He worked at the Bank of England for many years and now serves as a member of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

Professor McMahon is also a Lead Editor of the Economics Observatory, a website that seeks to make economic research and government policy accessible to the general public, to which his latest contributions have focused on understanding the effect of the current pandemic on the UK economy.

His talk was given to QE’s Economics Group: Advanced Lectures – an enrichment activity targeted at those wishing to read the subject at the best Economics departments in UK universities. It was organised by Economics teacher Gustavo Ornelas-Almaraz following an initial approach to Professor McMahon by Year 12 pupil Ethan John. After Professor McMahon finished his presentation, there was a short period for questions.

Dr Ornelas-Almaraz praised the strong attendance at the event, especially given that it was held on a Wednesday – a day when many of QE’s sixth-formers are free to leave early. “The talk was both well attended and well received by our Year 12 economists. “

“They were particularly attentive to the portions of Professor McMahon’s lecture in which he laid emphasis on how the current economic situation will impact young people as they are thinking about their job prospects for the future.

“In all, it was an interesting and timely talk to our Economics students, and I am grateful to Professor McMahon for the time he spent in preparing and delivering his presentation; we have invited him to visit us in person in Barnet when the time is right.

“I have shared the resources that Professor McMahon provided amongst the students, and I am sure they will use them in their preparation for their A-level exam next year.”

Economics is a popular choice of degree subject at QE. Of this year’s 39 Oxbridge offers, seven are to read Economics at Cambridge, while one boy has an offer to read Economics & Management and another to study Politics, Philosophy & Economics, both at Oxford.

A topping-out ceremony was held for QE’s new Music School on the last day of term, marking an important milestone in the delivery of this key building.

Representatives of Queen Elizabeth’s School met with senior staff from contractors TJ Evers, architects Hollins and project manager Barkers Associates for the ceremony, which served to confirm the swift progress of the £3.5m project.

The climax of the event came when two Year 11 Music students – Theo Mama-Kahn and Jao-Yong Tsai – climbed to the roof and drilled in place a piece of ridge timber that had previously been signed by everyone present.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “The Music School will represent a major addition to the School’s facilities, enabling us to meet the growing demands of our Music department and of the boys involved in our many extra-curricular musical ensembles.

“It has been exciting to watch it take shape and to know that, with the project running on time, our pupils and staff will be able to move in during the autumn. Our attention is now turning to funding the musical instruments and other equipment necessary to furnish it to the highest standards.”

The ceremony was led by John Blundell, Site Manager for TJ Evers, who explained a little of the history of topping out ceremonies, which have been held for hundreds of years, usually marking the point at which a new building attains its maximum height. As on this occasion, topping out ceremonies often include an opportunity for those present to sign the uppermost beam, or its equivalent, thus providing a record of the occasion for posterity.

After a welcome in what will become an atrium area, all present signed the final piece of roof timber. Mr Blundell pointed out different areas of the building and what they would be. From the atrium, guests could see through to where the new recital hall will be, as well as to two ground-floor classrooms.

When the party moved into the roof area, the ridge decking was lifted up on to the roof and put in position. The two boys, Jao-Yong and Theo, then went up the scaffolding and fixed it in place with a drill. Everyone then returned downstairs to the atrium for a toast with non-alcoholic bucks fizz.

The go-ahead for the project was confirmed in 2019, following a successful £2.2m bid to the Department for Education. The DfE package includes a £1.2m grant and £1m loan.

Director of Music Ruth Partington, who was among the guests at the ceremony, recently led a research process to choose the grand piano that will take pride of place in the recital hall. The School’s Foundation Trustees have agreed to pay for the selected Yamaha piano, valued at just under £75,000. A new Piano Fund aims to raise another £30,000 over the coming months to meet the associated costs of pianos and further equipment.”

Among those attending the ceremony with Mr Blundell were: Mervyn Denney, Managing Director (TJ Evers); Martin Croot, Contracts Manager (TJ Evers); Joe Richmond, Assistant Site Manager (TJ Evers); Rob Marsh-Feiley, Architect (Hollins), and the project manager for QE, David Mugliston, (Barkers Associates). The School’s other representatives, besides the Headmaster, Miss Partington and the boys, were: Tara O’Reilly, Deputy Head (Operations); James McEvoy-Stevenson, Assistant Director of Music; Hannah Morgan, Music teacher; Caroline Grint, Music teacher; Silvia Shann, Facilities Manager, and Matthew Rose, Head of Project Support Services.

• For an overview of the progress of the Music School. go to our dedicated page about the project.

Senior Awards is always an important event in the QE calendar, and, although arrangements for this year’s celebration were different because of the coronavirus, the unique situation did not make the achievements of the prize-winners any less significant, said Headmaster Neil Enright.

“Indeed, I would argue rather that it underlines them,” he told boys in the Main School Hall, adding: “We have gathered this afternoon, despite the challenges, because you are deserving of this recognition.”

Senior Awards was split into two ceremonies to enable year group bubbles to be maintained, with boys from Years 10–11 coming to the hall first, followed later by the Sixth Form. Because of Covid restrictions, it was not possible to invite parents, the whole staff and the VIP guests who normally attend.

Collectively, the boys received more than 140 separate prizes. In addition to subject awards and prizes for extra-curricular involvements such as debating & public speaking and chess in each year group, there were awards for the boy making the best overall contribution to his year.

There was also a large number of special prizes for particular areas – The Queen’s College, Oxford, Extended Project Awards, for example – while in the Sixth Form, 12 prizes were given this year for commitment & service and nine for leadership & involvement.

The prizegiving was interspersed with a number of musical interludes, with the music being performed by the School’s senior musicians.

In his address, the Headmaster told the audience of prize-winners and a small number of staff: “To be part of this select occasion is particular testament to your motivation, dedication and resilience over the past year. You have not just coped with the circumstances caused by the pandemic but have continued to thrive.”

He reflected on how much had changed since the last such ceremony at QE: “Looking back, it now seems utterly remarkable that our Senior Awards event in March of 2020 was in fact so normal, given the extraordinary situation that was about to unfold, and has continued to develop ever since. Both education and everyday life have been disrupted in a way not seen in our lifetimes.

“But, with increasing confidence, we can say we are now emerging, slowly but surely, from the crisis phase and, perhaps, into a new era of regeneration and renewal. We have done things as individuals, as a School, as a community, and as a country, that we probably couldn’t ever have imagined. If we can do that in an unprecedented crisis, then why not after it too?”

As with previous crises – he mentioned World War II and the Great Fire of London of 1666 following the plague outbreak of the previous year – the Covid-19 pandemic could become an “opportunity for progress”, he said, pointing to the argument of 20th-century Danish economist Ester Boserup in reference to population growth and agricultural production that “necessity is the mother of invention”.

Citing the watchword of Captain Sir Tom Moore, “Tomorrow will be a brighter day,” Mr Enright continued: “Despite the undoubted challenges, today is already bright for you.

“I am excited to see what you can achieve with further growth. How you can be beacons among your peers and be shining lights in your communities, industries, and in society at large, in the years ahead.

“Congratulations on your awards. Enjoy them, celebrate them with your families, but also reflect on what you have put in to achieve them.

“With continuity in the character you have shown, I am confident that you will succeed in navigating the changing world and have every reason to be optimistic about your tomorrow.”

In his traditional vote of thanks, the 2021 School Captain, Siddhant Kansal, of Year 12, told his fellow prize-winners: “Despite it being a smaller ceremony than it would usually be, the achievements that we are marking, your achievements, are as great, if not greater than they would be in a normal year because of the challenges that have been faced along the way in this most extraordinary of years.

“All of us know how good the competition out there is. So, without being smug, we can be rightfully and genuinely proud at being chosen to be here today.”

The musical contributions for the younger two year groups were from: Year 11 trumpeter Theo Mama-Kahn, performing William Boyce’s Trumpet Voluntary as a processional; pianist Harishan Thevalingham, of Year 10, with Rachmaninov’s Prelude in G Minor; Jao-Yong Tsai, of Year 11, playing Brahms’ Sonata in F minor Op. 120 No. 1 Movement 1, and Arjun Patel, of Year 10, playing Richard Kershaw’s Tango Till You Drop on the saxophone as a recessional.

For the Sixth Form awards, the processional was Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, performed by final-year saxophonist Khai Tran, who also played the recessional, Czardas by Vittorio Monti.  Year 12 cellist Raphael Herberg played Popper’s Tarantella, while Conor Parker-Delves, of Year 12, performed Prélude et Saltarelle by Robert Planel on the saxophone.  QE’s piano teacher, Tadashi Imai, was the accompanist.

I began my report in the Christmas edition of Alumni News by stating that the Autumn Term had felt “much more normal”; as I now look back on the past three months, that is certainly not a phrase which I would employ to characterise this Spring Term.

From the very start, we faced rapidly changing circumstances, firstly gearing up to run a testing programme in early January, and then having to put it on hold at the eleventh hour as the country abruptly entered a further lockdown and we reverted to remote learning for all the boys.

Once again, both staff and pupils have demonstrated very commendable adaptability, even in the face of often-worrying news about the national and international situation, and, for some, closer to home, too. We have stuck together as a community, and there has been a resilient determination among my colleagues to ensure that boys at Queen Elizabeth’s School continue to receive an excellent education in the difficult circumstances in which we find ourselves.

Thanks to an extraordinary amount of work and a great deal of flexibility, our teachers and support staff have now developed very considerable expertise in using MS Teams and the resources and tools available through eQE, such that they are able to deliver an online school which is the envy of many, and which replicates as closely as possible the normal, rich QE classroom experience.

The whole Elizabethan community was seen at its very best recently, when everyone contributed to making sure that we had a wonderful reopening on 11^th March. The in-school testing programme was an unprecedented logistical challenge which, of course, had to be carried out in strictly controlled conditions to ensure it was Covid-safe: I heartily commend the commitment of our volunteers and staff who ran it so cheerfully and efficiently, and I give my thanks to QE parents and boys who played their part by signing up in great numbers for the tests.

We have maintained an extra-curricular programme, adapting activities as necessary so that we can continue with as many of them as possible. The 2021 QE University Convention, held over the final week-and-a-half of term, is a fine example of the way in which we have ‘flexed’ to ensure that important events in the School calendar are retained in order that pupils do not miss out on opportunities.

It has also reflected one of the really characteristic aspects of the lockdown, namely the enthusiastic engagement of our alumni in supporting current pupils, aided by our QE Connect platform and the new technology we are using as a School. Well over 50 alumni were scheduled over the 19 sessions and, as has become customary, most, although not all, were those who left QE last summer. They were therefore able to relate to our current pupils their experiences of their first two terms at university during this pandemic.

We have also welcomed a number of alumni during the term as virtual speakers. They include football agent Max Hassell (OE 2002–2009) who reflected on his diagnosed ADHD, anxiety and depression in a talk to senior pupils in a talk during Children’s Mental Health Week, and Bilal Harry Khan (OE 2003-2009) who took part in our new series of bitesize Perspective discussions, speaking about why ‘micro-aggressions’ are so harmful and suggesting ways that the issue can be addressed. My thanks go to all Old Elizabethans who have supported the School this term.

Another major event that was run in adapted form was this week’s Senior Awards. I reiterate the congratulations I offered at the dual ceremonies to all our prize-winners from Years 10–13.

One very bright spot that came in the darkest days of the shutdown was the announcement that our boys had secured 39 offers of places from Oxford and Cambridge. That is a very remarkable total, second only to last year’s highest-ever tally of 40 places offered. Yet in one sense, it is also an encouraging indication of ‘business as usual’ – a sign that, pandemic or no pandemic, we will continue to nurture our very able students, fostering in them a love of learning, high-level thinking and deep intellectual curiosity, and preparing them to thrive at the world’s best universities and in their careers.

Our new School Development Plan launched at the start of the term will play a considerable part in helping us achieve that. To amplify further our current distinction as a School, we recognise in the plan that we must ensure that the mix of attributes and skills we develop in our boys remains relevant in a world, which, as the last 12 months have demonstrated, is fast-changing and sometimes unpredictable. I am pleased that the plan was so well-received, and I look forward to working with colleagues to implement it over the next four years.

Through all the turmoil of recent months, work on the Music School building project has continued unabated, and we remain on schedule to open this exciting new facility in the autumn of this year.

As we look forward to the Summer Term, we have a carefully worked-out plan in place for our GCSE, AS and A2 cohorts. Boys in Years 11, 12 and 13 have a lot of work to do in terms of the final summative assessments that they will be taking in the early weeks of the term. All the best to them as they embark on their last push with their revision and preparation! Year 12 will then quickly be moving on to A-level preparation for their final examinations in the summer of 2022. We also have a programme for Year 11 – a bridge between GCSE studies and the Sixth Form – so that they can use their time productively.

While certain aspects inevitably remain uncertain, we hope that the next term will see a period of stability as the country progressively emerges from this crisis.

In the meantime, my warm wishes go to all alumni.

Neil Enright

Headmaster

Connor Sandford has overcome low self-confidence, serious illness and a dramatic change of degree course before finding satisfaction in life.

Now a senior consultant at Deloitte, he spends his days helping major companies in the battle against hackers and IT fraudsters.

“I suppose the role has worked out perfectly for me,” Connor (OE 2007-2014) says, adding that, because of companies’ increased reliance on remote IT during the pandemic, he has probably been busier over the past year than over the previous two combined.

Connor’s is a story of triumph over adversity, which started early: “I initially found it very hard to adapt to school life at QE and I remember very clearly my parents coming in one evening to discuss behavioural issues with teachers when I was only a couple of months in to Year 7. It was strange because, knowing my mum and our family values, I was expecting her to be very angry and disappointed with me, but instead she had sympathy for me and asked me if I wanted to go to a new school.

“This was a different environment to what our family was used to, but I now realise my resilience in saying ‘no, I want to stay here’ made this perhaps the best decision I have ever made – and certainly the best for my future career prospects.”

In time, Connor found his feet at School and soon he was no longer in the bottom sets. “I gained the confidence that I wasn’t actually ‘lucky to be here’ with all these clever boys around me, but I actually deserved to be there. It took me until about Year 11 before I realised just how unique an environment this School was and how well it was set up to help us succeed.”

One area in which he thrived was rugby. “Like almost all the other boys, football was what I grew up playing, but I learned to love rugby and continued to play all through university. I remember my rugby coach Mr [Tim] Bennett and my other PE teachers, all of whom were a great support not only in rugby but in life. I certainly had my moments of misbehaviour in School, but the PE department helped to encourage me to get back on track. Maybe it was their words of wisdom about life, or maybe it was the prospect of missing out on captaining the School on a Saturday morning on the rugby field that got me back on track time and time again. It’s hard to say which helped more!”

Before his GCSEs, he had to face the trauma of catching meningitis, which led to him missing three months, including half his examinations. “I had lost weight and forgotten many things, including spelling the simplest of words – not the best thing when I was due to start English Literature A-level at the end of the summer. I also had migraines frequently that continue until today – but not as badly or frequently as when I was in Year 11 and 12.

“QE was fantastic at providing me all the home support I needed to complete my exams from home initially.” Despite the difficulties, he went on to do even better than his predicted grades.

“This gave me the confidence to keep going and achieve great grades in my A-levels as well. I have to thank all my teachers in those last two years, where I really think the level of education reached a new height.” He remembers boys “passionate about their chosen A-level subjects” making for “an incredible learning environment.” Connor adds: “I suppose I also have to thank my fellow classmates for encouraging new ways of thinking and essentially making me enjoy learning.”

“Having overachieved at A-level, I was excited to go to my first-choice option, CASS Business School, and start my Business Studies degree.”

A few months in, however, he realised that he was not enjoying his education as he had at QE, and, moreover, he was regretting not having the opportunity to follow his interest in fashion.

“I remember my Art A-level classes being the best escapes from other stresses during the week and I thrived with the guidance of Mr [Ashley] West and Mr [Stephen] Buckeridge.

“I got back in contact with Mr [David] Ryan at the School who dedicated time to helping me complete my new university application and offered kind words of support about my decision to change my career path. I always knew I wanted to do something more creative, and fashion management was the perfect option, ensuring that I got a worthwhile degree while also enjoying what I was studying.”

Connor went to Manchester, loving the change of scene from London. “I found that by doing something you are passionate about, it will always give you a better chance of succeeding. I completed my course, gaining a first-class degree and enjoyed the amazing university experiences I had, including continuing my rugby career for the University of Manchester team.”

Using what he was learning on his course, Connor started a bamboo sock business, intent on giving proceeds at the end of his time at university to a local homeless charity, coffee4craig, that had supported the fledgling company.

“The business was fun and relatively successful, but while I liked the business element, I had lost some passion for the product,” he says. And so, after graduating in 2018, his career path took another sharp turn, as Connor joined Deloitte and went into the technology sector. “Every cloud has a silver lining, and without the sock business, I wouldn’t have had to create a website and maintain the IT elements of the business – and that is where my interest in technology and risk was sparked.

“Essentially, I have always found it best to follow my instinct: if I like something, I say to myself ‘Go for it’, and if I don’t, ‘Stop’. Yes, there may be risks, but life is far too short not to do what you enjoy, so I firmly believe you should not continue to do something just because you had chosen to do it in the past, but instead you should adapt to what you want to do in the future.”

“I loved the change into the corporate world and I have especially loved the nature of the company that has supported me and taught me more about IT than I ever could have imagined back when I handed in my GCSE IT coursework in Year 10 – the last time I had studied the subject before I started my role here at 23, says Connor, now a Technology and Digital Risk Consultant with Deloitte, having recently had a promotion. “Unexpected things happen and it’s not wise to say ‘Never again’. You never know what opportunities will arise and how things in your life or your perspective and interests can change. I suppose the role has worked out perfectly for me.

“There is a growing need to ensure that businesses are reacting appropriately to new risks around fraud and security created by the online storage of data. That’s what my job involves on a daily basis. I perform testing and report on the risks for our clients due to their IT vulnerabilities or weaknesses. They can then use our findings to drive or shape improvements in their systems and minimise any security breaches in the future that could damage their reputation of earnings.”

The hacking of Microsoft’s servers by Chinese hackers in recent weeks is a high-profile example of the sort of incidents that Connor works to prevent among his clients, and he pointed to the damaging subsequent fall in Microsoft’s share price as one sign of how important good cyber security is.

“Not only have I learned a lot in a great environment since joining Deloitte, I have also had the opportunity to travel across Europe to see our clients, and I am look forward with some excitement to resuming that when COVID allows.

“I am now so comfortable and satisfied in life with my own home and a meaningful job. I live with my girlfriend, and at weekends, I spend time with my friends and with family – those who supported me through my time at QE.

“Before COVID, I still saw many other Old Elizabethans at weekly football sessions, but due to the virus and a combination of injuries and work, I have not had the opportunity to recommence these yet. I look forward to doing so in the near future, however.”