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With theatres across the land closed because of Covid-19, QE boys revelled in a rare chance to see live drama as part of this year’s Shakespeare Schools Festival.

Year 9 Drama Club members performed an abridged version of Hamlet – and thanks to QE’s year group bubble system, their entire year were able to watch the performance in the Main School Hall.

Afterwards, Assistant Head (Pupil Involvement), Crispin Bonham-Carter, praised the cast for putting on such an engaging production: “They told the story clearly, and it was genuinely moving. Something we will all treasure.”

The boys have spent weeks preparing for the Shakespeare School Festival (SSF). Their work included a special workshop before half-term led by Brian Mullin, an Artistic Associate with the Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (the organisation which runs the festival) and Gavin Molloy, of RM Drama (the company which provides drama direction for the School).

In normal years, QE boys join other schools to give their abridged performances at a special SSF evening at the Arts Depot in Finchley.

This year, it had originally been planned to live-stream performances, but in the end it was decided simply to have the boys perform live at the School, with Mr Bonham-Carter filming them.

Before the performance, Mr Bonham-Carter circulated a PowerPoint presentation to help tutors explore with their groups the famous revenge tragedy set in Denmark, which in its full form is Shakespeare’s longest play. He outlined the complex plot, which revolves around Prince Hamlet and his fluctuating desire for revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother.

Mr Bonham-Carter urged the boys to consider questions exploring the key themes of the play, including grief, madness and vengeance, and the complex, multi-faceted characters.

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most quoted plays, with famous quotations including:

• Neither a borrower nor a lender be
• Something is rotten in the state of Denmark
• There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
  Than are dreamt of in our philosophy
• Brevity is the soul of wit
• Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t
• To be or not to be, that is the question
• The lady protests too much, methinks
• Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest
• Goodnight, sweet prince,
  And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!

On the day of the performance, which replaced a Year 9 English lesson, Mr Bonham-Carter introduced the occasion, saying that Hamlet is a “play for us all”.

He pointed out that, with theatres nationwide currently lying empty, the audience was very lucky to be able to see actors take to the stage live.

Mr Molloy, who directed Hamlet, said the play had received a great reception from the boys. The audience clearly enjoyed the bloody final fight scene, in which the young Danish Lord, Laertes, kills Hamlet in revenge for the deaths of his father and sister, only then to die himself, having been wounded with the same poisoned sword.

The actors were given a hearty round of applause by their classmates at the end.

“I am so proud of the boys, taking on this epic story and really making it their own,” said Mr Molloy.

Year 12 pupils have thrown themselves into work experience placements this term, determined not to allow coronavirus restrictions to rob them of valuable opportunities.

Many boys have completed placements during the half-term holiday and since – either in the workplace or as virtual placements online – often building on previous work experience undertaken during the summer holidays.

The Year 12 boys have also taken advantage of special career-related programmes, such as the EtonX Critical Thinking course, one of the programme of online self-study courses currently being offered free of charge to state schools by Eton College and the cyber security courses devised by the Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Head of Year Simon Walker said: “Many of the placements that our Year 12 students worked hard to organise in the previous academic year had to be cancelled due to the lockdown; online work experience has therefore been an important alternative means of enabling them to develop their understanding of workplaces and workplace skills.

“Students have often had to show perseverance and resilience in order to organise and undertake work experience placements successfully – so the process itself has also been valuable, as it has helped students to develop vital soft skills.

“We are grateful to a number of organisations who, during the first lockdown and since, swiftly developed online versions of, or alternatives to, the in-person work experience programmes they usually run or facilitate – organisations like Young Professionals, S4S [Speakers for Schools] and InvestIN have not only equipped many of our students with valuable knowledge and skills, but have also given a boost to their morale at an especially welcome time.”

Mark Markov was among a number of Year 12 boys who had placements in the medical sphere: he spent four days of his half-term break on virtual work experience with the William Harvey Research Institute (pictured top), partnered with Barts Hospital, and was one of around approximately 20 other sixth-formers selected from over 200 applicants.

“It was an eye-opening experience into the careers which follow on from a study of biomedical sciences in the world of clinical research, with talks from distinguished professors, consultants and PhD students about their career journey and motivations. These included internationally recognised expert in nephrology Prof Magdi Yaqoob, senior lecturer and consultant cardiologist Dr Vikas Kapil, and Dr Shafaq Sikandar, performing postdoctoral research into neuropharmacology – to name just a few.”

On other days, he was part of smaller groups learning about laboratory skills and mechanisms from a researcher at the institute. “The interactive nature of this made it some of the most enlightening laboratory work experience I have done,” said Mark. The picture here shows a slide used to explain the theory behind some of the laboratory work.

On the third day of the work experience, he was individually responsible for questioning and preparing a real clinical trials candidate, including taking a medical and personal history. “This was an extraordinary experience, and … taught me a lot about bedside manner, patient confidentiality, and proper conversation in a medical setting.”

He heard talks from current PhD students and more senior researchers on their work and on new medical tools that are currently being adopted nationally. “These specialist talks also allowed me to affirm the theoretical knowledge I will need to progress in my studies past my A-Levels.”

Siddhant Kansal spent a weekend on a placement with InvestIN, a London-based organisation aiming to provide young people with an experience of some of the world’s most competitive industries.

“We received talks from experts in their fields who told us about the different types of Medicine, the different postgraduate degrees available and how to get into universities to study Medicine. Digitally, we were led through a series of computer simulations of different dilemmas encountered in the medical field, as well as what to do when we first approach a patient. We also had the chance to do some group discussions on the ethical concerns in Medicine, such as legalisation of recreational drugs which may have unexplored medical benefits.

“I enjoyed the weekend, as it was a fully immersive experience, despite the fact that it was done over Zoom. The people delivering the talks were also all highly qualified and accomplished doctors and professors in their fields, and so it was great to see where each career path could take you.”

Angath Makan physically attended his work experience during the half-term holiday at a GP’s surgery. “This was allowed as we weren’t in quarantine,” he said. He shadowed both the doctor and a nurse, watching the nurse complete blood tests and syringing patients’ ears. “I also watched the GP take calls and also saw how a GP worked and how they interacted with patients.”

Angath also undertook some online career training. This was in a very different field – the NCSC’s CyberFirst Futures course, which introduces participants to advanced practical features of cyber security by developing their understanding of cyber-attacks through exploring the reasoning and motivation of common attacks. By completing the course successfully, Angath earned an accreditation with the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

“I just found it interesting and wanted to see what a computer job would look like,” said Angath. “We would join a Zoom call every day and go through PowerPoints and small tests and quizzes.”

Two Old Elizabethans visited the School in person for a Covid-compliant celebration of International Men’s Day.

Jamie Sherman and Arjun Goswami talked about their experiences as members of the LGBTQ+ community, while also fielding questions from current sixth-formers.

In their replies, they covered how legislation and attitudes have changed since they were at School, with neither feeling that being members of the LGBTQ+ community has held them back, although Arjun (OE 2001–2008) argued that the presence of “systemic homophobia” in society and in boys’ schools can lead to stigma, which in turn causes mental health issues.

They spoke to an in-person audience in QE’s Conference Centre comprising  some senior prefects, including the Equality, Diversion & Inclusion Ambassadors, while the event was live-streamed to tutor rooms across Years 9–13.

Afterwards, Jamie (OE 2002–2009) said: “It’s great to be back at QE and to catch up with everyone. Thank you for having us and letting us speak about LGBTQ+ issues. It’s fantastic to see the School pushing this conversation.”

Michael Feven, Assistant Head (Pupil Development), said: “I am hugely grateful to Jamie & Arjun for talking to the boys so honestly and openly about their experiences in this way. With the development of Perspective, our new student-led area of the School’s eQE online learning platform, and an ongoing review of our Personal Development Time curriculum, important conversations such as these are rightfully becoming an increasingly embedded part of life at QE”.

International Men’s Day, which was first celebrated in 1994, is promoted as an occasion to celebrate boys’ and men’s achievements and contributions, with an emphasis on promoting male role models. This year’s international theme was Better Health for Men and Boys.

Jamie is an Associate with a legal firm. He identifies as gay, ‘coming out’ when he was 24, but not feeling able to do so whilst at School. Arjun (OE 2001-08) is a qualified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, and identifies as Queer/Pansexual; Arjun was keen to share his perspectives as a person of colour.

They presented slides giving some definitions of gender, sexuality and attraction. Much of the time, however, was devoted to answering questions, including the following:

What was your experience of realising you were gay whilst at School?

• Arjun; Being BAME (Black And Minority Ethnic) and at a boys’ school had made it even harder when trying to figure myself out – being called ‘gay’ was used as an insult. When I eventually came out, my family who are Hindu and liberal, was fine, but I have friends from other cultures who struggled to come out.
• Jamie: I realised I was gay at 14, but felt isolated at School, like something was wrong with me. I spent ten years ‘in the closet’, which took a massive psychological toll. [He referenced Section 28, the law which at that time made it illegal for schools to promote homosexuality]. It is a ‘fantastic development’ that talks like today can now happen in schools – it’s a completely different environment now.

What is it like being in the LGBTQ+ community as an adult?

• Arjun: When I was at School, I was worried about how my life would be as an adult, and actually I found it was totally fine. When I came out, I didn’t lose any friends, I became more confident, and found my sexuality (being pansexual i.e. attracted to an individual  person, regardless of their gender/sexuality) didn’t hinder any area of my life – it was the opposite of what I had expected. The aim of today is normalising the idea that it’s fine to just be yourself – the barriers are less than before. And there is comfort in the fact that being LGBTQ+ is actually a protected characteristic under the Human Rights Act – it is illegal to discriminate [against LGBTQ+].
• Jamie: When the illusion of what society expects hits you – i.e. that you will grow up to have a wife and kids in the traditional way – that can be scary; but the reality is in contrast to what you expect. I have a male partner, I have friends and family, many of my friends are from School, we do everything that others do, we have the same holidays and social connection – I realise that the difference was all in my head. There is such a push for diversity and inclusion in all areas now. There was this notion that being LGBTQ+ will hold you back, but it’s just not an issue.

How does being LGBTQ+ impact your mental health?

• Arjun: There can be systemic homophobia in society and in boys’ schools – being heterosexual is what is expected. This can lead to low mood, low self-esteem, identity issues and anxiety – the fear of judgement. The biggest cause of death in males 16-25 years is suicide; being LGBTQ+ and BAME brings additional factors. 1 in 4 in the wider community have mental health issues – it is estimated this number grows to 1 in 3 within the LGBTQ+ community – due to the stigma. The message is to be respectful, be inclusive.

Does it hold you back, do people accept you?

• Arjun: Actually, it has made me more confident in who I am. To my face, I’ve not had much discrimination at all. My mum struggled the most, being from an Indian background; her biggest fear was that others would judge the family – but she’s not worried now.
• Jamie: In my first job in an office there was so much to take in, so I didn’t come out. I thought it would hold me back – but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. When I came out people just didn’t care – it’s just not a big deal any more.

Arjun said later:  “It has been lovely to have spoken at QE, a school very special to me, … about a very important issue that is integral to embracing equality and acceptance for all.”

While coronavirus restrictions have forced the cancellation of the School’s normal Year 11 Careers Convention, QE has ensured boys do not miss out in this challenging time by giving them opportunities to join a series of internal and external special events.

The centrepiece of the careers programme was a day-long virtual convention for Year 11 in their form groups, with six video sessions featuring speakers on topics ranging from entrepreneurship to cyber-technology.

Assistant Head (Pupil Progress) Sarah Westcott said: “We tried to replicate the experience students usually get at the Careers Convention, where they meet representatives of different professions one to one, albeit this year it had to be done virtually. The aim was for them to hear not only about the sectors these professionals work in, but also about the challenges faced by young people entering the work place and the need to be flexible in terms of outlook and skills.

“It is important that QE students take the opportunity to develop their personal attributes as well as their academic ones in order to be as attractive to employers as possible. The Covid crisis has highlighted the fragile nature of some employment sectors, and it is important we equip our students with all the skills they will need in the future,” added Dr Westcott.

Organisations represented during the day included Google, KPMG, Cass Business School and Rakuten, the electronic commerce and online retailing company. The speaker for the final session, on engineering, was Old Elizabethan Karan Dewnani (2006–2013), who has enjoyed a successful career as a civil engineer after graduating with a Master’s degree in Civil and Structural Engineering from Sheffield in 2017. Karan, who is pictured, top, on the big screen, recently took up a post with global professional services consultancy, WSP.

Reflecting on all the sessions afterwards, Dr Westcott said: “The overwhelming take-home message from all of our speakers has been: ‘Do what you love, and a fulfilling career will follow!’”

The virtual convention was preceded by another careers event for Year 11 – a virtual assembly given by ASK (the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge for Schools and Colleges programme), a Government-supported body whose focus is promoting alternative routes to degrees through work.

These programmes mean a student gets a degree paid for by an employer, on-the-job experience and a boost to their career from the moment they finish their A-levels.

“The aim of the virtual assembly was to demystify what an ‘apprenticeship’ is and explain to the boys how they can access on-the-job degree programmes with a diverse range of companies and organisations, such as PWC, EY, the NHS, Ministry of Defence, BBC, BAE, Army, Cisco and KPMG,” said Dr Westcott.

There was also a special careers initiative offered to a limited number of sixth-formers, which began with a Careers Accelerator virtual assembly fed into all the Year 12 classrooms using Zoom. Career Accelerator was established in 2017 by social entrepreneur Mayur Gupta, who says: “My goal is to help shape a world where hard-working young people from diverse backgrounds are empowered to realise their full potential and become the future leaders of society.”

Dr Westcott said: “This is a mentoring initiative for Year 12 students with companies from across the digital sector – a brilliant opportunity to expose them to professions they may not have considered within the digital sector and get work experience in companies such as Google, Vodafone, Just Eat, Cisco and LinkedIn, alongside exciting tech start-ups. They will also benefit from advice on CVs, interviews and networking. The programme aims to level the playing field, opening up such careers to young people from all walks of life.”

Following the assembly, boys completed competitive applications to secure one of around 20 places available to QE on the programme in the Spring Term.

Those who successfully secure places will take part in at least three one-hour virtual mentoring sessions to help them prepare for their future careers.

Experts have been helping QE A-level students see the exciting topical applications of their subjects in the real world in a series of lectures streamed into the School.

Sixth-formers have already enjoyed stimulating day-long sessions on Medicine in Action, Chemistry in Action, Product Design in Action and Geography in Action, with a similar event for Biology due to take place in December.

The training days are run by The Training Partnership, the leading provider of external educational study days in the UK, and would normally be held in London, but are this year being conducted remotely because of Covid-19.

QE’s Head of Technology, Michael Noonan, said that the Product Design A-level students, and even a couple of “enthusiastic non-subject specialists”, enjoyed a “superb day” of lectures. “Favourite amongst the talks attended by students was Pioneering aeronautical innovation by Sam Rogers – an aeronautical engineer working in product development for Gravity Industries, a company who are currently developing a jetpack suit.”

One of the pupils attending, Paul Ofordu, of Year 12, said: “It was amazing to see the application of prototyping, testing and iterative design in such a high-end product development project.”

The Resourcefulness and design lecture, delivered by Kingston University Senior Lecturer Pascal Anson, stimulated a practical activity, pictured. “Here we see some examples of structures which were resourcefully developed by the students using VEX IQ and EDR Robotics game elements – great thinking on their feet!” added Mr Noonan.

Chemistry students gathered in the Main School Hall to hear engaging contributions from speakers who ranged from Andrea Sella, a synthetic chemist and broadcaster, talking about mercury – “the most beautiful element in the periodic table and the most reviled” – to marine engineer Hayley Loren exploring whether nuclear fusion could provide the solution to the world’s energy issues.

Julia Lister, QE’s Head of Chemistry, said: “The engaging Chemistry in Action lectures covered an array of topics. Streaming these lectures took students from key concepts to cutting-edge science and future directions across many applications of the subject.”

The Geography lectures were similarly wide-ranging. One talk, entitled Lessons in sustainability: An explorer’s tale, was by Jason Lewis, the first person to circumnavigate the earth without using motors or sails. Another featured academic Martin Evans, from the University of Manchester, speaking on Landscape Systems in the Anthropocene. And Emily Parry, Head of Geography, highlighted lectures on water insecurity and on how COVID-19 has impacted the Pacific Islands.

“The boys enjoyed the talks, which both built up content covered in their A-level course and extended their knowledge on a range of issues facing the planet,” she said.

“Each lecture was followed with a Q&A session in which the boys could send in questions to the lecturer. Often questions focused around what young people themselves could do to help address some of the issues explored such as climate change, river pollution and how we choose a sustainable future.”

Head of Biology Gillian Ridge said that after the forthcoming Biology in Action day, boys who attend will be invited to give a series of lunchtime presentations to the rest of their year based on the talks.