Five boys have been named as winners in a national languages competition – with three of them enjoying success in the contest for the second year in a row.
The five impressed judges with their entries for the European Day of Languages Competition, to which they were asked to submit an entry based on the theme, A Magical Trip. They were selected from among many hundreds of entries nationally.
Designed to encourage creativity, the annual competition allows entrants to submit work in any format of their choice, with the only stipulations being that it include a language other than English and that it be no larger than an A4 sheet of paper.
- Year 9 pupil Darren Lee’s entry was in the form of an article for French newspaper Le Monde, complete with his own drawing.
- Shyam Jayabal, of Year 9, produced a day-by-day account of a memorable week spent on holiday with friends in a caravan in Dorset.
- Vineeth Rajan, of Year 11, wrote his submission in not one but two foreign languages – French and Hindi.
- Anik Singh, of Year 7, took a whimsical look in German at the possibilities for a holiday.
- Chakshu Chopra, of Year 10, was more abstract, writing in German about how life is the most magical of all trips.
For Chakshu, Darren and Vineeth it was a repeat performance, since they were also winners last year.
Nationally, foreign languages at school have been in decline, but QE remains committed to language-learning. All boys take at least one GCSE in French, German or Latin, and all three of these languages are available at A-level.
There are extra-curricular options in Mandarin, Spanish and Ancient Greek. Some boys also study other languages outside school and there are many QE pupils who are native speakers in languages besides English.
The QE winners’ certificates were accompanied by a letter signed by the organisers. Steve Fawkes, Chair of the Association of Language Learning North East and René Koglbauer, Executive Director of the North Leadership Centre and Director of Network for Languages North East, wrote: “Once again, judges were impressed by the creativity with which pupils and students addressed the theme, alongside the imaginative and sometimes powerful use of language, humour, thoughtfulness and accuracy.”
QE also gained its own certificate and was commended for both the number and the quality of its entries. The winning boys are pictured above, accompanied by Languages teacher Rosie Hall.
Ivin, together with Senior Vice-Captains Guy Flint and George Raynor, lead a group that includes Vice-Captains, House Captains, Deputy House Captains and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Ambassadors.
A pastoral report on Guy Flint described him as a “very helpful, co-operative and confident young man”. His extra-curricular involvement has included water polo – a sport at which he has frequently represented QE in matches and competitions involving other schools. He is a keen musician, playing the piano and having sung with both the School Choir and Chamber Choir. He has also helped with the School’s Élite Maths groups, including regular mentoring of Year 8 boys.
He led a team of filmmakers, historians and programmers involved in the project, which reached thousands of users via the internet, radio, television, and mobile phones, as well as through analogue media such as postcards, lectures, and print. In addition, it was the first digital exhibition on the website of the new Austrian Museum of History in Vienna.
Following the success of the project during the 80th anniversary period last year, it was announced this year that it had won the European Heritage Award/Europa Nostra Award in the Education, Training and Awareness-Raising category. The project was one of only seven to be named as one of the awards’ Grand Prix.
“This project has used innovative media to cast new light on pivotal historical moments in which crucial political decisions were taken. Curiosity was the driving force that provoked this historical storytelling, evoking the collective memory of eyewitnesses. The project’s pioneering technology allows for the constructive mediation of historical events.”
This year, before the service began, Year 13’s Drew Sellis, who has won a Cambridge organ scholarship, took his place in the organ loft in Chipping Barnet Parish Church to perform pieces by Bach, Brahms and his own fantasia on Once in Royal David’s City.
Before the service, Old Elizabethans and VIP guests were invited to a reception at nearby Church House, at which they were entertained by the String Quartet.
Mr Enright also thanked the Reverend Chris Ferris, officiating at his final service for the School. Mr Ferris, who has served as a governor while in post as Rector, moves on from the parish at the end of the calendar year.
The Mayor of Barnet was represented by ward councillor (and former Mayor) David Longstaff. The Representative Deputy Lieutenant of the London Borough of Barnet, Martin Russell, was also in attendance.
The House Competition is, however, very broad, and involves many House challenges and special events: it was victory in the recent QIQE quiz competition that put Broughton in first place on 111 points, ahead of Harrisons’ on 110.
Among the biggest sources of points is Sports Day, which comes in the Summer Term, shortly before the overall winner of the House Competition is announced at a special assembly. In 2019, a strong performance at Sports Day helped Broughton overtake Pearce to claim their victory as the 2018–2019 top House.