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School Captain Ivin Jose reports on how he has been spending his time since the virus-related restrictions hit.

“First and foremost, I have been prioritising my studies, at what would have been an important time of year in terms of AS exam preparation, completing the tasks set for me by my subject teachers and sticking, as much as possible, to my usual School timetable, to retain some semblance of order and routine.

Aside from the academics, I have been trying to use this ‘stay-at-home’ period to develop my extra-curricular skills, which are sometimes pushed to the sidelines during the normal School week. Thanks to the Music department, I have been able to transfer my violin lessons (which would usually happen at School with my teacher) on to Skype. This has enabled me to continue having lessons on a weekly, scheduled basis, and keep progressing to my goal of achieving Grade 7 in violin. A similar arrangement has been achieved with my piano teacher (with whom I used to have lessons outside of school). Sticking with Music I have also recently been told by Miss Grint [Caroline Grint, Graduate Assistant] that I have passed my Grade 5 theory exam with a strong merit, having sat the exam earlier this year. Fortunately, she has also taken the initiative to continue with our usual theory lessons in the Summer Term via tasks set through eQE.

In terms of super-curricular activities, I have used my spare time for reading around my subjects, both for academic purposes and for enjoyment. Currently I am reading: Your life in my hands: A Junior Doctor’s Story by Rachel Clarke, which is a powerful evocation of her life on the NHS frontline – a story particularly pertinent to, and resonant with, the current pandemic.

In order to supplement my AS subjects, I am reading:

• Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations: ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Harold Bloom
• Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress by Steven Pinker
• Biological Sciences Review and Chemistry Review magazines from the Philip Allan magazine series from the Library section of eQE.

Additionally, I now have more time to devote to my EPQ (which is on Preventive Medicine and its applications in the 21st century) and have therefore been doing research and reading into that. I am thinking of starting a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), but I have not yet decided what medical topic to do it on.

For pure enjoyment, I’ve delved back into one of my favourite childhood fiction series called His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman and started re-reading Northern Lights.

For the following weeks, I hope to carry on with my academic studies and my extra/super-curricular activities. Particularly, I will also be focusing on creating PowerPoints and activities for members of MedSoc (QE’s Medic Society, a Thursday lunchtime club I run with a few others). This is in response to the Clubs and Societies eQE page that Miss Grundy [Rebecca Grundy, Head of Extra-curricular Enrichment]  is planning to set up – a brilliant idea. Touching on my desire to go into medicine, in addition to my reading, I have started listening to the Royal College of Physicians’ RCP Medicine podcasts, which give in-depth analysis of certain medical conditions and diagnoses.

And, still with that career choice in mind, I’ve been really inspired by the heart-warming and heroic acts of selfless professionalism shown by all medical staff on the NHS frontline. Their courage and dedication to patient care, despite the risks to their own personal safety and well-being, never fails to touch my heart, and it has never been more apparent that they are fully deserving of every bit of gratitude and respect that the public are giving them at this difficult time.”

My name is Manomay Lala-Raykar and I am a Year 11 student, going into Year 12 this September. The announcement of school closures and exam cancellations has been a significant turning point for thousands like me.

The message did not come as much of a surprise, but it gave me a sense of foreboding. And though letting off exam stress was relieving, I did feel a bit deflated that we weren’t going to experience something that has been considered a rite of passage in British culture for so long. Many other Year 11 students nationwide would likely have echoed this sentiment.

The initial lack of clarity about how our grades would be decided resulted in some anxiety among my peers, but Ofqual soon assured all students that a variety of evidence would be used to produce a teacher-assessment grade, and I am confident that QE’s meticulous approach towards keeping an up-to-date record of our progress will mean the grades we are given are indeed a true reflection of the level we were on track to achieve. It is reassuring that exams will be available later, if students wish to raise their grades even further.

Home learning has always been a part of the QE experience, originally as an important supplement to the interactive classroom environment, and now at the forefront of our learning. This is where eQE comes in. Through its user-friendly, immersive and interactive interface, our virtual learning environment has offered unrivalled support – providing easily accessible resources for students, while keeping teachers in the know about our progress. It also allows us to fit our learning around other commitments. I’m glad that I can make use of eQE to guide me during these unusual times, a fitting new home for our world-class education.

We are close to finishing and consolidating the GCSE specification content for all our subjects. The transition to A-level in the subjects we are continuing with will begin soon, and the added time provides a huge opportunity to get a head start on bridging the considerable gap between GCSE and A-level. In due course, I also plan to take part in a few free MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that will help boost my transition to A-level.

Of course, with less intensive study comes extra personal time, which can be used productively to develop extra-curricular skills. To name one example, I have been pressing on with my study of the ancient Sanskrit language and its associated culture, including weekly Zoom meetings with other members of our group, and the added time has given me the capacity to take my study to an even higher level.

It’s easy to forget the vast world of independence waiting for us. I have been setting aside the time to research, and discuss with my family, information on the world of work. I am especially enjoying the discussion with my father on our daily walk: staying two meters apart doesn’t stop me from learning from, and remembering, every word of wisdom.

But before we can reap the huge benefits of such things, there is a massive hurdle to be overcome, that being self-discipline. In term-time, I have been trying to use my School timetable to support my home learning: completing work set, as well as further independent work for each subject, while also taking breaks so I don’t overwhelm myself. It also means that I have time to rest, spend time with my family and pursue my extra-curricular enrichment.

In the holiday period, I did take some time off to rest and relax, and spend time virtually with friends and extended family, but I also kept going with preparing for the changes in my life at Sixth Form and beyond.

While it’s important I remain up-to-date about the latest news and information regarding the coronavirus pandemic, I try not to spend too much time dwelling on it, so it doesn’t affect my mental health – and that would be one of my biggest recommendations.

I was recently hit hard by the news that a few people I am close to have likely been infected with coronavirus. I try to stay in contact with and take care of them through the gift of modern technology. I know they’ll be grateful, even if they can’t express it now.

I keenly await the moment I can walk back into School, greet friends and family, and go out into the wider world again. But for now, I think it’s important to rest assured that we are all in this together.

Sixty-five senior QE boys have enrolled on a coaching programme run by alumnus Kam Taj.

Kam (Kamran Tajbaksh, OE 2004–2011), a performance coach, inspirational speaker and author, will help the pupils through an online course supported by more than 100 videos and activities.

After taking a first in the Manufacturing Engineering tripos at Churchill College, Cambridge, Kam secured a job as a management consultant with a global firm. However, he had begun doing performance coaching work while still at university, and in 2016 left the consultancy world to concentrate fully on coaching and motivational speaking.

Thanking Headmaster Neil Enright and Assistant Head Michael Feven (Pupil Development) for their support, Kam said: “QE is consistently named as one of the best schools in the UK, and I’m confident that this course will be an asset to the students’ academic and personal development, especially during these uncertain times.”

Kam is, in fact, a regular visitor to QE. In recent years, he has led a motivational skills workshop for Year 12 boys and helps pupils with their Oxbridge preparations.

Mr Enright said: “I am pleased that so many of our boys are taking advantage of Kam’s expertise by signing up for his Exam Success Academy online programme. Kam is both an Elizabethan and a very gifted performance coach, and although there are, of course, no public examinations this year, I am sure that the principles the boys will learn on the course will stand them in good stead for the future.”

The programme focuses on eight principles: time management; mindset management; study tools & techniques; on-the-day performance; academic & personal support groups; sleep optimisation; physical activity & movement, and nutrition & hydration.

Kam had been due to visit the School last month to talk to Year 12 on Student Life at Oxbridge (discussing topics ranging from choosing a college, the academic intensity of Oxbridge, student life beyond academic matters, and common traps that students fall into in their first year), but the visit had to be shelved because of the Covid-19 restrictions.

It would have followed three workshops held earlier in the Spring Term and run by Mr Feven, as well as Head of Year 12 Helen Davies and Head of English Robert Hyland (both Oxford graduates), that were focused on providing Year 12 boys with advice on applying to Oxbridge. The workshops take place each year, although Kam’s talk was to have been a new addition to this programme.

Two Sixth Form teams devised innovative engineering solutions to workplace safety challenges and successfully presented them to the world’s largest health & safety organisation.

The presentations were part of this year’s QE submissions under the Engineering Excellence Scheme (EES). The Year 12 boys are hoping to follow in the illustrious footsteps of other QE EES teams of recent years whose inventions under the Engineering Project Challenges initiative have achieved regional and national success.

They gave their presentations to members of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH, a UK-based global chartered body for health & safety professionals), just before the COVID-19 social distancing measures were put in place The venue was UBM’s centre close to Blackfriars Bridge in London.

QE’s Head of Technology, Michael Noonan, said: “The teams had been set engineering challenges to work on by two major office fit-out companies, Morgan Lovell and Overbury. QE has achieved brilliant things in recent years in this initiative, and this year’s boys did not disappoint: after six months’ work, they came up with carefully thought-through solutions based on sound engineering principles. They then presented these ideas fluently and with some confidence to the assembled IOSH members and other guests.”

The Engineering Project Challenges started off with a project tour and introduction to site conditions and equipment by industry sponsors Overbury and Morgan Lovell, both part of the Morgan Sindall construction group.

After seeing demonstrations of equipment and operatives at work, the boys were charged with finding innovative solutions to two specific problems.

The Overbury team had the challenge of creating an easy-to-use, hand-held, non-intrusive tool to check if an electrical steel wired armoured cable is live. The team members are: Enoch Hitchcock, Yai Sagolsem, Pranay Surana and Ukendar Vadivel.

The Morgan Lovell team were tasked with making health & safety improvements to a portable band saw, including blade protection and extraction of dust, to ensure that users could cut material both safely and quickly. The blade protection had to be designed in such a way that it could be retrofitted to existing machines. The team comprises: Brandon Ionev, Thomas Mgbor, Kai Sethna and Hugh Westcott.

Both teams were required to undertake analysis through extensive research to find the best practical and innovative engineering methods, and to solve these challenges without involving excess manufacturing costs. They were assisted by their industry mentor, representing Overbury and Morgan Lovell, Health Safety & Wellbeing Manager Alex Wood.

In their 15-minute presentation, team leader Ukendar and his fellow team members working on the project with Overbury explained their solution – a device featuring a hinged clamp and a handle with red and green LEDs to indicate whether the cable being worked on was live or not. In a question-and-answer session with members, they confirmed that the device could readily be manufactured to accommodate different sizes of steel wired armoured cable.

The Morgan Lovell team explained that their guard could be easily and quickly fitted to a band saw in a busy workplace environment. Questioned as to why they had made it in opaque materials, they confirmed that this was just for the prototype and that production models could be made in transparent ABS plastic.

Overall, the objective of the challenges is to introduce young people to careers in the construction and building fit-out and office fit-out industries and to help them apply what they have learnt about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the classroom into the real world.

The two teams will be hoping to emulate the successes of predecessors, including a 2018 QE team who devised a stair-climbing robot for transporting large sheets of material up staircases on construction sites. This was Highly Commended in the Contribution to the Business Award at the Celebration and Assessment Day of the Engineering Excellence Scheme (EES). And in the year before that, a QE project for the EES – a helmet which warned construction workers when workplace noise was exceeding safe levels – was among the national engineering prize-winners at The Big Bang, the UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair.

In a video filmed for The Times newspaper, QE’s Head of Technology Michael Noonan explains how he is leading urgent work to 3D-print face shields ahead of a predicted UK peak to the COVID-19 virus in the next few days.

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Mr Noonan is spearheading a London-wide effort to 3D-print the Personal Protective Equipment.

And with QE’s own machines running around the clock and several pupils following suit on their home 3D printers, hundreds of face shields are currently being despatched from the School.

“We have material, we have manufacturing facilities, we have knowledge and skill and we have the ability to create sanitary environments, so we are putting our skill and all of our facilities into solving [the PPE shortage] problem right now,” Mr Noonan told the team from The Times when they visited to film him at work (while maintaining safe social distancing).

“And there are makers and engineers, designers, consultants and DT departments all over the country that have answered this call and that have pitched themselves into volunteering to help with this effort.”

The video explains how the face shields can be put together from two 3D-printed frame parts, combined with a transparent plastic shield and an elastic strap, or even a rubber band.

• Click here for more information on how Mr Noonan and the pupils got involved and on how the face shields are being distributed locally.
• Click here to support the fundraiser by 3DCrowd UK.