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Sixth-former Mahdi Dhirani successfully undertook the longest bike ride of his life to raise money for an international charity.

Together with 35 other cyclists from his local community centre, Mahdi raised more than £31,000 by riding 56 miles from London to Brighton. He completed the distance in just over five hours.

Mahdi, of Year 13, said he was motivated by the desire both to give something back to society and to take on a personal challenge. “It was an opportunity to push myself, as well as being a chance to get to know more people within my community and spend some quality time with my dad, who also joined me on the ride.“

“It allowed me to break my limiting beliefs, as you need a strong mind to get over the steep hills.” The north-to-south route to the coast involves an elevation gain of 3,294ft. Overall, the ride and the preparation had proved an enjoyable and fulfilling experience, he said.

Mahdi trained for more than six weeks for the ride, cycling at least twice every week, whether on his own or with his group, Stanmore Jafferys.

“I cycled to Regents Park, Richmond Hill, Green Park and many other places in London, as well as a number of local routes around Hertfordshire. I took part in the Prudential London 2019 ride, which is an eight-mile ride around London’s most iconic landmarks; all the roads are closed, making it a fascinating adventure to see the landmarks on a bike.”

The money will go to WF-Aid’s Ali Asghar Water Appeal to provide clean water for disadvantaged families in developing countries. WF-Aid is part of the World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities.

QE pupils drew praise from faith experts and educationalists alike when they spoke at the launch of Barnet’s new Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and in presentations to local primary schools.

Sena Lai-Fujiwara and Vignesh Rajiv, of Year 9, and Saifullah Shah, of Year 13, who are all members of the long-running Faith Ambassadors project at QE, gave presentations on their faiths at the meeting of Barnet SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education) at Hendon Town Hall.

QE boys also spoke to primary school pupils as part of the project, which has now been running at the School for some years. It involves pupils of different faiths working together to produce a short presentation on some aspect of their faith, which they then deliver in primary schools as part of QE’s community outreach work.

After the presentations at the SACRE meeting, the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Caroline Stock, was keen to discuss the project with the trio and to congratulate them on their work, while a letter sent subsequently to Headmaster Neil Enright brought fresh messages of congratulation.

The joint letter from Dr Anna Sallnow, a Religious Education consultant representing the local authority, and Kevin McSharry, Chair of Barnet SACRE, said: “It was quite a daunting task to speak in front of such a distinguished audience. However, your students rose to the challenge magnificently. They spoke with clarity, enthusiasm and understanding… [and] listened respectfully while other participants spoke. They all showed how much they enjoy their RE lessons and the importance of being religiously literate in our ever-changing world.”

QE’s Head of Philosophy, Religion and Society, Jack Robertson, said: “The Faith Ambassadors project gives our boys an opportunity to share with others details of their faith which they are passionate about, while at the same time working on their presentation skills. Primary pupils then get to hear about a particular religion from a QE student’s personal perspective, which can greatly enrich their understanding of a religion.

“Barnet is one of the most religiously diverse boroughs in England, and the make-up of QE’s Faith Ambassadors reflects this diversity: this year, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh pupils all participated in the project, visiting schools in Barnet and Finchley.

Faith Ambassadors Saifullah Shah and Ben Domb (Year 13) spoke afterwards about their experiences, with Saifullah stating that it had been “a golden opportunity that enabled us to inspire others” and Ben saying it had been “a rewarding process [that] allowed me to explore my religion in a way that I hadn’t thought about before”.

QE’s new robotics suite is already proving a major hit with the boys, after being opened at the start of term.

The dedicated facility in the Technology corridor has been created in a large former changing room and fully equipped to help young roboteers develop their skills.

It is expected that QE will field a record number of robotics teams – possibly as many as ten – in the 2019-2020 season, so the room is constantly busy before and after school, as well as at breaktimes and lunch.

This will be only the fourth year in which QE has been involved in the VEX robotics competitions, yet the School has very quickly made its mark on the world stage. In 2017, two teams won places at the international finals in Kentucky at the first attempt; in 2018, QE became the first-ever UK school to win a world title, and last academic year a record four junior VEX IQ) and one senior (VEX EDR) teams picked up a string of awards in the US, with one becoming the first UK team ever to reach the competition’s Teamwork Challenge finals.

QE’s Head of Technology teacher Michael Noonan said: “Enthusiasm for robotics here is extremely strong, so we are delighted to be able to offer the boys a dedicated facility, which includes the School’s first permanent EDR field as well as two raised permanent IQ fields.

“We’re all looking forward to another great year of competition nationally and, hopefully, internationally,” added Mr Noonan, who won the Teacher of the Year Award at last year’s UK VEX robotics finals in Telford.

In addition to the new IQ and EDR fields, the suite features:

• A new smartboard for displaying real-time game information;
• Six desktop computers for CAD and Design applications
• A breakout space with two whiteboards, to spur creative discussions
• A library of books, resources and past designs
• Ample storage space
• Wireless internet
• And a display area for QE’s rapidly growing collection of trophies!

QE Connect, a new interactive online platform for alumni and other supporters of the School, has now been launched.

A bespoke social and professional network, it helps old boys stay connected with the School and each other, while allowing them to access new contacts and career opportunities. Furthermore, QE Connect makes it easy for alumni to support current boys at the School in a wide range of different ways.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “I am thrilled to be able to announce the launch of QE Connect and pleased to see that our OEs are quick off the mark: many have already signed up!

“When a boy starts at the School he becomes an Elizabethan for life: QE Connect is about enhancing and celebrating that association, recognising that we all benefit when we assist each other. It seems especially appropriate that we have launched QE Connect during a week in which more than 3,000 boys are sitting our entrance exam for places in Year 7 next year. Built on the bedrock of the enduring friendships formed by boys while they are pupils, our community spans the generations: the ‘QE experience’ starts early and continues long after pupils leave here and go on to university and into their chosen careers.”

In recent years, alumni engagement with the School has been expanding rapidly, as Old Elizabethans generously contribute their time, expertise and money in a whole host of ways. QE will streamline this process, making it straightforward for every alumnus to get involved in whatever way he chooses, and at a level of time commitment that is appropriate for him.

“We aspire for our boys to go to the world’s leading universities and to have the best careers,” the Headmaster added. “Through QE Connect, our alumni and other supporters can help us give pupils every advantage while they are here, including access to the latest resources, the best facilities and the finest brains.”

Ways in which they can assist include: work experience placements; internships both for sixth-formers and for recent leavers; university application and ‘personal statement’ advice; Mock interviews, including the annual University Mock Interview Evening in October; careers advice; giving talks and lectures; reviewing CVs; help at events, and financial support through the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s (FQE) Giving to QE campaign.

The Headmaster added: “Many of our pupils are the first generation in their families to go to university and on into professional careers; they do not have the network of family and other connections typically enjoyed by pupils from fee-paying schools. QE Connect will assist the School in broadening boys’ horizons and in overcoming this gap by putting them in touch with their predecessors at the School.

“My appeal is for all Old Elizabethans to get involved and ‘give something back’: by doing so, they are exemplifying the School’s longstanding tradition and ethos of service to others and philanthropy.”

Just a few examples of Old Elizabethans who are actively engaged in supporting the School include:

• Akashi Gandhi (2005-2012), a junior doctor in Harrow, who helps aspiring Sixth Form medics with their UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) preparations and was the Guest of Honour at this year’s QE Junior Awards Ceremony;
• Neil Madhvani (1992-1999), a Switzerland-based Global Service Manager with investment bank UBS, who assists QE through regular financial donations;
• Kane Evans (2003-2010), who, since reading History at Cambridge, has forged a career in research and strategic planning, first at Manchester United FC and now with Formula 1. A regular participant in QE events, such as our Year 11 Careers Convention, he was the guest speaker at the 2017 Elizabethan Union Dinner Debate.

Boys from both ends of the School were plunged into intensive language-learning during a week at a château in Normandy.

Forty of last year’s Year 7 pupils enjoyed a range of fun activities at the Château de la Baudonnière, near Avranches, with all the instructions for these – and for mealtimes – given in French.

Ten Year 12s also made the summer trip, during which they completed work experience placements designed to boost their language skills, such as working in a restaurant, where they were expected to take the orders and converse with customers. In addition, they helped the château’s ‘animateurs’ (activity leaders).

Languages teacher Rebecca Grundy said: “We aim for a completely immersive experience to give the boys some intensive help with their language-learning, while making sure they learn something of the culture and history of Normandy and France.”

The activities at the château site enjoyed by the Year 7 boys included raft-building, tackling an assault course, practising archery, playing aeroball and climbing. They spent time feeding animals at a farm, tried some traditional delicacies, including snails, and learned about making cider, or ‘cidre’, a popular drink in the region.

On a day out, the younger boys visited two Norman cities of historical importance, Arromanches and Bayeux.

At Bayeux, they saw the famous tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

And in Arromanches, they went to a 360-degree cinema to learn about the importance of World War II’s D-Day to the region, also walking the beaches that were the sites of the D-Day landings on 6th June 1944.