Viewing archives for

George the Poet is enlivening TV screens this autumn with appearances in both the public and private spheres.

George Mpanga (OE 2002–2009), a keen advocate of social justice, investigated how and why the capital’s poor residents are losing out as council homes disappear in the first of this month’s Inside Out London programmes on BBC1. He also stars in a new commercial reflecting on the wonder of Planet Earth and the transitory nature of human life.

The half-hour primetime BBC programme presented by George looked at the effects of the widespread loss of council homes as many London councils redevelop their estates, often forcing residents – “families like mine,” said George – to move out of their communities.

He highlighted the policies behind the problem and spoke to a number of residents affected by it. The programme included interviews with people involved in active resistance to the redevelopments, while also exploring some more community-friendly alternatives.

In his closing remarks, George concluded: “Redevelopment does not have to end this way, with former tenants displaced, neighbourhoods gentrified. Redevelopment can actually empower communities, but for that to happen, we need to ensure this beautiful city does not lock out the very people who make it what it is.”

The programme is available on the BBC iPlayer until 9th October.

In O2’s new advertising campaign, George performs a poem for a TV commercial entitled Breathe It All In which celebrates our existence and the planet we live on.

During the 90-second advertisement, George reflects on both the wonder and the transience of human life: “Life is a miracle. Out of all the planets and all the solar systems, ours was the one to support our whole existence. Ours is abundant in sustenance. Not too close or far from the Sun, just enough distance. Ours are the lungs that can make use of oxygen. Breathe it in and get high on life like an intoxicant. We’re all interconnected, everything that happens, all things that affect it. We’re born alone, but we walk into collectives and every experience falls into perspective when you see that this planet is yours to explore. See, we leave our mark and the people we affect, the memories we make when we speak and we connect, the feelings we share, the secrets we pretend, the strength and the weakness we project. Our time here is like a drop in the ocean. Ups, downs and a lot of emotion, but you’re still here to see the morning. Life’s for the taking. Breathe it all in.”

The background music in the advert is the 2015 track Loud Places by English electronic music producer Jamie xx, with vocals from Romy Madly Croft. An excerpt from another Jamie xx track, Hold Tight, features in the Inside Out London current affairs documentary.

George took up a place at King’s College, Cambridge, to read Politics, Psychology and Sociology after his A-levels. His first poetry collection, Search Party, was published in 2015. He has since gained a high profile, performing: before the Queen in Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day; at the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup, and to a worldwide television audience as part of the coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding earlier this year.

Over the past couple of years, Jonathan Gunaseelan has done innovative fundraising for UNICEF, taught children in Tanzania, Cardiff and London and helped develop a water filtration system for first-nation Canadians.

All these opportunities, and others besides, have come about through Warwick University, where Jonathan (OE 2008–2015) is now completing his Civil Engineering degree.

“Warwick has provided me with an incredible platform to excel in both engineering and general life. Being the university with the highest number of societies for students to get involved with, you’re always busy and always meeting new people!

“Being a part of a campus university was something I was sceptical about before joining Warwick. But it’s like living in a little bubble where you know so many of the people, you get close with everyone very quickly!”

He recently returned to the UK after an exchange year in Canada, where he studied at Western University in Ontario. “Canada was incredible to say the least; a proper leap out of my comfort zone and a test of independence! I undertook several group projects, perhaps the most interesting being the development of a water filtration system for first-nation communities. Another project was a pavement design, as well a truss structure.

“Beyond academics, I was heavily involved with UNICEF and organised a fundraising initiative called FAST24 (a sponsored fast), which became a huge success.” There is now even talk of it becoming a national UNICEF campaign in Canada, Jonathan reports. “I got the opportunity to talk to the CEO of UNICEF Canada [David Morley, pictured left] and was invited to their annual AGM.”

In addition, he was involved in cultural societies and represented the university in dance performances in Toronto.

Jonathan has also taken part in the Insight Programme, which is part of Government’s Teach First initiative – “another amazing opportunity”.

After an initial week of training, personal development and workshops in London, he and his fellow trainees spent a week in Wales teaching at the Hawthorn High School near Pontypridd. “We got a hands-on approach to teaching and to tackling issues which teachers face every day!”

Between Canada and Teach First, Jonathan spent six weeks in Tanzania as part of Warwick University’s Warwick in Africa programme.

He spent this period at Mtwara Technical Secondary School in the city of Mtwara in the south-east of the country. Like QE, it is a selective school. It was a memorable experience, he says, during which he was struck by the lack of resources. “The painful part was that all the children were so keen to learn but didn’t have books.”

As he enters his fourth year at Warwick, Jonathan is looking forward to serving as a Team Leader, managing a group of undergraduate student helpers working to ensure that new students are happy and comfortable.

Through completing Teach First, and upon completion of its Insight Programme, he has received an offer to take part in the two-year Leadership Development Programme to become a fully qualified teacher.

“As for my longer-term ambitions, I am currently taking one hurdle at a time. I have my dissertation and group project this year, on the development of busways for megacities and the development of a new building worth £500m. I hope to dive further into either of these fields once I graduate, within construction or transportation.”

He maintains close friendships with a number of Old Elizabethans. “It’s amazing how all our lives have gone in different paths yet we always come back together to fill each other in, catch up and have a good laugh! Top tip to current students: forget quantity, and look for those few special friendships you form at QE that will come with you forever!”

Stapylton emerged as winners from the Year 7 House afternoon – an event designed as an enjoyable ice-breaker for the School’s youngest boys.

The reigning champion House and holder of the Eric Shearly Memorial Cup, Stapylton’s prospects for the new academic year were immediately enhanced by its new cohort’s victory.

Head of Extra-Curricular Enrichment Rebecca Grundy said, however, that the event, which came at the end of the first week of term, is primarily aimed at helping all the new boys get to know each other and learn about the key role that the House system plays in QE life.

“In order that they get to know more of their peers, we get them to work in close collaboration within their Houses on a number of competitive tasks against the clock.”

Alongside quizzes and word-searches, there was the challenge of trying to build the tallest self-supporting tower out of nothing but ordinary drinking straws and Sellotape. With only a short amount of time at their disposal, boys had to formulate a plan and execute it – finding a balance between, on the one hand, making it tall enough to be in with a chance of victory and, on the other, ensuring that it was stable enough to be free-standing and so avoid disqualification.

“It was fevered and, at times, frantic, but the boys all seemed very engaged in their attempts to win their first points for their House,” said Miss Grundy, who organised and led the afternoon. “Stapylton won both the tower challenge and the word-search, helping them to overall victory, with Underne in second place.”

A visit to a chateau in rural Normandy offered boys at both ends of the School the opportunity to throw themselves into French language and culture.

The 50-strong group, comprising mostly pupils from the current Year 8 together with a smaller number of Year 13 boys, spent a week based at the Château de la Baudonnière, near Avranches, on a trip organised by the Languages department.

The younger boys consolidated a year of language-learning, seizing the chance to practise their conversation skills with native speakers. The range of team-building activities provided meant the trip also helped the boys make new friends and deepen existing friendships.

For their part, the sixth-formers undertook work-experience placements in locations including a bakery, restaurant and shop.

Head of Extra-Curricular Enrichment Rebecca Grundy said: “We took a day out to see the Bayeux tapestry and the D-Day beaches, while the boys also watched a film about the Allied landings in June 1944 at a 360-degree cinema.”

The activities undertaken by the younger boys included rock-climbing, archery, raft-building and tackling an assault course, while there were also French lessons during the week.

QE’s Geography department has received a prestigious award in recognition of the excellence of teaching and learning in the subject at the School.

The Geographical Association announced that QE is among a select group of schools from across the country to receive the Secondary Geography Quality Mark (SGQM) for 2018–21.

QE previously won the award in 2015 and had recently submitted detailed evidence in the hope of having it renewed. In response, the association’s Moderator Justin Woolliscroft and the National Moderation Team gave QE’s Geography team a glowing report: “Your students are very fortunate to have access to a rich and varied curriculum allied with such a committed teaching team. It is clear that you are very proactive in a wide range of areas spreading good practice through your activities.

“Geography provision is clearly extremely strong and we are delighted to confirm the SGQM award for a further three years.”

The award recognises quality and progress in Geography leadership, curriculum development and learning and teaching in schools.

QE’s Head of Geography Emily Parry said: “The department are proud to have received this award in recognition of the high-quality geographical education delivered here. We strive to provide an engaging and topical curriculum.”

Rebecca Kitchen, GA Curriculum Manager, said: “The SGQM enables schools to focus critically on what they are doing and why, in order to provide their young people with the knowledge and understanding they need to live in the modern world.”

The moderators’ report singled out a number of areas for special praise: “The need for refreshed and revised curricula for both KS4 [Key Stage 4] and KS5 have understandably been an important focus for the department, and it is good to read that these have been accepted very positively by the students and that the new schemes are now influencing what is offered at Key Stage 3. We like the challenge offered through the extended homework essays which clearly support the students in becoming more independent, so helping them with the demands placed upon them at GCSE and beyond.”

The report also lauded the department’s:

• “Continuing collaborative work” with the University of Hertfordshire and the Prince’s Teaching Institute
• “Important role” in hosting the World Wise quiz for local schools – an annual Geography competition
• Fieldwork, which “remains a strength, with numerous exciting opportunities offered to your students”.