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Both QE teams have qualified for the final, global round of the World Economics Cup – with ‘Team 2’ coming first and  ‘Team 1’ second in Europe.

Their success in the continental round and, before that, at the national round, comes in the first year that QE boys have entered the competition.

The boys, now in Year 13, found the opportunity themselves and entered on their own initiative, with the School then supporting them by negotiating down the cost of entry, given QE’s status as a state school.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “The results, announced recently, reveal the quite remarkable success of our young economists: this is a huge achievement. I offer my congratulations to both teams. They should be especially commended on their dedication: with their continental round taking place during the summer holidays, the boys had to collaborate digitally, and that involved lots of Zoom calls, one reportedly going on until 2am!”

“We wish them all the best for the final round, which takes place in a few days’ time.”

The boys’ successful ‘cup run’ began last term when the two teams both won gold awards in the UK round. In fact all 12 boys achieved ‘highest distinction’ individual awards, while four team members, Avi Juneja, Saim Khan, Rohan Varia and Uday Dash, were also national ‘top 10 scorers’.

In each round of the competition, entrants have to tackle three modules, entitled Fundamentals, Deep Comprehension and Thinking & Innovation. Teams from 47 countries competed in this year’s World Economics Cup. There were five continental rounds, including the European one.

Modules 1 and 2 each have around 100 questions that every person on the team has to answer. The team score was the aggregated average – which meant there could be no ‘weak links’ among the six-strong teams.

The deep comprehension round also introduces case studies, alongside data and university-style lectures, to test how participants understand, interpret and analyse new information.

Team 2’s Saim Khan said: “The deep-thinking segment gave me a new appreciation for the depth of consideration that must be given from all angles when it comes to economic policy-making and implementing.”

Module 3 is fully collaborative and involves delivering a 15-minute video presentation, identifying problems and solutions based upon a brief. The brief is the same for all teams, but only released the day before the submission deadline – so competitors have no more than 24 hours to respond. In the continental round, the module revolved around a healthcare company that planned to introduce AI and robots into the workforce.

For Andreas Angelopoulos, of Team 2, this was a highlight: “I particularly enjoyed collaborating with my teammates on our solution to the Thinking & Innovation portion of the European round, in which we proposed a framework that ‘MediTech Innovations’ could use to implement AI into the workforce ecosystem.”

For his part, Team 1 member Ishtarth Katageri relished the sheer challenge of this module: “Collaborating with my team mates when we had a day to respond was difficult, especially with some team members in different countries at the time.”

Team 2’s Uday Dash reflected on the event so far: “Being able to refine my problem-solving skills in the context of an international economics competition is a unique thrill that I am incredibly appreciative of!”

And Uday’s teammate, Zaki Mustafa, expressed a similar view: “The competition has been a great opportunity to apply our economics knowledge practically, in areas such as ‘fintech’ and cryptocurrency mining. I’m really proud to have reached the finals with a great team.”

Tejas Bansal added: “Participating in the World Economics Cup has been an amazing experience for us – coming first in the European round was a huge achievement, and I found the presentation part especially rewarding. We look forward to the final round!”

Team 1
Kush Mandan
Avi Juneja
Shrey Tater
Hari Kumarappan
Shreyaas Sandeep
Ishtarth Katageri

Team 2
Saim Khan
Rohan Varia
Uday Dash
Zaki Mustafa
Andreas Angelopoulos
Tejas Bansal

• Most of the QE competitors are pictured above, with members of both teams at the top, then Team 2, then Team 1.

The School’s new pupil-run Biology journal has now been published as a stand-alone publication for the first time.

Featuring articles by six of QE’s senior biologists, Bioquest looks in detail at medical topics, from the effects of ingesting microplastics to HIV immunity, while also examining ethical issues.

The first edition of the magazine was published last academic year within the pages of the Econobethan, the School’s established pupil-run Economics and Politics publication, but the 17-page second issue now stands on its own, published within the Biology section of the eQE portal.

Biology teacher Hinesh Shah said: “My congratulations go to all the contributors: Bioquest is a colourful, interesting read on some fascinating topics. This is an excellent example of free-thinking scholarship, with these six students digging deep into their own areas of academic interest.”

The magazine includes the following articles:

• How are microplastics impacting our digestive pathways? by Shivam Vyas
• Potential autoantibody biomarker to MS, by Hadi Al-Esia
• Cancer-causing viruses, by Seyed Jalili
• HIV immunity and how it has arisen, by Aaron Rodrigo
• How effective and ethically acceptable will immunotherapy be in the future for treating various diseases, by Advik Balaji
• CRISPR and conscience: Shaping immunity, shaping ethics, by Dharm Gajjar.

Dharm is in Year 12. All the other authors are in Year 13.

In their writing, the pupils seek to set out the results of research on their respective topics and to update readers on the latest thinking. In his piece, for example, Seyed begins by saying that although viruses were once seen as the sole cause of human cancers, this has now been “widely disproven”. He charts the development of this understanding, while also including a case study of one virus that is, in fact, carcinogenic, namely hepatitis B.

In the magazine’s final two articles, Advik and Dharm both look at ethical issues arising from gene-editing and immunotherapy, with Advik specifying the changes he believes are necessary in the NHS “to ensure procedures occur ethically”. Dharm reports on the recently developed technique of CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) and its use to treat people with underlying conditions deriving from genetic mutations, such as cystic fibrosis or polydactyly. While acknowledging its importance, Dharm also highlights the risks: “Ensuring safety throughout the procedure is a must, as a small mistake may have a devastating impact on the individual.”

The boys’ articles all include a bibliography, while several also feature a glossary and  ‘synoptic links’ (showing how the material covered relates to the GCSE and A-level syllabuses).

For the next edition, pupils are being invited to submit cover designs in a new competition. The editorial team, comprising this edition’s authors, write: “We invite our readers to share their creativity and scientific knowledge by designing posters that encapsulate the essence of biological science.”

• Bioquest, edition II, may be read here by anyone with access to eQE.

With most pupils set to enjoy two days off, while the School conducts its annual entrance test, inspiration can be drawn from the two-day Flourish Festival that saw 940 boys and 53 staff head out from Queen’s Road on 25 separate trips, taking full advantage of QE’s position within easy reach of both beautiful countryside and the world-famous cultural attractions of London.

The festival included a wide variety of trips for all of Years 7–10 and Year 12 organised through QE’s Flourish enrichment programme as an end-of-year treat.

Assistant Head (Pupil Involvement) Crispin Bonham-Carter, who leads Flourish, said: “It was a major logistical exercise: we sent the staff and boys to 25 separate locations and activities, including three museums, one airfield, one forest, three theatres, one ancient ruin, two country hikes, one set of botanical gardens, one university, one library, one girls’ school, and one zoo.

“We certainly celebrate academic achievement here, but, as this festival exemplifies, the QE experience is about so much more than that. Over two summer days, we gave boys the chance to pursue their interests, to learn something new, or, in some cases, to stretch themselves with some physical exercise in the great outdoors.

“It was a very diverse programme, but, we hope, with this in common – that all had the opportunity to relax with friends and enjoy themselves.”

The major trips involved in the festival were:

• Year 7
  Sponsored walk in the Dollis Valley, Barnet
  Whipsnade Zoo
• Year 8
  Kew Gardens
  Roman St Albans (Verulamium)
• Year 9
  Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire
  Science Museum
• Year 10
  Globe Theatre
  Heartwood Forest, St Albans
  Design Museum
  British Library
• Year 12
  Theatre trips (Garrick Theatre and Young Vic)
  Chilterns Hike (Cookham to Marlow loop)

Asked what makes a great School trip, Mr Bonham-Carter said: “It’s all about the people. All of the brilliant staff and all the boys out of School together, doing something joyfully different.

“It’s the multitude of shared moments: the stunning views, the brilliant performances, the M25, sudden downpours, awe-inspiring exhibits, ice-creams, tube delays – everything – the whole School – living and learning together.”

• Click on the thumbnails to view the images.

Two four-day trips to Provence and Rome respectively provided boys with the opportunity to see at first-hand many marvels of the ancient world, alongside stunning scenery and modern attractions.

Arranged with an emphasis on classical history and culture, the Latin trips organised by the Languages department provided a packed programme of activities.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “We firmly believe that what pupils learn in the classroom can be greatly enriched by carefully curated trips and visits. That is certainly true of a subject such as Latin: there really is nothing like visiting the wonders of the ancient world for stimulating interest in ancient languages and in Classics more generally.”

Vivan Paul, of Year 10, was one of the pupils on the Rome trip: “I thoroughly enjoyed the sightseeing segment, and appreciated how we were able to visit numerous destinations in a relatively short time frame.”

After arriving for an early lunch on the first day, the boys had the chance to stretch their legs and explore Ostia Antica – the city’s Roman mini seaport. Day two included a guided tour of Vatican City and St Peter’s Basilica – one of the highlights for Vivan’s fellow Year 10 boy Tapash Gurung: “What I liked was the experience, going to the Vatican, and being able to explore Roman heritage and buildings. Overall, it was an amazing trip, filled with fond memories and amazing experiences: thank you to everyone who made this happen!” 

The trip also took in the Capitoline Museums (considered to be the first museums in the world) and the acclaimed ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. On the third day, after their guided tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Foro Romano, afternoon temperatures hit 40C, forcing the party to seek some shelter. On the final day, the boys enjoyed the Leonardo da Vinci experience and spending time at the Pantheon and the Trevi fountain, before heading home. 

The boys who made the trip to Provence in France also reported having had a memorable time. They likewise took in Roman ruins, but often in more rural settings. 

Siddarth Chidipudi, of Year 8, said: “We visited a variety of old Roman amphitheatres, ranging from one nearly as ‘colossal’ as the Colosseum itself to some that were more small and exclusive. We visited the idyllic mountaintop town of Arles, packed with local shops and homes and surrounded by breathtaking mountains. We also went to the magnificent Roman aqueduct of Pont Du Guard and saw the museum there.” 

The French experience started with a visit to Orange. The boys visited the Arc de Triomphe d’Orange Théâtre Antique and the municipal museum, before taking the opportunity to wander around the old town. The following day saw the boys with further free time in Arles, before a tour of the amphitheatre and Roman baths.  

After visiting Avignon in the morning of the third day, the boys took part in activities at the Parc Aventure Oxygène at Vaison La Romaine. The tree-top adventure park offers orienteering, slack-lining, climbing and zip wire runs. 

Year 8’s Galinghan Balamurugan particularly enjoyed this day: “It was very fun and extremely memorable, especially with the adventure park. A great way to finish the trip, feeling one with nature and being surrounded by greenery. In my opinion, the best part of the adventure park was the zip line at the end.” 

His contemporary, Kiaan Kariholu, summarised the whole experience: “I enjoyed visiting the different towns and exploring the markets by ourselves. My favourite part was trying some passion-fruit ice cream, which tasted really nice. There was nothing that I didn’t like: overall, it was a really a nice and fun trip, where we could experience traditional culture with our friends.” 

Arjun Darade, also of Year 8, similarly appreciated the “historical marvels” on his “fantastic” Provence trip: “There was nothing I didn’t like.”

• Click on the thumbnails below to view the images.

Broughton just pipped last year’s winner, Stapylton, to become QE’s champion House, with 1,592 points, against Stapylton’s 1,589.

Headmaster Neil Enright presented the Eric Shearly House Cup to Broughton’s leaders as the climax to the traditional end-of-year assembly.

“My congratulations go to House Captain Robin Bickers, Deputy House Captain Zeyuan Wu, and to all the members of Broughton House,” he said. “As the points totals attest, this was a closely fought contest. Points are amassed from many different areas of School life, and Broughton’s achievement thus demonstrates considerable commitment, as well as consistency across a broad range of endeavour.”

Underne came third in this year’s competition.

The cup is awarded based on points that are awarded to QE’s six Houses throughout the academic year. They include points gained through a large number of House competitions. Points are also gained according to the total number of merits and good notes earned across the year groups.

Broughton has the distinction of being the only House named after an Old Elizabethan. William Grant Broughton was educated at QE in the late 18th century and was appointed Archdeacon of New South Wales in 1828, having been noticed and assisted by the Duke of Wellington. He went on to become the first (and only) Bishop of Australia of the Church of England.

The trophy Broughton received, the Eric Shearly Cup, is named after Eric Shearly (1920–2005), who dedicated 76 years of his life to QE, where he was both a pupil and a teacher. He was an enthusiastic advocate of extra-curricular activities, having himself been a highly successful QE athletics captain in the late 1930s.

The special assembly was introduced by Assistant Head (Pupil Involvement) Crispin Bonham-Carter, who leads the QE Flourish extra-curricular programme.

He told the boys that QE Flourish this year included no fewer than 200 trips, 33 of them residential. Every single member of QE’s teaching staff took part in at least one School trip. Six hundred and fifty boys had seen a live show. In total, the programme had delivered 13,508 experiences to individual pupils, Mr Bonham-Carter said.

The assembly celebrated many of the year’s achievements and House competitions. Areas covered included charity work; the environment (including autumn tree-planting and bulb-planting as part of the 2023 450th anniversary celebrations); EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion); QE Together (the pupil-led community partnership with Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School); debating; Music; chess; drama; and sport.

The boys were told that £500 was raised for the Noah’s Ark Hospice and another £500 for overseas charitable work, split between the School’s long-running Sai School Appeal supporting a rural school in Kerala, India, and Teach Sri Lanka, which supports the education of children from all communities and all backgrounds in that nation.

The assembly also celebrated a busy year for the School’s musicians, who have been involved in eight concerts, QE’s May the fourth be almost with you Music festival, trips, charity performances, and this month’s tour to Vienna, as well as providing musical support for several formal School occasions.

With chess thriving at QE, especially in the lower years, there was the announcement of 20 boys winning junior colours, seven winning intermediate and seven winning senior, as well as a large number of commendations.

In sport, 23 teams represented the School this year. There were more than 119 fixtures, with a total of 407 different boys playing for QE.

Pupils from across the first three years of Queen Elizabeth’s School had their achievements recognised and lauded at the 2024 Junior Awards.

At an afternoon ceremony held in the Main School Hall, boys gathered with their families and with staff and dignitaries to celebrate.

There were prizes for all the classroom subjects, as well as House prizes, prizes for commitment, and prizes for extra-curricular activities, such as debating & public speaking, and chess. Music prizewinners from Years 7, 8 and 9 punctuated the programme with a series of musical interludes. A vote of thanks was given by the Year 7 debating & public speaking prizewinner, Aaron Singh.

Headmaster Neil Enright spoke about how the prizewinners are seen by others; guest of honour Asif Ahmed (OE 1997–2004) about how they see themselves; and the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Tony Vourou, about how the whole School is seen in the borough: there is, he said, considerable pride in QE and the achievements of its students.

In his introduction to the ceremony, Mr Enright told the boys: “These awards are a signal that you are doing very well indeed and that we see in you qualities that set a positive example for others in the School – so many of whom are also very talented and hard working.”

He spoke about the butterfly effect, which argues that small things can end up having significant impacts, citing the famous story of a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world and a hurricane developing in another.

He urged the boys to small acts of kindness – “a quiet, unshowy altruism” – to benefit those around them, whether at School or elsewhere.

“With your abilities, many of you may go on to make the discoveries, find the cures, engineer the projects, secure the investments of the future. There should be no ceiling to your aspirations. But, with certainty, everyone here and in our Elizabethan community can do the little things in daily life so that things are better for others, or at least,” he added, quoting from George Eliot’s Middlemarch, “that things are ‘not so ill as they might have otherwise been’.”

Guest of honour Asif leads the accounting and advisory team at major accountancy firm Cooper Parry which focuses on venture capital-backed founders of companies. He is also the author of best-selling book The Finance Playbook for Entrepreneurs. An accomplished sportsman, he is now part of the Board at Middlesex County Cricket Club.

In his speech, he included many biographical elements from his Schooldays, mentioning being made form captain in Year 7, playing cricket for Middlesex and rugby for Hertfordshire, being appointed a Lieutenant, and achieving good grades.

“At all those milestones, including being appointed Lieutenant, I never shook the feeling of looking around me and thinking: ‘When will you get found out, you absolute fraud?’” he said.

After leaving School, while still training for his professional qualifications with large accountancy firm PwC, his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. “I unexpectedly found myself in a position at 22 years old, looking after his very small accounting firm. There I was, no clue in the world, with nothing and really no-one to rely upon. The imposter syndrome kicked in again.”

Over time, however, Asif succeeded in building up the business, wrote his best-selling book, and was approached by a much larger firm with an offer to buy his company. “Today, I am a Partner of that firm and I lead the largest team and portfolio of high-growth technology businesses in the country, working with the best entrepreneurs in this land.”

He told the boys all this, because, he said: “I’ve come to realise that imposter syndrome is the world’s way of telling you that other people see something in you that you yourself can’t see…yet. When you are rewarded, you absolutely must savour it, hold it tightly and mark it out as one step closer to fulfilling your destiny.”

The afternoon’s music was a varied selection – including Stravinsky, Gershwin and Mozart alongside a piece by the rather less well-known Polish composer, Szymanowski.

Because of the inclement weather, the reception, normally held on Stapylton Field, took place this year in the Mayes Atrium.

• Click on the thumbnails below to view the images at full size.