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After gaining straight A* grades in his four A-levels, Drew Williams opted not to go to university but instead entered straight into the world of financial services.

Just 19 months later, Drew (OE 2005-12) is already attracting attention in his chosen field, having been shortlisted for the national Apprentice of the Year award. His firm, Ernst & Young, which nominated him for the award, has also made him a Student Ambassador, a role that involves him in promoting its School Leaver Programme and speaking to prospective students.

Drew, who joined the four-year programme in October 2012, is specialising in Banking and Capital Markets.

A popular pupil, he was also an outstanding sportsman at School. He captained the First XV rugby team in his final year and while in Year 12 was the First XI wicket-keeper when the QE tourists convincingly won the Read Trophy on their visit to Lancashire. He took A-levels in Mathematics, Economics, History and Politics.

Drew set his sights early on the Ernst & Young (EY) School Leaver Programme, choosing not to take up the place he was offered at Durham University. In addition to his day-to-day work in EY’s Assurance division, he is given time to study for his ACA chartered accountancy qualification.

“What I enjoy most about the programme is the emphasis on practical experience gained through working for various clients,” says Drew. “Exam preparation is a combination of ‘block release’ to study courses and a lot of home-learning, which can be difficult to balance with full-time work. There are also regular in-house courses focusing on best practice; the next one will be in Amsterdam, so I am especially looking forward to that! Additionally, I enjoy the role of Student Ambassador.”

In a recent interview with the London Metro newspaper, Drew said: “I knew at School that I wanted to go into financial services. Since starting at EY, I have gained an appreciation of just how respected the ACA qualification is. The other skills I have learned, such as teamwork, communication and time management will stand me in good stead for my career.”

He is thoroughly enjoying his career so far and, although he did not win the Apprentice of the Year title, he attended the awards ceremony with the other nine shortlisted candidates at the Grosvenor Hotel. The ceremony was hosted by TV celebrity Jonathan Ross and was “a great experience,” says Drew.

The Elizabethan Union’s 49th Annual Dinner Debate boldly plunged into the current national news agenda, with OEs and current pupils debating the motion: This House believes that Scotland should be independent.

Nisha Mayer, teacher in charge of debating, reports that the highly topical subject matter duly inspired both passion and wit from current boys and visiting OEs alike at the debate.

The debate began with the traditional toast to the Queen and to ‘The Pious Memory of Queen Elizabeth I’. The toast to the ‘Visitors’ (the OEs) was proposed by Captain of School Adam Hilsenrath, while Matthew Rose (OE 2002-2009) responded with the toast to the Elizabethan Union.

The motion was proposed by Year 12 boys Ashwin Sharma and Jason Thomas; it was opposed, successfully, by Harry Peto (OE 2005-2012) and Krishan Shah (OE 2005-2012). The chairman was Reuben Chacko.

Mrs Mayer said: “In the original vote taken by Reuben, about 80% of the audience either opposed the motion or abstained. After the debate, where Ashwin Sharma and Jason Thomas argued very convincingly and passionately for the motion, the swing to them was considerable, with almost a third of the audience voting to pass the motion. So, although the motion did not carry, a lot of hearts and minds were won by our Year 12 debaters.

“The opposition – our returning OEs – also put forward some very intelligent and wonderfully entertaining material. Harry and Krishan showed the same spark they had when they were debaters in the Elizabethan Union a few years ago.

“The floor debate, too, was very engaging, with Ethan Lam amusingly suggesting that the prospect of independence could be compared to a divorce and Daniel Soyade bravely taking apart the heartfelt speech of his Year Head, Liam Hargadon, in favour of the motion.”

The meal was eaten this year in the new Dining Hall. The diners enjoyed a starter of fresh & sunblush tomatoes and Mozarella pearls with basil oil and mixed salad leaves, followed by chicken chasseur or mushroom stroganoff, with a dessert of strawberry gateau or chocolate & raspberry tart.

Captain Charles Russell (OE 1997-2004) hosted a visit to Sandhurst by a group from the School’s Combined Cadet Force.

Charlie, who is currently a platoon commander on the permanent staff at the Royal Military Academy, answered searching questions from the 15 boys when they called in at the Officers’ Mess for coffee.

The CCF group were led by Captain Kieron Howe, who is also the School’s Director of Music. “Charlie was brilliant with the guys,” he said.

In July 2010, Charlie was quoted in a Ministry of Defence announcement, which celebrated the rapid improvements brought about by joint patrols between members of 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR) and Afghan National Army (ANA) troops in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The patrols had “seen the pernicious influence of insurgents in the village of Piand Kalay diminish and a new level of normality return for the local people”, the announcement stated.

Charlie, who was then a Second Lieutenant, explained at the time: “Four weeks ago when I used to patrol through the village on a daily basis I’d be lucky if I spoke to three or four people. It was an empty village, the locals were intimidated, they were scared to come to talk to us because they’d be seen interacting with ISAF [the International Security Assistance Force] and ANA.

“Now, when we walk through the village from checkpoint to checkpoint and push out into the Green Zone, they welcome us – they want to speak to us. They are a little intimidated but the overall impression is that they are happy with us in the village and they want to see more progress.”

He was injured in Afghanistan in 2010. The following summer he attended a reception for wounded servicemen and women hosted by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in the grounds of Highgrove, their Gloucestershire home. The Prince of Wales is Colonel in Chief of the Royal Gurkha Rifles.

During their visit to Sandhurst this term, the QE contingent were given a tour of the Academy’s extensive grounds. They also enjoyed lunch, a talk on the history of the facility and an opportunity to meet Officer Cadets and Officers.

The day started with an introduction by an academic member of the Academy’s staff, Sebastian Puncher, who talked through the development of the college since its foundation in 1812.

“The boys walked up the steps into Old College, an experience that Officer Cadets undergo on their first day of training and then not again until the day they pass out,” said Captain Howe. “We were shown the Indian Army Memorial Room, with its window dedicated to the Gurkha regiment amongst others. We also saw the five-metre-wide painting of the moment when the battle of Waterloo turned in Wellington’s favour, painted by Sir William Allan in 1847.”

The tour continued with a drive around Chapel Square, followed by lunch at New College amongst the Officer Cadets. The boys then moved on to the Officers’ Mess for coffee and quizzed Charlie, before he had to leave to go on exercise. The visit concluded with a drive around the rest of the extensive grounds, taking in a little rugby before setting off back to Barnet.

“The boys gained a vast amount of knowledge about the workings of the Academy and also a better picture of life in the Army as a whole. It was a really insightful day,” said Captain Howe.

Early in his career in financial services, academic high-flyer Drew Williams (OE 2005-12) is already making his mark on the national stage.

Drew was shortlisted for the national Apprentice of the Year title, having been nominated for the award by his firm, Ernst & Young. EY has also made him a Student Ambassador, a role that involves him in promoting its School Leaver Programme and speaking to prospective students.

Drew has followed an unusual path for a 21st-century Elizabethan: he gained straight A* grades in his four A-levels, but opted not to take up the place he was offered at Durham University. Instead, he joined EY’s four-year School Leaver Programme, specialising in Banking and Capital Markets. In addition to his day-to-day work in EY’s Assurance division, he is given time to study for his ACA chartered accountancy qualification.

A popular pupil, he was an outstanding sportsman at School. He captained the First XV rugby team in his final year and while in Year 12 was the First XI wicket-keeper when the QE tourists convincingly won the Read Trophy on their visit to Lancashire. He took A-levels in Mathematics, Economics, History and Politics.

"What I enjoy most about the EY programme is the emphasis on practical experience gained through working for various clients," says Drew. "Exam preparation is a combination of 'block release' to study courses and a lot of home-learning, which can be difficult to balance with full-time work. There are also regular in-house courses focusing on best practice. Additionally, I enjoy the role of Student Ambassador."

In an interview, he told the London Metro newspaper, Drew said: "I knew at School that I wanted to go into financial services. Since starting at EY, I have gained an appreciation of just how respected the ACA qualification is. The other skills I have learned, such as teamwork, communication and time management will stand me in good stead for my career." He is thoroughly enjoying his career so far and, although he did not win the Apprentice of the Year title, he attended the awards ceremony with the other nine shortlisted candidates at the Grosvenor Hotel. The ceremony was hosted by TV celebrity Jonathan Ross and was "a great experience," says Drew.
 

Kiran Patel (OE 2000-2007) has a busy career combining his work as a junior doctor with research, teaching and writing for medical journals - but he still misses QE.

Since qualifying as Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with a First in Physiology from King's College, London, Kiran has found his time almost fully taken up with his chosen career. However, he still finds tries to find time to play music whenever he can. "I played saxophone with the Big Band and Concert Band at School, activities that I very much miss," he said.

Kiran was invited as guest speaker at the 2014 Founder's Day celebrations.

He achieved a number of notable academic and scholarship successes as a student. In 2012 he was awarded the British Medical and Dental Students Trust travel scholarship sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline as well as the Royal College of Physicians (London) medical student elective bursary. He won the King's myScholarship prize in 2012 and in 2010 was awarded the McDowall Prize (physiology) and the King’s British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence Scholarship.

Whilst still a student, Kiran was involved in the creation of the Clinical & Academic Research Society (CARS) to encourage and enable greater student participation in research or clinical audits at King's and its affiliated teaching hospitals. "I basically founded the society in 2011 and was President until 2013," he said. "The medical school, King's Health Partners and CARS work together to facilitate participation and organise events at which students can share their work to improve their presentation skills."

Kiran completed his foundation year at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, where his work has included general surgery alongside stroke and geriatric treatment and cardiology. He teaches junior medical students, which he thoroughly enjoys, and has penned a number of medical articles which have been published in specialist journals, including International Journal of Clinical Practice and the Cambridge Medicine Journal.

His research has included the study of in vivo chemical screens of p38 MAPK and MEK1/2 inhibitors in zebrafish to determine their effects on cardiovascular development and function as part of an Elective Project at Harvard Medical School.

In addition to his continuing interest in music, he also enjoys baking (afternoon tea is a favourite!), going to the gym and running. "In the summer I like to do a bit of gardening; I suppose most of my leisure activities are ones that don't involve reading books and journals!" He would also like to travel when he has a little more free time.

Kiran gives his time as an Academic Trainee Representative with the North Central Thames Foundation School. His responsibilities include representing the interests and views of academic trainees, particularly with regard to training and professional development.

Peter Sumpter has worked with numerous international figures including Nelson Mandela during his career with the BBC.

Peter (1968-74), who is the Craft Leader of the Studio Managers for BBC TV news, has met many famous people, including top musicians and various American presidents. During the 1997 General Election campaign, he followed soon-to-be Prime Minister Tony Blair (his press pass from the time is shown here), while much more recently he was heavily involved in the BBC coverage surrounding Nelson Mandela's death.

"I wasn't the most academic of pupils, although the ethos of the School has served me well," he says. "Over the years, I have designed lighting for several programmes and lit several music items for TV. I have worked on BBC events around the UK involving local communities." In recent years, he has helped to develop the BBC School Report project, which won the 2013 European Diversity Award for journalism. The national project aims to develop journalistic skills among 11-16 year-olds.

In addition to his own history as a QE alumnus, Peter also has a work colleague of many years' standing who is the father of the School's current Head of English, Susannah Sweetman. Through this connection, he suggested that QE become involved in School Report. "With real-time deadlines to deliver an end product, the experience the pupils get out of this is fantastic and it gives a different dimension to the traditional learning process," says Peter.

The School duly took part for the first time in 2014, with Peter suggesting a list of roles for the boys that included student correspondents, editors (a senior editor, news editor and sports editor), researchers, a director, cameramen, picture editors, lighting operatives, a soundman and those with the skills to build a QE-branded backdrop and design the graphics. In March, QE joined the other participating schools taking part in an annual News Day, simultaneously creating video, audio and text-based news reports, and publishing them online.