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2018 leaver Samuel Akpan has been named in Future Leaders magazine’s Top 150 list for 2021–2022.

Samuel, who graduated in Politics & International Studies from Warwick this year, has already made his mark in fields including social enterprise, sport and  anti-racism work at the university.

An annual publication, Future Leaders profiles 150 of the most outstanding black university students in Britain. His citation in the magazine highlights:

• His role as Warwick’s Anti-Racism Disability Officer as part of an executive team charged with coordinating responses to racist incidents on campus
• The talk he gave last year to parents of deaf children about his experiences growing up with unilateral deafness in which he shared insights into the challenges deaf people face and the practical support available to them
• His entrepreneurial creativity: this included designing a red jersey exclusively for the Sickle Cell x ILL London jersey raffle in December 2019 that helped sell tickets to help raise money for the Sickle Cell Society.
• Samuel’s success in becoming a qualified football referee in November 2019, since when he has been speaking with the Birmingham FA about ways of increasing the number of BAME match officials.

Interviewed for the alumni section of Warwick’s website, Samuel (OE 2011–2018) said: “To be named as a Future Leader is a massive honour. To be given such a ‘heavy’ title means you have been recognised for your competencies and your future potential.

“Also, for me it’s an extra achievement, as I’m…deaf in my left ear. When I’m older, whatever field I’m in or wherever I am, I can look back and be proud of the man I’ve become.

“The award has made me think about what it means to be a leader and I definitely feel that it’s about making sure you excel by giving back where you can.”

Samuel is especially pleased that the accolade recognises his social enterprise work, which began while he was still at QE. “In 2017, there was a craze where everyone wanted to make fashion brands, so I made printed T-shirts with my brand ILL London,” he explained.

“When I got to Warwick, I also made sweaters in different colours and added my logos. I ran a raffle for a one-off football jersey with my logo on, and 50% of the money raised went to the Sickle Cell Society. It helped raise awareness of the importance of giving blood if you can, as it’s essential to helping people with Sickle-Cell Anaemia.”

He told QE Connect that he remains in regular contact with a large number of the friends he made at QE (many of whom went to Warwick).

“I am thankful for all the time and energy the teachers gave me to help me even make it to university,” he says, adding that he particularly appreciated his positive experience of studying Philosophy and Politics for the first time in the Sixth Form “as it gave me a lot of direction going forward”.

Outside of the classroom, his “stand-out memories” include the infamous ‘elephant dip’ during cross-country runs and the time he slipped during his 100m race on Sports Day: “It cost me at least a top-three finish, I’d say ­– and caused a lot of general laughter!”

His enjoyment of sport continued at Warwick, where, although he was not on the Philosophy, Politics and Economics course, he played for the league-winning PPE FC side.

He is now focusing on his sports writing: during his recent time at BCOMS (Black Collective of Media in Sport), an initiative partnered by Arsenal Football Club, he covered three matches and also had the opportunity to meet some of the biggest names in football journalism.

Samuel, who did not take a gap year, is currently enjoying a break from full-time education while he considers his future career direction. Asked where he sees himself in ten years’ time, he replied that he hopes to be working in the football sector “in a position that allows me to help the younger black generation”.

Today, on the 100th anniversary of the dedication of QE’s World War I memorial, the 2021 School Captain laid a poppy wreath on behalf of current pupils to remember the sacrifice of their forebears more than a century ago.

Commissioned at a time when the horrors of the ‘war to end all wars’ were still fresh in the memory, the tablet records the names of 48 Elizabethans who died in the conflict. The memorial may be seen in the ‘crush hall’ of the Main Building, close to the main entrance and Reception.

Attached to the wreath laid by School Captain Siddhant Kansal was a note on Royal British Legion-headed paper on which he wrote: “On the centenary of this memorial, we remember those who gave their lives so that we may enjoy the opportunities we have today.”

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “It is right for us to remember the sacrifices that Elizabethans in previous generations have made to enable us to experience the freedoms and opportunities we do.

“That tradition of serving the greater good remains an essential element of the School’s mission today and it is, therefore, appropriate that a memorial to service takes pride of place at the heart of the Main Building, alongside our founding charter.”

The bronze tablet was originally installed at the School’s historic buildings in Wood Street and formally unveiled at 4pm on Saturday 8th October 1921. It was transported to the current site when the School moved to Queen Street in 1932, with a rededication service held on 21st September of that year. (The rededication service was also a commemoration of the life of Rev John Bond Lee, Headmaster 1875–1906.)

World War I hostilities ceased with the Armistice on 11th November 1918, but, in common with many war memorials, QE’s memorial bears the dates 1914–1919, reflecting the fact that the Treaty of Versailles which formally brought to an end the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers was not signed until June 1919.

The list of names is surmounted by the traditional legend, ‘In Memoriam’, while underneath is written simply ‘Faithful unto Death’ – a Biblical quotation from the Revelation to St John.

According to the order of service published for the service of dedication, a copy of which may be viewed online in QE Collections, the ceremony was conducted by the Rev Dr H W P Stephens, Vicar of Tadlow in Cambridgeshire, an Old Elizabethan known to have been at the School in 1876. He returned again in 1932 to lead the rededication service.

The roll of honour was read by the Headmaster of the day, William Lattimer (1906–1929). The service featured a hymn still sung today on Founder’s Day – For all the saints, who from their labours rest – and included other hymns, as well as prayers and readings.

The memorial itself was unveiled by Lieutenant-Colonel C H Pank CMG DSO TD, of the Middlesex Regiment, who also gave the address. Buglers from the same regiment sounded the Last Post and Reveille.

The dedication written for the occasion was: “In the Faith of Jesus Christ we dedicate this Memorial to the Glory of God and in proud and loving memory of those Elizabethans who gave their lives in the Great War in the cause of Right and Liberty. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

• The photo, above left, which is from QE Collections, is believed to have been taken on the day of the dedication in 1921.

Thirty-five years after leaving QE, a group of rugby-loving Elizabethans returned to the School on a specially arranged visit that included an opportunity to see the current First XV in action.

The group from the class of 1986 enjoyed a sometimes-emotional day hosted by Headmaster Neil Enright: some were meeting for the first time in more than three decades, while even those who had remained in closer contact had been kept apart for the past year-and-a-half because of Covid.

Several of the 16-strong group sported new alumni rugby shirts designed by current Head of Rugby James Clarke (OE 1999–2004), which they had purchased through the School Shop. As well as the 15 old boys, all of them 1986 leavers, the visitors included the sister of Graham Dunkley OE, Gail, who was at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School at a time when some lessons in the Sixth Form were mixed between the schools.

Mr Enright said: “I really enjoyed the occasion, which all sprang out of a request from one of the group, Simon Butnick, in a conversation I had with him on LinkedIn earlier this year. It was great to welcome Simon and his peers back and to see them rekindling old friendships – in some cases, for the first time since they left the School.

“With a group of this size, we were able to offer something quite bespoke – knowing they would enjoy the chance to see the First XV game and talk to the players afterwards. We look forward to having the group as active members of our alumni network and keen supporters of the School.”

Among current and former staff present were Mr Clarke, Deputy Head David Ryan, Headmaster’s PA Nicola Weston (who knew many of the visitors from her own schooldays) and Dave Maughan, who was Head of Games from 1974–2003.

The group then set off on a tour of the School, led by the Headmaster, who was assisted by QE’s new Development Officer, Sharla Worrall. There were many comments about how the campus had changed – the visitors left the School just two years after the arrival of reforming Headmaster Eamonn Harris (1984–1999) and well before the major building projects that began in the late 1990s.

Afterwards, several of the group reflected on the day on LinkedIn, with OE Jason Rush writing: “It was a great day. The First and Second XV played their hearts out and reminded us what it used to feel like to play rugby at this wonderful school. Thank you for accommodating us. We will all remain in contact.”

It was, in fact, a day of mixed fortunes for the School’s rugby teams: while the First XV lost their match, the Second XV won theirs. Other victories went to the U16A, U15A, U14B and U13B teams, while the U15B, U14A and U13A sides lost.

• The School is currently asking all alumni to spend ten minutes filling in a survey it has commissioned from independent education consultancy RSAcademics. The results will help shape the School’s offer to its former pupils in the coming years. The closing date for the survey to be completed is Monday 11^th October 2021.

Pupils headed off into the countryside on a 10km walk and raised more than £4,500 for QE’s long-running Indian charity appeal and for the Piano Fund.

Torrential downpours forced a last-minute change of route, but the walkers were not to be denied their day in the Dollis Valley and relished the chance to stretch their legs in support of the Sathya Sai (English Medium) School in Kerala, southern India.

Extra-curricular Enrichment Tutor Katrin Hood, who is in charge of the School’s charity work, said: “It was a joy to see the boys chatting and laughing with their friends as we walked through the beautiful countryside around our School. Our heartfelt thanks to go all of those who have so generously donated.

“Before heading out, the boys attended an assembly to learn more the fantastic Sai School and our long-standing link with it. It was fascinating to hear from past and current students, as well as teachers from the Sai School themselves via video,” said Ms Hood.

During the assembly, the boys watched a video from Old Elizabethan Major Charles Russell (1997–2004), who spoke about his experience of visiting the Sai School in 2004. He still sponsors a child there. He is one of number of former pupils and staff to have visited, including former Headmaster Dr John Marincowitz (1999–2011).

The Sai School has both boys and girls and caters for primary and secondary-age children. Over the two decades the appeal has been running, QE has funded improvements including the construction of a new building, various repairs and, recently, the provision of a computer room that enables pupils there to sit digitally-based examinations.

During the assembly, the boys learned first of the problems caused by flooding in 2018 attributed to global warming and then of the current desperate plight of the Sai School because of the deleterious effects of Covid-19 on the Indian economy. Parents in the struggling rural communities have been unable to pay the school fees and teachers are not being paid, they were told.

The walks were part of QE’s Enrichment Week and were held on separate days for the two year groups. The Piano Fund, which was also a beneficiary along with with the Sai School Appeal, was established to help equip the new QE Music School opening this autumn to the highest standards.

The event followed a two-day football tournament earlier this month for Years 7, 8, 9 and 12, which also raised funds for the Sai School Appeal.

QE’s Young Enterprise team won an Innovation Award after impressing judges at a trade fair with their eco-friendly phone cases.

Adjudicators at the Young Enterprise Trade Fair at Old Spitalfields Market praised the InDex Young Enterprise company for their creative approach and for the salesmanship they showed there.

The Year 10 team also won plaudits from an Old Elizabethan attending the fair. Ninety-two year-old Elliot Page spoke highly of the phone cases, commenting specifically on the quality of the fit.

QE’s YE Co-ordinator, Academic Enrichment Tutor Alex Czirok-Carman, said: “The boys have worked very hard on this project and, despite the interruptions inevitably caused by the pandemic over the year, they have produced an excellent product and, most impressively, have grown as a team. The judges’ comments show how successful they have been.”

The judges were from Mastercard UK, the London Stock Exchange Group and bandwidth infrastructure provider euNetworks.

At the fair, the team sold their phone cases to the general public as well as answering questions from the judges about their product. The cases are biodegradable and have sustainable packaging.

In addition to these initial products, the boys have also been researching and designing cases with attachments to make them more user-friendly for people with difficulties in gripping. These are not yet on sale, although work on the production process for them is under way. The team’s InDex name is derived from ‘Inclusive Dexterity’.

“Our team impressed the judges massively,” said Mr Czirok-Carman. “They were extremely active – and very successful – in finding sales, and the judges therefore commented both on the creativity of the product and on their excellent sales techniques.

“The fair gave the team the chance to see a different side of business, and they learnt a great deal about how to interact with customers,” said Mr Czirok-Carman. “It was a great chance to learn about how to effectively run a business. The boys spent time interacting with teams from other schools who were there and swapped some of their products.

“This was a great way to round off an interrupted, but productive year for the YE team, who plan to continue to sell their products.”

The boys who attended the fair were: Kyan Bakhda; Abhinay Kannan; Ugan Pretheshan; Anban Senthilprabu; Sai Sivakumar and Varun Srirambhatla.

Eighty-nine people joined a special Zoom event held to present QE Collections – Queen Elizabeth’s School’s new fully digitised online set of archives relating to the School and the Barnet area.

Guests at the public evening ‘town hall’ event, including Old Elizabethans and others with an interest in local history, were given a virtual guided tour and shown how to get the best out of the extensive high-quality online assets spanning more than four centuries.

Headmaster Neil Enright and QE’s Curator of Collections Surya Bowyer (OE 2007–2014) explained that the School held a variety of historic material and was keen to make it accessible to everyone. QE Collections is therefore offered online free-of-charge for all to enjoy.

In his address to the guests, Mr Enright pointed out that QE has been part of the Barnet community ever since its foundation by royal charter in 1573. “QE Collections therefore includes three different sorts of histories, nevertheless intertwined. These are the history of the School itself; the history of the local area, as viewed through the lens of the School; and the shared social histories that connect us.

“I am very excited that we are now able to share QE Collections with a wider audience.”

He paid tribute to the key role played by the late Richard Newton (OE 1956–1964), who promoted digitising the School’s archives and making them freely available to all, and also provided generous funding.

“It is certain that without his support, we would not have been able to launch this project – one that will be part of his legacy to the Elizabethan community,” Mr Enright said.

Mr Bowyer, who has played a central role in developing the platform and curating the material uploaded so far, pointed the guests towards a number of current highlights of QE Collections:

• A copy of Frederick Charles Cass’s book on the history of the School’s first century, which was published in around 1881
• The collection of S E ‘Olly’ and Mary Alford, both school staff members, featuring scrapbooks from 1958 to 1975
• A mid-20th century illustrated notebook by an anonymous author featuring two narratives, ‘Spend your holiday at a farm camp’ and ‘A Day At A Harvest Camp’
• School magazines and periodicals from 1876–1984
• The Guard Book, a large scrapbook of ephemeral items related to activities at the School from 1913 to 1970, compiled by E H Jenkins (Headmaster 1930–1961).

“We are constantly putting new material online, so the highlights would be different if I did this event in a few months’ time, or even next month,” Mr Bowyer added.

The event included tips and tricks for getting the best out of QE Collections, together with an explanation of how the various collections are organised, with ‘access points’ provided for the digitised objects – for example: People & Organisations; Subjects; Places.

All printed text in digitised objects is almost invariably fully searchable. Anyone wishing to search for a full name or phrase should put it in double speech marks in the search box, Mr Bowyer said.

Work continues on making archival material online. “Among several exciting projects that are currently mid-digitisation are the QE Governors’ minute books going all the way back to the earliest we have in 1587. The first is available now, with more coming soon.

“There is also our 20th Century History Project, which recreates life at the School during the last century through photographs, written records and ephemera. Lots of material from the 1940s to 1980s is already available and, again, more is coming soon.”

QE Collections was given a ‘soft launch’ three months ago. Since then, there have been more than 1,300 users from over 35 countries, with the Group Photographs and Everyday Life (Photographs) collections proving the most popular so far.

QE Collections uses professional digitisers to ensure its digitised files are of very high quality and has employed an industry-standard digital preservation system to ensure long-term availability for these digitised files, Mr Bowyer said, adding that while digital files are excellent for improving access, they are harder to preserve than physical objects, as digital storage media can become obsolete and data can become corrupted.

“All this work takes a lot of time and costs a lot of money. If you like the work we are doing and are in a position where you can consider supporting this work, please consider contributing to our Digital Fund, which supports QE Collections.”