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QE’s Founder’s Day 2024 brought a mix of tradition, entertainment, international food and sheer fun to Queen’s Road, with hundreds turning out for the afternoon fete.

Before that, staff and pupils at the Parish Church enjoyed an address from leading young barrister and Old Elizabethan Sam Goodman (2002–2009) .

Then it was back to the School for the traditional Roll Call and Reading of the School Chronicle in front of the Main Building, before QE’s massed musicians got the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s (FQE) fete off to a rousing start.

The day is a major fundraiser for FQE, who this year were aiming to pay for the audio-visual equipment needed for the School’s new Robert Dudley Studio. The Elizabethan community did not disappoint, smashing the £25,000 target: the current total stands at £34,590.75 – and rising! It is not too late to give: just go to the dedicated JustGiving page.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “My thanks go to everyone involved for all their support in delivering a wonderful day.

“The Service of Thanksgiving was magnificent, with great music and – a new tradition for us – the recitation of the pledges written for the 450th anniversary service at Westminster Abbey last year. These remind us of the role we each play within our wider School community.

“Our guest speaker, Sam Goodman, delivered an engaging and entertaining address at the service in which he covered his career as a barrister, his time at QE, and even fitted in some practical advice for the Year 7 boys there starting out on their journey.

“There was a lovely family atmosphere on Stapylton Field throughout the afternoon fete, where there was something for everyone to enjoy. It was a tremendous collective community effort: FQE, and the parents and friends of the School who volunteer to help out, are the backbone of the fete.

“It was good to see plenty of alumni over the course of the afternoon, some with family, some with friends – all very welcome indeed.”

“We were, of course, also gratified that, contrary to expectations, the weather mostly co-operated! I’m afraid those setting up the stalls were soaked by a torrential downpour at noon, but it was dry and brightening by the time the church service ended, which meant the Roll Call went ahead outside, as planned.”

The fete remained dry until a light shower coincided with the published end time of 4.30pm.

In his address, Sam Goodman explained the role of a barrister and the sorts of cases he works on. He has chosen areas of law that interest him, such as crypto assets, environmental cases and AI. The latter is, he said, about to transform our lives, but there remain many ethical issues around bias in programming and how AI is trained to make very serious decisions. He cited the example of a driverless vehicle deciding who to hit and who to avoid in an impending collision.

He can choose to work on some cases on a pro bono basis, for example representing an environmental charity against Shell last year. But he noted that the ‘cab rank’ system meant that barristers had to take the next case in line, whatever they might think of the client, it being a central pillar of the justice system that everyone is entitled to representation.

Looking back on his time at QE, he reflected on a “brilliant” education. He said that on reaching university, he realised that he had had a better education than others whose parents may have been spending £50k a year in school fees. He recalled with fondness some of his teachers: Liam Hargadon, for Politics; David Ryan, now Deputy Head (Pastoral), for English; Anne Macdonald, now Deputy Head (Academic), for Geography; and Neil Enright (“I’m not sure whatever became of him!”).

Sam urged the young people in the congregation to take every opportunity they were afforded to get better at things. He said he knew he wanted to be a barrister from an early age, but did not like public speaking and was even reluctant to speak up in class. To build his confidence, he therefore took the LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) public-speaking examinations and then got involved in debating at QE.

His other robust advice and cautionary words for the boys included:

• “Don’t give up too early on skills you don’t think you’ll need.” In his case, he had had no interest in carrying on with Mathematics, but now finds himself dealing with complex financial information daily, for which this would have been helpful.
• “Don’t assume you will be brilliant at something just because you are good at other things. You need to work at everything.”
• “Embrace exams,” since they are such a good preparation for the future.

Sam thanked his mum, who was in attendance, and stressed to the boys that they are where they are in part due to the great support they have had from families who are interested and want the best for them.

Beginning the programme of entertainment on the fete stage were musical performances from the School Choir, massed winds and strings, and then the electric guitar ensemble. The guitarists made the most of the sound system supplied by Old Elizabethan Chris Newton and School Stage!

Other stage performances during the afternoon included demonstrations of yoga, gymnastics, traditional Indian classical dance, Bollywood dance and traditional Chinese Gu Zheng, as well as Night of Ulanbaatar, a popular Mongolian folk song.

The friendly competition between the Indian and Sri Lankan food tents of previous years continued, and both the 2024 School Captain, Chanakya Seetharam, and members of staff took their turns in the ‘stocks’ (or, more accurately, the pillory).

There were stalls to suit all interests, from a coconut shy to a lucky dip, with items on sale ranging from jewellery to plants, books and toys.

Creativity was to the fore, with cakes aplenty and even some homemade and edible School ties on sale in the refreshments tent!

Away from the field, two visual attractions in Main Building proved popular – an art project and 450 in Photos, a new photographic display charting the highlights of last year’s 450th anniversary celebrations.

In addition to the proceeds from the stalls, money was raised through selling advertising space in the 44-page fete programme and from the House Music Day competition, held on the eve of Founder’s Day itself.

Prefects and volunteers stayed on to clear everything away after the fete. “The Year 12 prefect team, led by the School Captain, and the two Senior Vice-Captains, Saim Khan and Rohan Kumar, worked diligently and with great energy and humour to support the running of the day. It really could not be done without them, or the wonderful FQE volunteers, led by Fete Sub-Committee Chair Rekha Essex,” the Headmaster concluded.

• Click on the thumbnails below to view the gallery of images.

Members of the QE Together partnership have now begun editing after spending two days filming in a Barnet primary school as part of a community outreach project.

A team from the partnership – consisting of senior pupils from QE and Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School – visited QE’s near-neighbour, Christ Church Primary School. The filming was the latest stage in a project that the team have been working on for several months to create a promotional video aimed at encouraging prospective parents to sign up for Christ Church’s nursery.

Lead Enrichment Tutor Kanak Shah said: “All the students – our boys, the girls from QEGS and the Christchurch pupils – did very well, and the little ones were adorable!”

The QE team comprised the 2023 School Captain, Darren Lee, and two of the 2023 Vice-Captains, Shuaib Adam and Anthony Bartlett.

Shuaib, of Year 13, explained that the QE Together team had first held meetings with Christ Church’s head, Mrs Elena Print, to map out ideas and plan the key messages of the video.

During the two days, the team thoroughly explored the school in their filming, as well as shooting B-roll footage (supplementary video) to support the visual story-telling at the heart of the film.

“We engaged with children, including those as young as nursery, guiding them to express the school motto [‘Through God’s love, we learn, aspire and achieve; we flourish’] and ethos. This collaborative effort not only enriched the visual narrative, but also provided an authentic perspective on the school’s values and identity.

“The experience so far has taught us many valuable skills, especially teamwork skills – both within our team and in collaboration with other schools – which has strengthened our capacity for effective communication, task delegation, and collective problem-solving. The cross-school collaboration has not only expanded our network for QE Together’s future, but also deepened our understanding of community dynamics and the importance of collective efforts.”

 

Chanakya Seetharam this week begins his year as the 2024 School Captain, supported by Senior Vice-Captains Saim Khan and Rohan Kumar.

The three, who were appointed by Headmaster Neil Enright, head a team of ten Vice-Captains, as well as House Captains, their deputies and other prefects.

Mr Enright said: “My congratulations go to Chanakya, Saim and Rohan – a talented trio, who were chosen from a strong field of candidates in Year 12 – and indeed to all our new prefects. These appointments reflect the confidence of their peers and of School staff, who all had the chance to vote in the process.

“Pupil leadership is a significant part of the culture at QE and all the new office-holders will be invested with wide-ranging responsibilities and the opportunity to shape the continued development of the School.

“I must thank our 2023 School Captain Darren Lee and his team for shouldering the responsibility of leadership during our 450^th anniversary year with such distinction.”

Head of Year 12 Micah King also congratulated the new top three. “Chanakya exemplifies what it means to be a QE boy. He is kind, and this come across in his interactions with peers. He is exceptionally able, achieving top grades in his GCSEs and routinely standing out in his classes for his high ability. And Chanakya is extremely responsible. I have no doubt that he will rise to the challenges and demands of being School Captain with aplomb.”

Chanakya is a strong musician, while he, Saim and Rohan are all involved in debating and have therefore contributed to the current strength of the Elizabethan Union, QE’s own debating society.

Rohan plays rugby for the School. He also holds the distinction of having played a role during the 450^th anniversary service in Westminster Abbey in March last year: Rohan’s poem was the winning entry in the anniversary poetry competition and he, therefore, read it during the service.

“Rohan is dedicated and determined,” said Mr King. “He’s consistently stood out during his time at QE for his effort and perseverance. He’s also extremely dependable and calm under pressure. In a challenging situation, you’d want Rohan’s steady and thoughtful nature to guide you through it. He has earned the respect of his teachers and peers. I am confident he will shine as a Senior Vice-Captain.”

“Saim has similarly been a model student throughout his time at QE. He has stood out for his studious nature and willingness to contribute wherever he can to the School community.  Having won a superb number of accolades throughout his time at QE, his appointment is a crowning achievement. He will be a superb Senior Vice-Captain.”

 

The Winter Concert brought entertainment across an array of genres with just one common factor – the high degree of musicianship on display.

The Shearly Hall was packed to the rafters and saw hundreds of boys participating in 15 different ensembles, watched by parents and other family members, staff, friends of the School and VIP guests.

Alongside the customary presentation of Junior and Senior Music Colours, Headmaster Neil Enright presented the Music department’s new Music Bars – normally to be given to boys who have already achieved colours, but have continued to excel.

Mr Enright said: “Our Winter Concert was aptly named – some families had to de-ice their cars before heading home afterwards – but was held in a very warm atmosphere and was a great success.

“There was super music, supported by excellent production from our sound, lighting and stage crews, both pupils and the professionals from School Stage. These concerts are a big team effort – the culmination of much hard work from the boys and the Music department, but also other parts of the Elizabethan community, such as: the site team; parent volunteers from The Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s providing hospitality, and our pupil volunteers – my thanks go to them all.

“There really were no weak links musically, although the Indian Ensemble stood out, with excellent vocal performances from Year 7’s Param Jani in their opening piece and Rishi Watsalya in their second.

“The evening was balanced with dynamic numbers: the Senior Winds’ playing of Stephenson’s Rocket (conducted by current University of Connecticut intern Mason Armstrong) and the School Orchestra’s Beethoven in the first half, and the two Guns N’ Roses pieces in the second – Sweet Child o’ Mine from the Electric Guitar Ensemble and the Jazz Band’s rendition of Welcome to the Jungle.”

The concert was attended by the Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet, Councillor Nagus Narenthira – who, Mr Enright said, has been a great supporter of the School, as Deputy Mayor and now as the borough’s 58th Mayor.

The Music colours went to boys who have shown outstanding commitment to music at QE and displayed musical excellence.

The presentation of the bars was to two sixth-formers:

• Jason Tao, of Year 12: his citation praised his leadership and his being a superb role model for younger students;
• Indrajit Datta, of Year 13, who, exceptionally, received his Senior Colours and bar at the same time, in view of his recent sterling efforts on the Music technology side of the Music department’s work. He is currently in the midst of producing a recording of the School’s specially commissioned 450^th anniversary anthem, And Be It Known.

“The way in which the boys so enthusiastically cheered the recognition of their peers through the colours and bars presentations was heart-warming – evidence of the genuine support they give one another,” Mr Enright said.

• Click on the thumbnail images below to scroll through photos from the concert.

 

Year 12 St John Ambulance volunteer Jason Tao and a team of senior pupils demonstrated to other Elizabethans how they could save lives in a special lunchtime event open to all.

Around 40 boys came to the Main School Hall to learn CPR and recovery techniques for casualties in what is expected to be the first of a series of first-aid workshops.

Jason said: “One key takeaway was that you don’t have to be part of St John Ambulance or a paramedic to potentially give someone – a loved one, a close friend, or just someone on the street – a second chance at life.

“One of the most decisive moments for me setting up this workshop was coming across this shocking statistic that for every minute without receiving CPR, the survival rate of someone in cardiac arrest (i.e. their heart has stopped beating) falls by 10%.

“Equipped with the knowledge of what to do in these scenarios, those who attended would now no longer be passive bystanders, but active life-savers. That’s what makes workshops like this quite special: what greater power than to save lives!”

The first part of the workshop focused on how and when to do CPR (answer: when a casualty is unresponsive and not breathing). The second part covered how and when to put someone in the recovery position (when the casualty is unresponsive, but breathing).

Former footballer Vinnie Jones famously fronted a public information campaign some years ago championing the use of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees in performing CPR, because its tempo is in the correct 100-120 beats per minute range. This track is still useful, Jason said. He included it on a CPR playlist during the workshop, although he spared the attendees Baby Shark, which is also recommended because of its tempo. “I do think it was for the best that this was not played out loud in the hall!” he said.

He reflected on the benefits of being a St John Ambulance volunteer. “I joined at the start of 2021 just after the lockdown had ended, and I think like many others coming out of lockdown, I needed a way to get some form of human contact back into my life. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a local St John Unit, and I’ve had absolutely no regrets ever since!

“Volunteering for St John Ambulance is so rewarding and satisfying – when you finally use those first-aid skills to treat actual patients at events, that sense of accomplishment from a job well done (and of course from having a grateful patient!) is definitely one of the best parts of the experience.

“Through volunteering and gaining first-aid skills, I’ve found that other skills like communication and teamwork have developed alongside, as you put yourself ‘out there’ at more and more events and work alongside other St John volunteers.” These events have included sports fixtures at the Emirates Stadium, Lord’s and London Stadium, among other venues.

Jason thanked staff members Bryn Evans and Rhys Peto for the work they did behind the scenes to make the workshop possible, including sorting out the venue, getting access to mannequins and making it all run smoothly on the day. Dr Evans is a Physics teacher and QE Flourish tutor, while Mr Peto, from the Facilities team, has first-aid training experience through his work with the Combined Cadet Force.

He also thanked fellow St John members who helped out at the workshop:  Year 12 pupils Pranav Haller, Joshua John, Sai Suhas Parsaboina, Reshwanth Kanukollu, Girish Adapa, Yathoosan Suthash, Adi Kaneshanathan, and Krutarth Behera, of Year 11.

“We all thoroughly enjoyed teaching these skills to the participants, who all came with an eagerness to learn and were really engaged, picking things up much faster than we had expected! We introduced an element of competition (something that we know students here never shy away from) looking at who had the best technique after three minutes of CPR – something they all really enjoyed, although a few were left slightly breathless!

“We even had a few pupils who stayed behind after the workshop to ask how they could join and start volunteering for St John Ambulance.

“Following the success of this workshop, we certainly won’t be stopping at one, with future workshops covering a range of life-saving skills, like how to use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). We also hope to potentially add an exciting element of fundraising to these first-aid events.”

 

The Combined Cadet Force remembered QE’s own war dead in an act of remembrance at the School, before then playing their part in Sunday’s commemorations in High Barnet.

One hundred and thirteen old boys of the School died in the First and Second World Wars, while others have been injured and killed in conflicts since.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “On this important day, we remember all those lives lost in conflict, reflecting upon the sacrifices they and others made to secure our freedoms and security.

“We honour the Elizabethans killed in the two world wars, and think, too, of all those affected by conflict around the world.”

On Friday, the School day closest to Armistice Day this year, the whole School paused for a two-minute silence at 11 o’clock.

The act of remembrance was led by the School’s CCF. The boys marched to the School’s World War I memorial in the Crush Hall before laying a wreath, demonstrating funeral drill they had learned for the occasion.

They were overseen by Staff Sergeant Rhys Peto, the CCF’s School Staff Instructor, who is a member of QE’s Facilities Team.

There was a reading from Laurence Binyon’s poem, For the Fallen, from which the Ode of Remembrance is drawn. The Last Post was played by Joel Swedensky, of Year 12, on the trumpet.

On Remembrance Sunday, 24 cadets turned out, joining High Barnet’s Remembrance Sunday parade, marching from the Army Reserve Centre in St Albans Road down the High Street to St John the Baptist Church, where all attended the church service. Wreath-laying at the war memorial there was carried out by Shubh Rathod and Chinthn Santhalingam, both of Year 13.

The School has recently fielded a number of enquiries from the families of Old Elizabethans killed in the two world wars and has been able to use QE Collections to provide them variously with images and information about their relatives from the digital archives.

Among the thousands of artefacts in QE Collections is the speech made by Headmaster E H Jenkins (1930–1961) in 1948 at the dedication service for the School’s World War II memorial. Of the 65 who died in that conflict, 52 had been his own pupils, and, he told the congregation, he remembered them all.

“Their graves are worldwide. In the Far East, in Burmese jungles, on the Western Desert, in the waters that wash around Crete, among the Guards on the Tunisian frontier, in Salerno’s bay, beneath the flak of Berlin, in our own seas… in our own dear homeland, on Normandy beaches, at the crossings of the Rhine – to all of these they have borne, and left to eternity, a part of our Elizabethan heritage. They are gone from us.

They will not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,

but we will remember them: we will take up the charge they have left to us, the service of our country and the cause of tolerant freedom which they loved, and for which they died. God helping us, we can do no other. And to masters and boys of this school, as they pass it upon their daily vocations, this bronze, which is now to be dedicated and unveiled, shall be at once a reminder and an inspiration,” Mr Jenkins concluded.