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Senior boys from QE and their counterparts at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School went on a litter pick – the latest event in the community-oriented QE Together partnership.

Shocked by the amount of plastic waste discarded in the Dollis Valley, twenty sixth-formers from the two schools decided to take matters into their own hands, heading into the great outdoors armed with protective gloves and bin bags.

Since the start of 2022, QE Together, a new partnership led by the QE and QEGS sixth-formers themselves, has organised a series of successful community events.

Sushant Deshpande, who is in Year 13 at QE, said: “Our motivations were high and we were enthusiastic to clean up the park.

“We managed to collect quite a lot of litter and thoroughly enjoyed the process, with both schools having a memorable time.

“We look forward to doing more events in the future, perhaps even involving more schools within our community.

“We’ve taken pride in giving back to our wider circle and have had multiple successes so far. We hope to sustain these initiatives for many more generations of QE Together,” he added.

Pupils from the two schools have met regularly over the past two terms, organising a string of events and activities:

• Singing at Abbey Ravenscroft Park Nursing Home in a joint visit that built on a tradition of past visits by boys from QE
• Running a joint assembly for Year 6 children at Whitings Hill Primary School, where the team discussed the move to secondary school, including both its challenges and the things to look forward to
• Campaigning together for safer roads.

Crispin Bonham-Carter, Assistant Head (Pupil Involvement), said the QE Together team were grateful to their sponsors, Signature Care Homes, who donated the gloves and bin bags for the litter pick.

With the BAFTAs fresh in everyone’s mind, QE’s stars of the small screen have been picking up their own awards for their work to help fellow pupils.

In a first for the School, QE’s team of peer mentors this year produced a series of short videos to share their wisdom and experience with younger pupils, providing useful tips and advice on topics ranging from coping with stress to how to use a homework diary.

To reward these senior pupils’ talent and commitment, the best of their work was recognised in an informal awards ceremony, when a number of prizes were awarded.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “Over the years, our teams of peer mentors have made, and continue to make, a great contribution as a much-valued part of the wider support network at the School. Both mentors and mentees routinely take a lot away from these relationships.

“There was great creativity and skill on display in these bite-sized videos, which communicated some very important and insightful messages. Everyone involved with any of the videos should be proud of their efforts and the way they are helping to support others.”

The peer videos project was organised by Head of Extra-curricular Enrichment Rebecca Grundy and Head of Year 10 Micah King, with the explicit purpose of widening the number of pupils who could benefit from the guidance of peer mentors. The peer mentors began working on their films in November, each selecting a topic that had been identified as a need for pupils within the School, and then teamed up to script, film and edit their videos.

“The boys worked incredibly hard together to produce such high-quality videos, and one particular joy of this project was watching older and younger peer mentors collaborate to share their wisdom with our QE community,” said Mr King. “Each team had to create project proposals and submit multiple drafts of their videos – and  the end results speak for themselves: they are an excellent collection of videos and the boys are a credit to the School.”

• The award for best film overall went to the Year 13 team of Paul Ofordu, Miguel Nieves, Manomay Lala-Raykar and Aadarsh Khimasia, which Paul and Manomay directed, with Paul additionally producing and editing the video, Managing Stress and Anxiety. Paul also took the best actor award for his role in the three-minute production (pictured top). To combat stress, they recommended meditation, journalling, controlling one’s own social media use, sleep and healthy eating. The judges’ comments were: “This film combined superb advice, with great editing, cinematography, acting and presenting. The Year 13 producers of this film are a credit to this school, and their film epitomises the wonderful help, wisdom and guidance they have given to QE. “The judges also commented that: “Paul is a great role model for students on camera. His acting skills are compelling, while he presents great advice wonderfully.”
• Adam Khaliq and Rudra Thakkar, both of Year 12, won the award for best cinematography with their film, Making friends at QE. “This award was given in recognition of the joy that was captured on film,” the judges wrote. “This advice guide would cheer and support students who are struggling, and the filming was creative and adventurous.”
• The best editing award went to Shuaib Adam, of Year 11, whose film was entitled How to prepare a study space at home. The citation for this was: “When we first watched this, Ms Grundy remarked that you could imagine seeing this on the BBC. Superb use of speed up/slowed down footage, great voiceovers and text overlay. A masterful piece of editing.”
• The best producer award went jointly to the Year 12 pair of Haipei Jiang and Nivain  Goonasekera, for How to manage your homework. It was, the judges wrote, an “Excellent stop motion video, which combined great advice with a fun, entertaining and wonderfully produced guide.”
• Darren Lee, of Year 11, was also recognised for his graphic design, with the judges commenting that this work was: “Creative and professional. Darren’s graphic design is outstanding, managing to maintain the School’s branding in his banner, while demonstrating his own creativity in the buttons he designed.”

All the videos are in the support and advice section of eQE, the School’s e-platform and learning platform.

QE today announced its biggest-ever prefect body – 120 sixth-formers led by the 2022 School Captain, Theo Mama-Kahn.

Theo, pictured centre, and his two Senior Vice-Captains, Ansh Jassra (right) and Antony Yassa will take over at the start of the New Year at the helm of a Year 12 team that includes Vice-Captains, House Captains, Deputy House Captains and Prefects.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “My congratulations go to all who have been appointed to this, our largest-ever group, reflecting the current size of our Sixth Form. There were very many strong candidates.

“To be named in such positions at this School represents a significant honour and is reflective of the standing in which they are held by their peers and staff. They serve as role models and ambassadors for QE and our shared values. The prefect roles are aligned with the development priorities in our 2021–2025 School plan; these senior students thus make a lasting contribution, assisting us in our progress as an organisation.

“It was no surprise to see Theo, Ansh and Antony emerge out of the prefect selection process ­- all are hugely talented, hard-working, and epitomise what it means to be ‘confident, able and responsible’,” Mr Enright added. “They are each role models in their own way for other QE boys, whilst they complement each other well with their differing personalities.

“Their ability to take on the leadership responsibility that these roles bring with them cannot be questioned. Already, they have each demonstrated that they can juggle significant extra-curricular involvements with academic study at an impressive level.”

Mr Enright also thanked the outgoing 2021 School Captain, Siddhant Kansal, and his team. “During another disrupted year, they coped admirably with the vicissitudes of leading in the midst of a pandemic, and successfully made an impact in a number of areas of School life.”

Assistant Head (Pupil Development) Michael Feven detailed the attributes and accomplishments of the new Captain and his Senior Vice-Captains.

“Theo is notable for his altruism: he is kind and enjoys selflessly helping others. He is a star of the Music department, with wide involvement in a number of ensembles, including one which he leads. At this year’s Senior Awards Ceremony, he not only won an impressive trio of prizes – for Music and Geography and a year-group award for overall commitment – but also entertained the audience with a trumpet voluntary. In addition, he is a one of our eco representatives and helps out in the French & German clinics.

“Ansh is a hard-working, determined and focussed individual. He gives up his own time to tutor Mathematics to youngsters in deprived areas, while also running clinics in Maths and German here, and he has enjoyed success with LAMDA public speaking awards.

“Antony is outgoing and confident: he will undoubtedly bring new ideas to the group. Like Theo, he is heavily involved in Music, having sung in the School Choir and Chamber Choir for a number of years. He also exemplifies the School’s ethos of service: he is intending to work at an old people’s home as part of our Sixth Form Voluntary Service Programme.”

The roles of the ten Vice-Captains have been expanded and enhanced this year to support the new School development priorities. New leadership positions for the environment have been added, while the existing community engagement role has been strengthened. As a result, there are now two Vice-Captains with responsibility for each of the following areas:

• Charity & Community Engagement
• Enrichment & Involvement
• Environment
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Student Voice.

The second picture shows the Headmaster and the Head of Year 12, Helen Davies, with the School Captain, Senior Vice-Captains and Vice-Captains. The Vice-Captains are: Victor Angelov; Suraj Cheema; Sushant Deshpande; Dylan Domb; Aryan Jindal; Heemy Kalam; Mithil Parmar; Olly Salter; Ryo Sato; and Jao-Yong Tsai.

Leading figures from the QE community today paid tribute to Sid Clark, an important figure at the School for half a century, who died this week.

Appointed as a Chemistry teacher in 1956, Mr Clark went on to play a significant role in maintaining standards at QE through some of the School’s most turbulent years and, before his retirement in 1987, helped newly arrived Headmaster Eamonn Harris in laying the groundwork for its subsequent success.

Having made a huge impact in his staff roles, among them Head of Chemistry and Head of Sixth Form, Mr Clark (pictured, centre, above)  continued to serve the School in retirement, as a Governor, and as a Trustee of the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s, who, together with Mr Harris, set up its covenant scheme.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “Sid made a truly significant contribution to our School during a long and distinguished period of service. The FQE covenant scheme, with which he was so involved, has formed the foundations for the ongoing transformation of the School site, allowing us to provide ever greater facilities and educational opportunities for the boys.”

Mr Enright’s predecessor, Dr John Marincowitz, Headmaster from 1999 to 2011, said: “I am saddened to hear of Sid Clark’s death. His enormous contribution as an educator over three decades in the Chemistry labs benefitted many boys. It was however, as Trustee and Governor for much of my Headship that I appreciated Sid most. He gave dedicated service as treasurer, securing FQE’s finances at a time of rapid growth and challenging capital projects. As Governor, he provided wise counsel and stalwart support.

“Sid held ambitious aspirations for the School and remained a pillar of continuity from the mid-1950s to the mid-2000s.  This was a time of considerable turbulence in education. It was also period of reinvention and regeneration at Queen Elizabeth’s.  We will remember Sid with gratitude for the part he played in the School’s emergence as a centre of national excellence.”

Former Second Master and President of the Old Elizabethans Association Eric Houston also paid tribute to Mr Clark: “Greatly respected by his colleagues for his formidable intellect, he will be remembered as an outstanding schoolmaster who dedicated so much of his working life to his pupils.”

Mr Houston, who remained in touch with Mr Clark and visited him in New Zealand (pictured left), where he moved in 2008, said: “Sid was so proud of the School’s outstanding achievements but it is true that he had a huge part to play in making this possible. He never sought any credit for his many contributions, but we should acknowledge with gratitude all he did over many years. He leaves a wonderful legacy.”

Having graduated with a first-class honours degree from the University of Wales, Mr Clark was appointed in 1956 by Headmaster E.H. Jenkins to teach Chemistry. He remained at QE for the rest of his teaching career.

Through his teaching, he helped launch a number highly successful and distinguished academic careers.

A one-time athlete of national standing himself, he gave coaching and encouragement to many boys on Third Field and Stapylton, while he also spent a great deal of his time driving the School’s most talented performers around the country for them to compete in national athletics competitions.

He was quickly promoted to Head of Chemistry, and, when the School was reorganised and became a comprehensive in 1971, he shortly after became Head of Sixth Form.

He maintained his insistence on high standards of behaviour and dress, and on the pursuit of academic excellence.

“Many Sixth Form students from that period owe the places they secured at top universities to the individual help and guidance they received from him,” said Mr Houston, who added that when Mr Harris arrived in 1984 and ushered in a period of great change, Mr Clark soon joined with him to form “a formidable partnership that was the foundation of QE’s subsequent success”.

His total commitment to the School did not diminish in the slightest following his retirement in 1987.  After QE opted out of local authority control in 1989, he became a Governor, serving for a period as Vice Chairman, and he unfailingly attended all School functions. He worked on a number of sub-committees and was an influential figure in the School regaining selective status in 1994.

Every major project that has taken place on the School site since 1990 has, to a greater or lesser extent, been made possible because of the covenant scheme he helped set in place and oversaw for many years. Pictured here is the signing for the contract for the Martin Swimming Pool – a demonstration of the impact of the work of FQE and the fruits of the covenant scheme.

In 2008, Mr Clark and his wife decided to relocate to New Zealand to be closer to their daughter and three grandchildren. He died peacefully in the North Island city of Hamilton earlier this week.

QE’s Combined Cadet Force led staff and visitors in a ceremony of remembrance for Elizabethans who have fallen in conflict, including the 70 who died in two world wars.

The cadets paraded into the Crush Hall, the area just outside the Main Hall, at 10.55am to take up their positions ahead of the 11am silence. They were led by Cadet Staff Sergeant Lucas Lu, of Year 13, who gave the commands and laid the wreath at the World War I memorial on behalf of the CCF and School.

Boys throughout the School observed the silence, with a three-bell advance warning at 10.59, followed by a single bell to mark the start and finish of the two minutes.

This year’s 11th November event took place shortly after last month’s ceremony at the School to mark the centenary of the unveiling of this memorial in October 1921.

It comes as the Royal British Legion celebrates its own 100th anniversary and also marks 100 years since the nation’s collective remembrance traditions were first brought together – the poppy, two-minute silence, Armistice Day, the service for the Unknown Warrior, and the march-past at the Cenotaph .

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “We attach great importance to commemorating all our old boys who have fallen in war.

“In saluting th0se Elizabethans from generations past who gave their lives for a cause greater than themselves, we firstly pay tribute to their sacrifice and secondly encourage our current pupils to reflect on the School’s long and continuing tradition of service.”

The ceremony included a short reading by Anubhav Rathore, of Year 12, while Theo Mama-Kahn, also of Year 12, played the Last Post and the Reveille on the trumpet either side of the silence.

The message on the wreath laid by Lucas read: “We commemorate those who gave their future to protect ours.”

Teachers of classes too far away to hear the trumpet at the ceremony were given the option of playing a video from the National Memorial Arboretum.

A range of resources was also provided to tutors so that they could explain the event to their tutor groups.

QE COP 26 delegate Toma Gelsinov spoke out about the increasing role that schools are playing in combatting climate change when he appeared as part of a UK Government-backed youth discussion panel in Glasgow.

Toma and his fellow Year 12 pupil, Rahul Doshi, were both invited to take part in the summit to represent the UK Schools Sustainability Network (UKSSN), with Toma heading off to Scotland, while Rahul was part of a home-based remote team.

“I feel national school campaigns on climate change awareness can be a big factor in the younger generation learning about what impacts they have on the climate and how they can help mitigate and stop climate change,” Toma told other members of the five-strong panel and the assembled audience in Glasgow.

“Ever since I was young, I have realised how privileged we are in the UK: with the vast amount of resources we have available, if we cannot tackle climate change, who can?”

The panel was supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.

Now reunited at the School, Toma and Rahul, together with QE’s third Eco Ambassador, Amogh Bhartia, also of Year 12, are looking forward to tomorrow afternoon’s Mock COP26 summit for Years 7-10.

In the panel discussion in Glasgow, during which UK Chief Scout Bear Grylls gave a keynote address, Toma highlighted the work done by UKSSN, including: media appearances and journalism; involvement in local and national politics, and rewilding and gardening projects. All are aimed at combating global warming and the accompanying crisis in biodiversity.

“In my School, we are working to set up an allotment where students can take part in organic composting and gardening,” Toma said. Such initiatives allow pupils to see at first-hand what impact they can have in terms of mitigating climate change, he added.

Twenty students from the network were in Glasgow, with a further 35 participating remotely, including Rahul. He attended online sessions learning about how to communicate effectively with young people about issues like climate finance and climate anxiety.

After his panel meeting, Toma met Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and took the opportunity to discuss informally UKSSN’s work and the challenges faced. Toma said afterwards that the Secretary of State was quite knowledgeable and could relate to young people well – going so far as to describe him as a “a cool guy”.

Toma and his colleagues went along to various events at the summit, including a discussion where Mr Zahawi was speaking about the work being done in the education sector to support sustainability.

Reflecting on his experience after returning to School, Toma said that being at COP 26 with delegates and leaders from around the world was “surreal”, but noted that there were “lots of different people with the same ambitions”.  Asked about the prevailing mood, Toma said: “People were secretly optimistic, outwardly expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.”

He added: “Together as a team we collaborated and were involved in different events to learn about different perspectives. Lots of the UK team members lived in rural areas and had quite different opinions from those of us from urban areas, based on their lived experiences. The power is in acting collectively: if we act alone it will have less impact. The world will benefit if we come together, sharing good ideas and putting them into practice.”

For his part, Rahul also reported that there was extensive collaboration with other network members – through MS Teams break-outs, for example ­– with a focus on sharing ideas. “I learned that it is important to collaborate with those with different perspectives and work together. I gained an insight into other people and other schools and what they are doing… understanding different contexts.

“Young people are the future – it is important that they are involved to hold leaders to account for the promises they make. I hope that what we are doing now doesn’t get forgotten – we are pushing for long-term change.”

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.

Two of QE’s Sixth Form climate change champions have been invited to take part in next month’s crucial COP26 global summit in Glasgow.

Their invitation to join the London Schools Eco Network (LSEN) delegation follows successful campaigning by the three QE Year 12 eco-ambassadors at an inter-schools conference.

And that event so inspired the trio that they are also helping to organise their own mock summit at QE next month to give the School’s pupils an opportunity to make their voices heard just as world leaders are gathering in Scotland.

The Eco Ambassadors – Toma Gelsinov, Rahul Doshi and Amogh Bhartia – were each tasked with representing another country at the mock COP26 summit hosted by St Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, which involved QE and 12 other schools.

Technology teacher and and Extra-curricular Enrichment Tutor Stephanie Tomlinson, who leads QE’s Green Council alongside the three sixth-formers, said: “Our Eco Ambassadors were fantastic; they spoke in front of around 50 young people across the LSEN representing their various country delegations on the intricacies of climate change by proposing an ambitious global action plan.

“I was stunned by their powerful and clear performance.”

Teams comprising pupils from different schools acted as country representatives. Rahul and his team represented Saudi Arabia, whilst Toma and Amogh spoke for India. Schools taking part included South Hampstead High School, City of London School for Boys, Harrow School, North London Collegiate School and London Academy for Excellence.

The agenda included opening statements from the country delegations, a debate to encourage more global ambition and, finally, agreement of collaborations for more action.

The evening placed a heavy emphasis on cooperation, collaboration and, most of all, negotiation – all underpinned by an understanding of the urgency of the issues involved.

“Even after meeting the targets agreed to in the Paris Agreement, the average rise in temperature will still be above the target. COP26 in Glasgow is, therefore, a vital world conference,” said Miss Tomlinson.

The inter-schools conference concluded with votes on two questions, as follows:

1. Is sufficient progress being made on all country emission targets. Delegates voted no unanimously.
2. Is your country willing to do more even beyond your current targets? This elicited a more mixed response.

QE’s own sustainability ambitions received a fillip last year with the establishment of the QE Eco Network, from which two student ambassadors, Christan Emmanuel and Aadarsh Khimasia, joined the LSEN. Their three successors this year, Toma, Rahul and Amogh, were selected from Year 12 through an application process.

The Green Council, newly formed in 2021, involves representatives from forms in Years 7-10 whose ambition it is to raise awareness and create an action plan for QE to become more sustainable and eco-friendly. Members from Years 7 & 8 are known as Eco Warriors, while those from Years 9 & 10 are Eco Representatives.

“Pupils were selected through an application process by their form tutor – we were thrilled with the sheer quantity of responses. This highlighted how much our pupils care,” added Miss Tomlinson.

“I am thrilled with the response to the Eco Network and establishment of the Green Council. As we look towards the rest of the 2020s, it is ever more important to take action. Our pupils are the driving force for that change.”

While Toma takes up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to the Glasgow summit (with Rahul participating within the home-based team), the Green Council is preparing for QE’s mock summit, which will involve Years 7-10.

Sixth-former Ukendar Vadivel has won an award from the Lord Mayor of London for his innovative work producing face shields for the NHS during last year’s lockdown.

He worked closely with classmates and a newly formed group called the 3D Crowd to reduce 3D printing time for Personal Protective Equipment in a collaborative effort that used both the School’s machines and pupils’ home 3D printers. Much of the effort both at QE and across London was spearheaded by QE’s Head of Technology, Michael Noonan.

Ukendar, who is an apprentice with the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers (WCSIM), was presented with the Lord Mayor’s COVID-19 Livery Award by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, William Russell. The award recognises the contribution made by livery company members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thank you very much to the WCSIM for putting me forward for the award!” said Ukendar, who is in Year 13 and is one of this summer’s leavers.

“I am honoured to receive it, and it is a testament to what everyone at 3D Crowd has achieved over the past year and a half. I’d also like to especially thank Mr Noonan for getting us as QE students involved in such a wonderful cause.”

With the NHS urgently requiring PPE as the pandemic hit the UK, Ukendar worked closely with the 3D Crowd, who had designed, and been authorised to supply to medics, a bespoke 3D-printed face shield.

He purchased a stock of the raw materials needed before setting about the task of drastically reducing the time needed to manufacture the masks. By exchanging ideas and designs with the group, he managed to get production time down from 3–4 hours to well under 2 hours.

“At one point, I was one of the top ten producers of face shields in the London area, alongside one of my fellow schoolmates!” he says.

“The past year hasn’t been easy on any of us, but when we can put our minds together, the community can make a genuine difference. Being a part of 3D Crowd and WCSIM taught me about the value of collaboration, and the power of working towards a common goal.

“I loved helping out the real heroes of our country, the NHS workers, who of course have given so much to the public to help the country get through the pandemic. I am incredibly proud of my own mother, who was on the front lines for at least two months, alongside all the other nurses at her hospital, and indeed across the country.”

Ukendar is currently awaiting the results of his A-Levels in Product Design, Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics.

Siddhant Kansal takes up the reins from today as QE’s 2021 School Captain, supported by a twelve-strong Senior Prefect Team and more than 100 additional officials and prefects.

Siddhant will be working closely with the new Senior Vice-Captains, Sultan Khokhar and Paul Ofordu.

The transition from the 2020 team started towards the end of last term, when Headmaster Neil Enright announced the 2021 appointments in a special meeting, during which he handed ties to the Senior Prefect Team (pictured top), consisting of Siddhant, Paul, Sultan and ten new Vice-Captains. As part of the transition arrangements, the whole team were given training last month, with an additional training session also held specifically for the vice-captains.

Congratulating them, Mr Enright said: “Siddhant is an excellent choice, with leadership skills that are readily apparent, combined with good humour, charisma, thoughtfulness and the ability to inspire. I am sure he will discharge his duties with great distinction. I am confident, too, that Sultan and Paul will provide Siddhant with great support. Sultan has a reputation for excellence in all he does, while Paul has been outstanding as a peer mentor, bringing warmth and reflectiveness to the role.

“I also thank our outgoing School Captain, Ivin Jose, and his team for their hard work and impressive leadership during the most unusual of years.”

Head of Year 12 Simon Walker said that the Senior Prefect Team personify the very best of the School community. “These 13 students have, over the course of their time at Queen Elizabeth’s, earned the respect of peers and staff alike through the way that they apply themselves to all that they do and the way they conduct themselves in doing it.  All have shown consistent dedication to excellence in their studies, commitment to a wide range of in-school activities, and courtesy, integrity, responsibility and public-spiritedness in their conduct.

“The range of exceptional qualities within this diverse team is particularly striking. There are students: who have shown dynamic and imaginative leadership of a variety of in-school clubs and activities; who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities on the sports field, or within their form groups; who have enriched their peers’ experiences of School through their superlative contributions to peer-mentoring or music; and who have stood out in the way that they have embodied the School’s values in the way they treat other pupils – those who have always shown kindness, sensitivity, patience and generosity of spirit towards others. In their different ways, all of them have the qualities to set the tone for and to lead the student body as a whole to the very highest national, indeed international, standards.”

And Mr Walker added his own words of praise for the new School Captain and his vice-captains. “Siddhant brings a fantastic range of qualities to the role. He applies himself with enthusiasm, energy and positivity to all he does.” Extolling Siddhant’s “first-rate skills of leadership”, Mr Walker said that his “clarity and engaging and open manner make him an exceptional communicator with natural presence. He is also a reflective thinker who is highly adept at collaborating with others – he makes others feel that they and their contributions are important and valued. He will be able to inspire the whole prefect team, and his graciousness, supportiveness of others and dedication to all he does will set a hugely valuable example, both for the prefect team and within the student body.

“What is impressive about Sultan, above all, is how he sustains the same exceptional level of care and attention to detail across such a wide range of activities. This mentality of excellence is reflected not only in his many involvements but, importantly, also in the way he always conducts himself around the School. He has a flair for organisation and strategy that will be invaluable in coordinating the activities of the prefect team, especially at a time when swift, smooth and calm implementation of procedures can be vital in ensuring the safety of everyone within the School community.

“Alongside him, Paul is a paragon of the School’s values: his purposeful and self-disciplined work ethic is matched by his commitment to and distinction in many areas of school life.” Paul’s work as a peer mentor had “illustrated his passion for supporting other pupils in order to enrich their experience of School and enable them to flourish”, he was bringing great skill to his new role and his “admirable character” encompassed “sensitivity, care for others, patience and the ability to listen empathetically”, Mr Walker said.

The vice-captains are allocated responsibilities in specific fields, such as community & charity, form involvement and equality, diversity & inclusion.

The vice-captains are: Raphael Herberg, Saalif Jilani, Aadarsh Khimasia, Manav Khindri, Manomay Lala-Raykar, Alexandre Lee, Mark Markov, Miguel Nieves, Shivas Patel and Shay Raja.

For the six Houses, the House Captains and Deputy House Captains are as follows, with captains listed first:

• Broughton: Prajish Kannan & Dillan Shah
• Harrisons’: Romansh Gupta & Yuvraj Manral
• Leicester: Ethan Solanki & Devarya Munshi
• Pearce: Nirmay Jadhav & Beuran Kannan
• Stapylton: Thilakshan Thayalan & Jay Vasireddy
• Underne: Christan Emmanuel & Dan Suciu.

In addition, there are 92 other prefects in 2021.