Viewing archives for Trips

Ninety-five Year 10 boys headed off to Aberdovey for a long weekend of outdoor activities and team-building on the Welsh coast.

After the successful inaugural trip last year, the 2024 cohort again enjoyed activities that required them to learn new skills and, in many cases, to pluck up a little courage. This year, alongside the canoeing, climbing, hiking and shimmying along a rope above water, they could also practise abseiling and making a fire.

A further change from 2023’s dual trips was that the whole group went together, making the long coach journey on the same weekend.

QE Flourish tutor Celia Wallace, who led the boys and a team of eight staff, said: “It was a great weekend: the boys returned tired but exhilarated, with fresh skills learned, a few fears faced and overcome, new friendships forged, and with existing friendships deepened.”

“Through the Flourish programme, we are committed to offering our students a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities,” Dr Wallace added. “Trips such as this develop the boys not only as individuals, but in their capacity for helping one another and working as a team.”

After a journey broken by a 30-minute stop at services, the boys eventually arrived at the Outward Bound centre in Aberdovey (Aberdyfi) in Snowdonia National Park, where they were to sleep in dormitories.

Several of the participants spoke about their experience after it was all over. Krish Deebak and Parth Jain both welcomed being taken out of their ‘comfort zone’ through activities such as rock-climbing and gorge-scrambling. Tanush Madadi said: “The fact that we managed to do such a range of activities in such a short span of time was really an amazing thing.”

It was, said several, fun to try out new activities, with Namish Thakur commenting that “it was also a great way to learn new things about myself, like the fact that I’m somehow pretty good at dragging myself across a rope”.

Many of the boys readily appreciated that the benefits extended well beyond the acquisition of new physical skills. Henry Greene learned “important life lessons”, such as skills in “communication and leadership”; Alex Wang found that the trip “helped build up my confidence and leadership,”; Sriram Muthukumaran said: “It was a great opportunity to get to know others in our year that we may not be so familiar with.”

They also enjoyed the chance to do it all in a picturesque location. Danyal Rahim said: “I think my highlight of the trip would be any time we went to the beach, as it was such a beautiful landscape.”

Aryan Afghan reflected widely on the weekend. He liked the “really nice” food; the clean dormitories with “ample room” and the “great attitude” of the instructors. He thanked Dr Wallace and her team, even endorsing their decision to remove boys’ phones for the weekend. “A great idea – many of us felt a lot happier and more awake without them, and some of us didn’t want to use them on the way back because we learnt from Aberdovey that we, in fact, don’t need to be stuck to a screen all the time to have fun and enjoy ourselves.”

This was, as Suhaan Panjwani said, a time for “making many memories”, or, as Aaryav Sharma commented, summing it all up: “It was incredible.”

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Year 13 Geography and English Literature students joined forces on a trip to see John Steinbeck’s Depression-era novel, The Grapes of Wrath, at the National Theatre.

The 1939 novel tells the story of a tenant-farmer family from Oklahoma who struggle to survive during the Dust Bowl, a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged agriculture in the American prairies during the 1930s.

The book is a set text for the English A-level students, while for the geographers, the story illustrates the inter-relational nature of phenomena such as drought & desertification, mass migration and food security.

Head of English Robert Hyland said: “The Grapes of Wrath is, among other things, an environmental and ecological novel. Teaming up with the Geography department to run this trip was a great way of highlighting how seemingly disparate subjects like English and Geography can shed light on the climate crisis which affects us all.”

He added that it is helpful for English Literature students to see a performance of a novel at the start of their study of it, since it helps them understand the characters and narrative.

Deputy Head (Academic) and Geography teacher Anne Macdonald said: “The novel addresses significant geographical themes linked to people’s relationship with the environment, mass migration caused by climate change and environmental degradation, and the shattered dream of a better life experienced by migrants searching for a new home. While set in 1930s America, its themes are relevant to the current world on the brink of mass migration caused by climate change.”

The Grapes of Wrath recounts the Joad family’s journey west to California in a dilapidated lorry as they pursue a better life. It ends with the story’s protagonist, Tom Joad, going into hiding after killing a policeman who murdered his friend for organising a strike, and with the family’s eldest daughter, Rose of Sharon, breastfeeding a starving man to save his life.

On its publication, it caused considerable controversy because of its negative depiction of the USA of the time.

Epic in its scope, the story was retold in a three-hour performance at the National Theatre, produced by Carrie Cracknell, which followed Frank Galati’s 1998 play, based closely on the novel.

Some of the pupils gave their reactions afterwards:

• Geography student Andreas Angelopolous said: “I found the portrayal of the Dust Bowl migration powerful. The depiction of the Joads’ struggle against poverty and discrimination was compelling and mirrors challenges faced by many migrants today.”
• His fellow geographer, Saim Khan, said: “It brought to life just how deeply influential the topics we learn in the classroom – like drought – are in shaping the lives of people around the world. There are few forms of media more able to capture sense of place than theatre.”
• English Literature student Vaibhav Gaddi said that the story “demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit when encountered with intense hardship. The Joad family endures death, miscarriage and losing family members, and yet are still unbowed at the play’s shocking end.”

Mrs Macdonald and Assistant Head of English Victoria Maule accompanied the boys on the trip to the South Bank.

When Deputy Head Anne Macdonald was watching the BBC’s Our Changing Planet, she was so impressed with the work of the Coral Spawning Laboratory shown in the Restoring Our Reefs episode that she wrote asking for a visit.

The result was a summer trip by 25 senior pupils, who learned about the ground-breaking research at the University of Derby laboratory that aims to save the world’s coral reefs from extinction.

The day-long visit featured two workshops, before ending with the boys playing what Mrs Macdonald described as “perhaps the most complicated board game in history”, through which they learned about how to build a healthy, resilient reef.

“Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the marine environment, but are home to 25% of all marine life.  They are crucial to marine biodiversity,” said Mrs Macdonald. “They also support a way of life and the livelihoods of millions of people around the world, especially in low-income countries (and so have socio-cultural, economic, and environmental significance).

“The scientists at the Coral Spawning Laboratory are engaged in ground-breaking research with the aim of saving reefs from extinction, specifically in relation to the threats of ocean acidification and warming caused by human-induced changes to the carbon cycle and global warming.

“The aims of this trip included: discovering more about these fascinating ecosystems; seeing first-hand how scientific research is undertaken in a laboratory setting and the positive impacts that uncertain, but ground-breaking, science can yield; supporting boys’ studies for their Biology and Geography A-levels; and providing an opportunity to explore the world of conservation biology, molecular ecology, and marine biology, for those considering taking a degree relevant to these fields. Experiences such as these are invaluable to those aspiring to study science at university.”

The 25 participating students were drawn mainly from the current Year 13, but also from Years 11 and 12. They were accompanied by Mrs Macdonald, a Geography teacher in addition to her role as Deputy Head (Academic), and by Gillian Ridge, who is Head of Biology.

Their visit was hosted by Professor Michael Sweet, professor in molecular ecology and co-founder of the Coral Spawning Laboratory, which is at the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, part of the university’s College of Science and Engineering.

Scientists fear for the survival of coral reefs; their extinction is considered a real and imminent threat.  The work of scientists at the Coral Spawning Laboratory and at universities globally is helping to buy time in the hope that the reefs can be kept in existence while climate mitigation progresses.

As the laboratory’s name suggests, the scientists there are pioneering techniques to maximise coral spawning (including ‘Coral IVF’) and undertaking research to discover the ideal environmental conditions for successful coral fertilisation and growth.

The boys enjoyed a tour of the laboratory, during which they had the opportunity to see the coral-spawning tanks and the new seagrass facility, where scientists recently succeeded in getting seagrass to flower and seed in laboratory conditions.

One workshop focussed on coral biology and threats to corals, specifically coral-bleaching caused by rising ocean temperatures. It included the chance to look at coral through a microscope, identifying the cellular differences between healthy and bleached coral.

The second workshop looked at climate change – at how scientists working collaboratively and with commercial partners can help accelerate the pace of climate-change mitigation and adaptation.

“The boys who attended were very appreciative of this opportunity, with one, for example, expressing interest in the commercial aspects of the team’s work and another enjoying hearing about scientists from different universities working together,” Mrs Macdonald concluded.

QE’s senior Combined Cadet Force members experienced five days that tested their knowledge, skills and endurance at Exercise Endeavour – their summer camp in Lincolnshire.

Cadets from Year 10 and above headed to the Beckingham Camp training area, where the challenges came thick and fast. They took part in simulated attacks and ambushes, held compounds against attack, and were given an introduction to urban warfare.

There were challenges from the weather, too: during two nights and three days out on the terrain, they had to deal first with the cold and camping on wet ground, and then with very hot temperatures towards the end. The other two nights were spent in the site’s military accommodation.

Captain Richard Scally said: “The focus of the camp was on field training – on practising and assessing field craft and tactics, which involved boys applying skills they have gained during the year.

“It was a fully immersive experience for our cadets, who did very well, under the expert guidance and supervision of my colleagues.”

QE’s CCF was joined for the camp activities by the CCF from The John Warner School in Hoddesdon.

Also sharing the venue were personnel from RAF Cranwell and Lincolnshire Constabulary’s Armed Police Unit.

With days that began at 6am with the ‘reveille’ wake-up call and ended as late as midnight after evening activities, the camp was not only exciting, but tough and disciplined, too. Alongside the ‘recce patrols’, ‘preparation for battle’ and ‘platoon attack’ listed in the programme, there were also sessions dedicated to weapon-cleaning and administration.

It was not all hard work, however: there was an opportunity to relax at a movie night on the first evening.

QE is one of very few state schools to have its own CCF. Established in 1992, it is sponsored by the Corps of Royal Engineers, with the Regular Army providing support in training and administration.

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

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

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

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

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

The major trips involved in the festival were:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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