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Queen Elizabeth’s School has once again exceeded all previous years’ GCSE results, it announced today [25 Aug 2011].

90% of examinations taken by the 179 boys in Year 11 were awarded A* or A grades, with almost all the others (8.9%) at B.

The recent growth in the proportion of boys gaining five or more A* or A grades continued. This year it was 97.8%. In 2010 – the previous best-ever year for GCSEs at the School – the figure was 96% and in 2009 it was 92.1%.

“These are very encouraging results, with the boys being duly rewarded for their consistent hard work,” said the Headmaster, Neil Enright. “The statistics show that on the one hand there has been a diminution of the ‘tail’, with the number of lower grades now very small indeed, while on the other we have achieved a significant improvement at the top end.

“It is important to note that these results were achieved against the backdrop of boys participating fully in our extensive range of extra-curricular activities.”

“Last week’s A-level results underlined that we are losing a wonderful group from Year 13, but we can take solace from what is clearly a very strong cohort coming into the Sixth Form from Year 11!” Mr Enright added.

Science was a particular highlight at QE this year. Around 100 boys took individual science GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, rather than the Science Double Award. In Chemistry, 98% of grades were A*, while the figures for Biology and Physics were 90% and 84% respectively.

Boys also performed well in Geography, with an A* grade recorded for 94 of the 129 candidates (73%) and 96% gaining either A* or A. Similarly, in Mathematics 83% gained A* and 99.4% an A* or A. In fact, only one boy in the year received a lower grade than A*/A in Mathematics (a B).

Key statistics among this year’s GCSE results include:

• 90.0% of all examinations taken were at A* or A (up from 89.1% last year)
• 98.9% were at A*-B (up from 98.1%)
• 97.8% of boys achieved five or more A* and A grades
• 100% achieved the Government’s preferred benchmark figure of five or more A*-C grades including English and Mathematics.

A Year 8 pupil has been placed 12th in a national diving competition. 12-year-old Gil Segev competed at Level 3 at this year’s National Age Group Diving Finals in Sheffield.

Gil started diving when he was eight, and was immediately talent-spotted. “I had been doing gymnastics at Hendon Leisure Centre, and when I started diving lessons the coach moved me straight into the Barnet Copthall Diving Club,” said Gil.

He competes in individual competitions on the 3m and 1m boards, and in ‘synchro’ on the 1m board. For each event he has to perform a number of dives, each of which is rated with a tariff that reflects the difficulty of the dive.

“Although I have won silver and bronze in competitions across the country, I’ve yet to pick up a gold, so that is one target for me. And as my diving improves I will be learning more complicated dives which get higher scores. I might have to change to the Crystal Palace Club because they have 7m and 10m platforms,” he added. “If I work hard then one day, you never know, I might make it to the Olympics.”

Tom Aggar (1995-2002) has taken the Gold medal at the World Rowing Championships at Lake Bled in Slovenia – his fifth consecutive title.

He was chased hard by Russian newcomer Alexey Chuvashev but finished strongly with a clear lead to take gold in the Adaptive Men’s Single Scull event.

Tom, who is a member of the GB Rowing Team for the London Paralympics in 2012, says that standards are getting ever higher as rowers from all countries are focusing on next year’s games.

Having recently been named the 2010 World Rowing Adaptive Crew of the Year, he is enjoying a double celebration following his marriage this month to a former adaptive rower, Victoria Hansford. Vicki achieved two World Championship Golds and one Silver medal and set two world records during her career. During her time as a top-flight athlete she also worked at the University of Surrey as a sports psychologist, managing the élite sport programme. In July 2011 the British Paralympic Association announced her appointment as Athlete Services Manager.

“We would like to congratulate Tom, both for his success at the World Championships and on the occasion of his marriage,” said Headmaster Neil Enright.

“Tom was a talented sportsman during his time at QE and we follow his achievements very closely at the School. Tom exemplifies many of the attributes we try to develop in all our pupils: excellence, commitment, persistence, hard-work and team values. We will all be cheering him on at next year’s Paralympics.”

Tom started rowing as part of rehabilitation programme, following an accident in 2005 that left him paralysed.

The School has been awarded the prestigious Prince’s Teaching Institute (PTI) Mark in four subjects, with a fifth expected to follow.

The award, which is given retrospectively for 2010/11, recognises and rewards school departments that develop inspirational ideas and activities which enhance the teaching of their subjects.

In addition, senior Queen Elizabeth’s School staff have been appointed by the Institute as mentors and are now helping other schools in their work with the PTI, an independent educational charity created by the Prince of Wales. Recently, QE’s Assistant Head, Anne Macdonald (pictured), was one of four geography mentors selected from schools across the country to meet the Prince.

“We are delighted to receive the PTI Mark, which reflects our excellent teaching practices and the creativity, dedication and knowledge in depth of our staff,” said Headmaster Neil Enright. "We gained the PTI Mark for Science last year and we are particularly pleased that not only has this been renewed, but an additional three departments have now gained the mark, namely English, Geography and History. Following this year’s PTI summer school at Cambridge, the School’s Modern Foreign Languages department is also working towards gaining the mark."

The PTI’s Schools Programme, which was launched in 2007, is open to all state secondary schools in England. To become members, school departments must demonstrate their commitment to increasing teachers’ subject knowledge. They must also show how they have furthered their students’ understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the subject, regardless of the students’ background or ability.

Mrs Macdonald, who has been involved in the programme since an early stage, outlined the long and rigorous process that QE has had to follow in order to gain the PTI Mark. “In the beginning we had to fill in an application outlining the current strengths of our departments and setting and agreeing targets for the year ahead with a Schools Programme mentor,” she said. “Once the targets were agreed we worked towards them over the following academic year. On 4th July we had to present and discuss our achievements. As we were successful in achieving our first-year targets and have set challenging targets for improvement next year, we have been awarded the PTI Mark,” she added.

In 2009, Mrs Macdonald was accompanied to the PTI Summer School by QE’s Head of Pupil Progression, Sarah Westcott, representing the Geography and Science departments respectively. Tahmer Mahmoud, QE’s Head of History, and Susannah Sweetman, the Head of English, took part in the 2010 Summer School. All four achieved the Prince’s Mark and are continuing their work with the School’s Programme.

A Year 13 pupil has won second prize in a national essay-writing competition. David Alam was amongst 500 entrants to the 2011 Royal Economic Society Essay competition.

The participants were given a choice of topics, all with an economic theme. For his prize-winning essay, David chose to write about An NHS free at point of access is unsustainable in the 21st Century and an alternative funding model is needed.

“We are delighted for David as it is a significant achievement to be placed second in such a prestigious, national competition,” said Headmaster Neil Enright. “David is a particularly talented student. In 2010 he scored the highest mark in the country for his Geography GCSE and was awarded a prize by the Royal Geographical Society."

The judging panel for this year’s Economic Essay prize comprised Professor Richard Blundell from the RES, Charles Bean, Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and the BBC’s Stephanie Flanders who commented on the “high standard of entries this year”.Fellow Sixth-Former Akash Raja also reached the final with his essay about the economy of China.

A Year 9 pupil has been invited to take part in a top junior chess tournament in the Czech Republic in April next year.

Thirteen-year-old Jake Breindel has been asked by the English Chess Federation to represent his country at the annual Young Talents competition at Frydek-Mistek. The competition is entering its 76th year and attracts the brightest and best young players from across Europe. Previous participants include current and former grandmasters David Howell, Monika Socko and David Navara.

“This is a tremendous achievement,” said Geoff Roberts, the teacher in charge of chess at QE. “Jake was invited to take part in an international chess tournament in Gibraltar back in the summer, but unfortunately it clashed with another sporting event. Jake had already been selected to play basketball in Philadelphia for the England Maccabi U14 team. I’m confident he will do very well.”

Jake has been winning chess championships since primary school, including the Hertfordshire U9, U11 and U14 Championships. He captained his team to win the English Primary Schools’ Chess Association U9 and U11 Championships. He was the England U10 Rapidplay Champion and won the U11 England Championship, going on to represent England against Flanders. In December 2010 he came second in the prestigious U18 London Classic at Olympia, competing against boys who were up to five years older than him.

“Jake is a talented boy and a chess player of great promise,” said Headmaster Neil Enright. “It’s very important to us that we give our students the opportunities and time they need to excel at extra-curricular activities alongside their studies. We are proud of Jake’s achievements and will follow his chess career with interest.”