Viewing archives for Uncategorized

Former School Captain Jason Breslaw has been making headlines in his career as a distillates trader for BP.

Jason (OE 1994-2001), who was School Captain in 2000, was interviewed and photographed for a Daily Mail recruitment feature looking at the breadth of careers available in the oil and gas industries.

Having read Natural Sciences at Cambridge after leaving School, specialising in Chemistry, Jason has spent the last nine years working on BP’s Oil Trading Floor in London. In an email to the School’s alumni office, he said it is a career choice that he would highly recommend to other Elizabethans.

His work involves buying and selling products such as gas oil, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel from refineries, as cargo or in storage tanks.

He told Daily Mail reporter Linda Whitney: ““Many people do not realise that oil and gas careers can include commodities trading. I found out…at a careers fair and joined the BP graduate scheme. As a Natural Sciences graduate, it meant trading in a commodity I could understand.

“Information comes in to me constantly to help me make decisions about future prices, and I buy and sell accordingly: one news story can impact on demand.

“It’s fast-paced, intellectually stimulating and based on reality – I’ve seen ships that carry the fuels I deal in, and what I do helps provide people with heat, light and mobility.”

The Year 7 Science trip to Whipsnade Zoo gave the boys the opportunity to learn more about the role of the modern zoo and climate change – as well as seeing the animals.

“The macaws that formed part of the birds of paradise exhibit and the sea lion exhibition were particularly popular with the boys,” said Science teacher David Crouch, who led the visit. “They were also able to choose from six lectures by zoo research staff on topics such as taxonomy.”

The zoo is one of Europe’s largest wildlife conservation parks, covering 600 acres in the Chilterns. It is home to nearly 3,000 animals, many of which are from species endangered in the wild.

“Although the majority of the animals are kept in enclosures, others, such as the peacocks and wallabies, roam freely around the park,” said Dr Crouch. “We packed in as much as activity we possibly could. The boys went round in small groups, each with a teacher, investigating lions, tigers, cheetahs and white rhinos, amongst many other creatures. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and highly informative day.”

Two boys have won medals in the Junior Mathematical Olympiad – a competition for the finest young mathematicians in the country.

Year 8 pupils Nico Puthu and Max Shen both gained bronze medals and certificates of distinction after strong performances in the two-hour paper, while fellow Year 8 boy Kiran Aberdeen was also awarded a certificate of distinction.

They were among 16 boys from Year 7 and Year 8 who qualified for the UK Mathematics Trust’s élite Olympiad after scoring highly in the earlier Junior Maths Challenge round, which was entered by 255 boys at the School.

Bronze medals in the Olympiad go to entrants who answer the questions competently in section A of the paper and then go on to give three substantially correct solutions in section B. Certificates of distinction are awarded to the top 25% of scorers.

Wendy Fung, Assistant Head of Mathematics, said: “Only 1,200 students qualify nationally for the Olympiad from the 250,000 who sit the Junior Maths Challenge, so for QE to have so many boys among the 1,200 is a tremendous achievement. I offer my congratulations to all the participants, and I know that both Max and Nico were justifiably proud of themselves for winning medals.”

The School’s rugby and cricket tour of Sri Lanka, organised to mark the centenary of the introduction of rugby at QE, proved to be both rewarding and challenging for the teams as they encountered talented opposition in hot and humid conditions.

The tour party, comprising around 50 boys from Year 10 to Year 13, took on a range of opposition, including local sports academies, junior district sides and an MCC-backed charity youth team during the 11-day tour. The tour also included opportunities for sightseeing and sampling local culture.

“Conditions throughout the tour were unfamiliar and asked questions of our boys’ fitness and mental strength,” said PE teacher Jonathan Morgan. “The heat and humidity led to dehydration, but all the boys played their hearts out, performing with total commitment.

“The trip got off to a smooth start, with the boys arriving at Heathrow looking extremely smart in their tour shirts and ties,” said Mr Morgan, who organised the visit. “We were greeted in Colombo with traditional necklaces made of fresh flowers, before transferring to Kandy for our first fixtures.”

With little opportunity to acclimatise to the conditions, all three teams (a rugby XV and two cricket XIs) were in action on the first day. In close matches, both cricket teams were beaten, but the rugby team won their opening game 19-5.

Cricket captain Seb Fesczcur-Hatchett was named man of the match in the A game, scoring 31 runs and taking four wickets. Man of the match in the B fixture was Mathew Norman, who scored 31 opening the batting. Highlights of the rugby included: an excellent performance by Asvin Ponnampalam, who scored two tries; a brilliant try scored by Luke Dee, and the strong overall team performance in difficult conditions.

During their time in Kandy, the boys enjoyed sights including the food market, silk and gem factories, a traditional dancing and fire-walking show, and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth.

Both cricket teams had two more games in Kandy, played at the impressive Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. “I think the B team started the day slightly overawed by the occasion and took a while to get into their stride,” added Mr Morgan. In spite of some impressive batting and bowling the team lost by four wickets.  “The A team were then involved in a real spectacle: in 40 overs of play, the two opposing teams scored 350 runs. Sadly our team fell just short of the opposition’s 178,” Mr Morgan added.

The rugby team came up against top Kandy independent school Trinity College – the number one-ranked side in Sri Lanka. Despite battling hard in tough conditions, the team lost 50-17. 

“I have to say that all the boys on tour behaved impeccably and made it a very special and successful trip,” said Mr Morgan. “They were polite, patient and good-humoured throughout.”

The later part of the tour was based around Colombo, with the highlights including a visit to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage, where the boys enjoyed watching the elephants bathing and being fed.

The climate in Colombo proved, if anything, even hotter than Kandy. The cricket B team faced an uphill task in their first game, when the opposition posted a score of 274 off 35 overs. Mr Morgan reported that the boys tried their hardest with some good batting by Harry Webb and Mathew Norman, but lost by 110 runs.

The cricket A team again struggled in temperatures in the 30-plus degree heat; they batted first and posted a score of 124 all out in 34 overs. Notwithstanding some early wickets, they could not prevent the opposition from reaching the target, losing the game by seven wickets. The heat and the hard ground took their toll on the rugby team, who played well but were unable to score and lost a close game 6-0.

The cricketers received a boost with a special training session run by two former Sri Lankan cricket internationals. And all the tourists visited a local orphanage where they met the children and donated school supplies they had taken with them from the UK. The gifts included stationary, bags, paper, books, ties and a cash donation for the head teacher to put towards repairs to the school. “They were all extremely thankful and it was a very humbling experience for every boy involved and one that the boys and staff will not forget,” said Mr Morgan.

The final rugby match was against the Royal College Colombo, which is another team with the reputation of being one of the best school sides in the country. It took place at the college’s rugby stadium – another outstanding facility. The QE boys rose to the occasion and played with grit and commitment, going in at half-time with the score at 12-12. A late try and conversion gave QE the victory 19-12.

The A team secured their first victory of the tour in their penultimate game, a 20/20 match in which the hosts were contained to just 74 runs, which QE easily “knocked off”. The B team followed suit, albeit in a rain-shortened match of nine overs each. The hosts scored 82, which QE chased down with an over to spare.

On the final day of tour, the whole party visited the Foundation of Goodness, a charity based in Seenigama village, near Galle, which works to improve the lives of local people. One of the founders showed the tour party around the facility and also talked in detail about the effect the 2004 tsunami had on the charity and the local area. With sponsorship from the Marylebone Cricket Club, the charity developed the MCC Centre of Excellence, which is now at the heart of its work.

In the final cricket matches of the tour, the B team were bowled out for just 64 runs, which the opposition scored with overs to spare. The A team’s game was more competitive: QE batted first, scoring 130 from 20 overs. A hat trick from Niam Radia made the hosts work to reach the total, but they completed the task for the loss of seven wickets and with only one over in hand. 

The tour was rounded off in style with an awards evening. Awards were given to:

Cricket A

• Character of the tour: Milan Pindoria
• Players’ player: Omar Mohammed
• Teachers’ player: Seb Fezczur-Hatchett

Cricket B

• Character of the tour: Sen Thavanayagam
• Players’ player: Harry Webb
• Teachers’ player: Harshil Sumaria

Rugby

• Character of the tour: Daniel Pugh
• Players’ player: Asvin Ponnampalam
• Teachers’ player: Luke Dee

“Special prizes were also awarded to Rajul Bhikha and Callum Murphy our 'loveable rogues' on tour,” said Mr Morgan. “These were two boys who bridged the gap between years, always showing a positive attitude and keeping the tour in good spirits throughout.”

Next year’s QE leavers completed their university practice interviews over the summer, seizing the opportunity to experience questioning from senior academics.

The School arranges such practice interviews boys to help Year 12 boys prepare for their university applications.

Among the interviewers, this year, were:

• Professor Sarben Sarkar, of King’s College, London (the father of current QE pupil Robert Sarkar) who interviewed physicists
• Professor Stuart Sime, of The City Law School (formerly the Inns of Court School of Law), who interviewed seven boys
• Professor Dick Brealey (OE 1946-54), of the London Business School, who saw six QE economists.
• Consultant Dr Charu Deshpande, of Guy’s Hospital, who saw around 12 boys planning to become medics.

For the boys who visited Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (part of Queen Mary University of London), Professor Trish Greenhalgh (pictured right, interviewing QE pupil Musaji China) not only “grilled them with some real interview questions”, but also arranged for them to be shown around the Centre of the Cell science education facility, which is located in the middle of a working biomedical research laboratory. In addition, during the visit, Dr Martin Carrier, Head of Queen Mary’s Graduate Entry Programme, met the boys.

Liam Hargadon, last year’s Head of Year 12 and now Head of Year 13, said: “These practice interviews have proved to be of considerable value to the boys in their preparation for university applications. We are most grateful to these interviewers for making time in their busy schedules to assist our pupils in this way.” 

Boys from both ends of the School benefited from the opportunity to immerse themselves in the French language during a summer holiday trip to Normandy.

Thirty-eight Year 7 boys went on an adventure holiday at the Chateau de la Baudonnière, where French-speaking organisers ensured they practised their language skills as well as getting to grips with a number of sports.

Also on the trip were six Year 12 linguists, who took part in work experience in local businesses, with most placements involving them working directly with customers.

The Year 7s participated in a range of outdoor activities, including raft-building, archery, climbing and sports. They therefore had to learn new vocabulary that described both the equipment and the physical activity itself.

They went on trips to the Bayeux Tapestry and to the 360-degree cinema on the clifftops at Arromanches. The cinema, which dominates the remnants of the two artificial Mulberry harbours set up by the Allies for the World War II Normandy landings, shows a high-definition film about the Battle of Normandy on nine screens.

For their part, the older boys enjoyed evening activities including a visit to a traditional restaurant, an outing to the cinema and a cheese-tasting evening.

Christopher Kidd, our Head of Languages, said: “Not only did both groups of boys have a thoroughly good time, they also benefited tremendously from the invaluable opportunity to practise their French intensively with native French speakers.”