Over the past four months since the start of lockdown, the country at large has faced huge trials and QE, in common with every other school, has had to deal with unprecedented challenges.

I am pleased to say that my colleagues have risen well to those challenges, diligently ensuring continuity for the boys throughout a whole term of remote learning. Through listening to their teachers and tutors, and by following our ‘six Ss’, the pupils of Queen Elizabeth’s School have overwhelmingly enjoyed a successful Summer Term.

I thank everyone who has sent such lovely messages of thanks and support in recent weeks and months: your encouragement is greatly appreciated.

My congratulations go to all the prize-winners in our Junior Awards Ceremony, which was held virtually this week, complete with musical interludes performed by our young musicians and a video address from the charismatic Jay Shetty (OE 1999–2006) that was truly inspirational in our current situation. The virtual ceremony has been made available to award-winners today.

I hope you will take a little time to savour the record of the term presented in the latest edition of The Elizabethan, which is now available on our website. It not only sets out the many achievements of the boys, but also explicates the approach we have taken to ensure educational excellence has been maintained during the pandemic.

I am excited to be able to say that construction of our new Music School will begin during the holidays, with builders moving on to the site in August. Next month, I also eagerly look forward to seeing our Year 13 leavers and Year 11 boys when they come in to pick up their A-level and GCSE results on our socially-distanced results days.

Planning for the Autumn Term is well advanced. We will be holding INSET professional development days on Thursday 17th, Friday 18th, Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd September, which are the dates for candidates sitting our entrance examinations. Please note that current pupils should not come into School on these four days: academic and pastoral activities for them to undertake at home will be provided. While it is not usual to have our annual allocation of INSET days on four consecutive days, nor for them to be so early in School year, we believe it necessary this year, given the exceptional circumstances.

We will be setting out amended routines and key reminders towards the end of the holidays, so that everyone can be ready for the new academic year.

As is traditional, I today revealed the winner of the House Cup in my end-of-term address to the boys – always a hotly anticipated announcement and a fitting climax to the year.

In concluding our final QE Update of the term, it now only remains for me to say this: School is out for summer!

Best wishes

Mr Neil Enright
Headmaster