QE held its first-ever Question Time, with influential local people facing questions from Year 10.
The eight-strong panel fielded questions on a wide range of topics selected by the boys, who had discussed suitable subjects in their PSHE lessons. These included:
- Does the education system work for young people?
- Are hoodies stereotyped?
- Is justice too lenient?
- How is London preparing for a greener future?
A committee of boys from Year 10 worked hard over half a term to organise the event on behalf of their peers and to produce posters to publicise it. They also auditioned to be hosts.
Year 12 student Thomas Elliott chaired the end-of-term Question Time, successfully keeping the debate running to time as well as linking questions and answers.
“This was a fantastic event that enabled our Year 10 students to put their questions on current affairs to influential local people,” said Geography Teacher Richard Smith. “We were lucky enough to have a panel who represented a real variety of opinions and experiences. Thomas Elliott did a brilliant job at chairing the discussion.”
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The panel comprised: Stephen Barber, political economist from London South Bank University; Hamilton Hay, of Amnesty International; Adrian Bridge, Daily Telegraph journalist (and parent of current Sixth-Former Anton Bridge); Andrew Newby, of the Green Party; Neil Basu, Chief Superintendent and Barnet Borough Commander for the Metropolitan Police; Tom Davey, for the Conservatives (Old Elizabethan 1998 – 2005, who left to read Government & Politics at the London School of Economics; now a Conservative Councillor for one of the Barnet wards); Damien Welfare, for Labour, and Canon Hall Speers, of St John the Baptist Church in Barnet (Canon Hall is also a Governor of the School).