QE boys achieve best-ever result in national engineering competition

Six QE Sixth-Formers have been awarded prestigious Arkwright Engineering scholarships. The previous highest total in a single year at the School is two.

The six Year 12 pupils – Rushab Badiani, Sebastian Feszczur-Hatchett, Niraj Shah (pictured left), Keeran Sivalingam, Osanne Gbayere (pictured below) and Michael Zhao – were among 1,100 students nationwide who applied for 300 scholarships. In addition, two Year 13 pupils, Mehul Jesani and Vignesh Gopalan, who were awarded Arkwright Scholarships last year, have won extensions for this year.

Congratulating the group, QE’s Head of Design and Technology Simon Vincent said: “The scheme aims to identify students who will be the country’s future leaders in engineering and related areas of design. For six students from one school to be in receipt of this award in a single year is a remarkable achievement.”

The scholarship gives Sixth-Formers a financial award to enhance their A-level studies, as well as providing a range of activities to promote their understanding and experience of engineering.  The scholarships are respected by leading universities and are supported by top engineering employers, such as Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Microsoft Research, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

Rushab, Sebastian, Osanne, Niraj, Keeran and Michael had to complete a rigorous selection process consisting of a detailed application form, a two-hour aptitude paper and an interview hosted by Imperial College, London. The aptitude paper tested candidates’ flair and originality in solving engineering design problems. During the interview day, the boys took part in a team exercise to solve an engineering problem with students they had never met before. Candidates and their parents also toured the engineering facilities at ICL and explored the diversity of engineering and design careers and their importance to the UK economy.

The scholarship scheme was established in 1991, by a group of headteachers who believed that Design & Technology was not being given the profile it deserved as a subject.

“This level of success reflects the considerable technical talent within the School,” said Mr Vincent.  “With the competition for rewarding jobs becoming ever more fierce, the Arkwright Scholarship will help all these boys at the start of their journey to be the country’s future leaders in engineering.”

The boys received their awards at a special ceremony at Imperial College.