Term 5 Newsletter 2025/2026
Dear Parents, Carers and Students
This term began with the fabulous and joyful school production of The Wizard of Oz. This was a student-led show (although of course Ms Oben was instrumental in ensuring that the show was rehearsed and organised to perfection!) and the Sixth Form Directors and Technical Team were hugely impressive. It was wonderful to see the students having such a fantastic time performing together.
As ever, a huge amount has been squeezed into just a few weeks - with numerous trips, activities and events taking place. In particular, massive thanks to the teachers who led the various trips this term, all the Duke of Edinburgh practice walks, the Axiom Maths Competitions, the sporting fixtures and our community outreach projects.
Two weeks ago we celebrated the last days for our fantastic Year 11 and Year 13 students with our usual events. They have been two wonderful year groups and we are hopeful that their outcomes at GCSE and A level will reflect their huge levels of effort. We wish them every success over the coming weeks and will miss them all.
Finally, Year 8 has just returned from a great week in Bude - huge thanks to our team of QE staff who were brilliant and worked incredibly hard throughout the week and additionally thanks to Mrs Lester, who organised and ran the week.
We hope all of our students have a good half-term week - hopefully the sun will be shining over the bank holiday weekend!
Mrs A J McIlroy MA
Headteacher
On Tuesday 19th May the English department took 64 Year 9 students to see the Rob Icke production of Romeo and Juliet at The Harold Pinter Theatre. It was an innovative and interesting production which caught the imagination of the students - here’s what some of them said:
“Seeing Romeo and Juliet was very exciting. It is amazing to see the play we are studying come to life and Icke’s direction was great. I really loved that he showed a clock as part of the set to really visualise how quickly the events happened in the story. All the actors were brilliant and were great at becoming the characters. Overall the play was fun to see and would be great to see again!” Lilly G
“I really enjoyed the show and thought the staging was very good - simple but effective. The acting was great and kept me fully engaged.” Arthur G
“I thought that the Romeo and Juliet trip was amazing and the show was very entertaining.” Arthur T
“I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the theatre. The cinematography was outstanding and the transitions between scenes were also amazing.” Evan N
“I found the Romeo & Juliet trip hilarious because Mercutio was very bawdy, showing his bare bum to the audience and mocking "The prince of cats" otherwise known as Tybalt.” Tyler B
“I thought that the performance was a very well portrayed version of Romeo and Juliet especially with the modernised ideas. Some of my favourite parts were the white flashes where the same scene was played twice with what could have happened before what actually happened. For example, Tybalt was about to kill Romeo when the white flask happened but instead Lord Capulet appeared like in the play after the white flash. My favourite characters were Mercutio because he was played extremely well and it was very entertaining and my other favourite character was Tybalt who was also played very well and very true to the play, always looking for violence.” Jacob M
“I enjoyed the show and it was definitely worth the trip there and back. The acting was full of emotion and it showed the tragedy of death in Shakespeare's play perfectly. I liked how it showed the time on the screen and how it would switch between "what if" scenarios and the actual play, the time also showed how the matter of events all happened in such a short amount of time, and I also liked how Romeo came back to life again and the younger and older Juliet came out on stage. Overall I would rate the play a 9/10 and I would definitely watch it again.” Amelia-Rose J
“I think that the play was amazing! The acting was really really incredible and I think the way that they used the bed as a central prop was really clever. I also really liked the way they incorporated time into the play because it really showed how quickly things happened and how little time Romeo and Juliet knew each other.” Saffron W
“I thought the trip was really fun, with the journey to the theatre being comfortable and the play being just amazing! My favourite character was Mercutio, as I liked how flamboyant and extroverted he was, being bold with his language and actions, having a lot of confidence in his role and in his performance. The atmosphere of the play was beautiful and tragic, yet so funny at the same time. I enjoyed every moment spent there.” Erin M
A Huge Thank You to Our Masked Readers
Our Masked Reader competition has officially come to a close, we want to extend a massive thank you to everyone who participated, guessed and cheered along. This event was all about sparking a love for stories to celebrate the National Year of Reading 2026.
Keep reading!
Get Snappy! Summer Photography Competition Time
To celebrate National Year of Reading, we are launching the ultimate summer photography competition. Whether you’re a master of disguise or live with a very studious furball, we want to see your most hilarious, creative and 'shelf-aware' photos.
We have two categories to enter:
Mission 1: The Bookface Challenge
The goal is to align yourself (or a brave volunteer) with a book cover to create one seamless, mind-bending image.
Mission 2: The Pet and Pages Award
We want to see your fluffy, feathery or scaly housemates getting stuck into a good book.
There are prizes up for grabs for the most creative and funniest entries! Submit your pictures through Google Classroom by 5th June.
Year 8 STEM Club Bat Walk
Year 8 STEM Club, the Ecology unit, started this term and continues into term 6. We were privileged to have a representative from the Bat Society deliver a bat walk where the Year 8 students learnt about the different bats in and around school and had the opportunity to detect the echolocation of the bats in the surrounding areas using bat detectors.
This term has been a very exciting one for some of our QuEST teams - with SpaceQuEST having been on their annual trip to Belgium in order to launch their experiment on a high altitude weather balloon! Everyone has also been hard at work preparing posters on their projects, ready for the IRIS conference that QuEST is attending on the 25th June. IRIS will be an opportunity for our QuESTies to present their hard work from the year so far to other young scientists - helping to foster important skills that they can take forward for when they have to present research projects in the future!
Zeno B. QuEST President
This Term has been quite big for RoboQuEST. I have had a lot of issues with wiring, so have decided to create a resource for myself and any other future QuESTies that want to join RoboQuEST: a circuit diagram. It shows the connections between the raspberry pi, the motorboards and the batteries on our robocar. This is incredibly helpful for locating issues with the wiring and fixing them so the car can actually move.
Other than this we have fixed some old issues with inputs, however more issues keep popping up as old ones are solved. I do believe that by the end of next term we'll be able to have the car moving with user input thanks to the new circuit diagram.
Things have been moving at a steady pace in RoboQuEST and hopefully will continue like that in the near future.
Joseph M. Head of RoboQuEST
This term has been a cooldown from last term's antics at Mallory Park. We have left the car untouched from the event, and have started benchmarking to see the effects of our modifications to come. The team has spent time collecting and analysing data such as lap times, tyre pressures and motor temperatures. We recently ordered a set of Schwalbe Kojak slick racing tyres which will arrive soon. We have also started carbon fiber 3D Printing, where lots of components will be custom made and printed. We have all been practicing our CAD ready to develop components such as electrical mounts, wing mirror mounts, air intakes and brackets.
We partook in a testing session on Friday on the running track where we tested the motor temperature after 30 laps as well as seeing how long it would take to fully drain the batteries. After an hour the batteries did not run flat, so this test will continue.
This term has been a lot less busy than our build up to Mallory park in terms of practical developments, but a lot of research and development is going into getting every mile per hour out of our car.
Tom W. Head of MotorQuEST
April has been an extremely busy month for SpaceQuEST! On the 21st April we arrived in Belgium, ready to launch our project, which aimed to research how the speed of sound changes at altitude. To do this we would be placing our experiment on a weather balloon destined to reach roughly 25 km high!
Sadly, upon our arrival we were informed that our experiment had not arrived due to ongoing postal strikes in Brussels. However, we were able to put together a backup experiment using a pressure, temperature and humidity sensor, which we launched along with all the other teams who were participating.
Following this mishap, we were invited to have a spot on a launch taking place in September, where we can launch an upgraded version of our original project. We also managed to get successful data from the sensor we did launch and we made some conclusions from it. Here are some of the graphs we have produced:
Most of our results followed our predictions that temperature and humidity would drop with altitude; however, a point of interest is the value of temperature around the 1 hour 40 minute mark, where it actually started increasing with altitude. This was likely due to a combination of resistances in the electronics causing the sensor to heat up, and a change in the atmosphere as the balloon leaves the troposphere and enters the stratosphere. Interestingly, after the beginning of descent, the air rushing past the sensor was able to carry the heat away from it again, creating an observable decrease in temperature.
Belgium was a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our hard work since the start of the year, meet international teams and learn new things in the workshops and talks we were provided with. It was also an immense amount of fun! We are looking forward to dedicating the next few months improving our project and preparing for it to be launched in September.
One of our critical sponsors, Magnetic Shields Ltd, will be coming to school in the following few weeks to give a lunchtime talk about apprenticeships and career pathways, as they are a specialist company in electromagnetic engineering. We also get the opportunity to talk to them about our project, results and future plans.
This past month we have undoubtedly faced setbacks, however we have come back stronger than ever with renewed plans and ideas. At the moment we are focussing on ordering parts to rebuild our project, and we are excited for the future. We would like to give another thank you to the sponsors who allowed us to fully cover the cost of the trip, including the School PTFA, Magnetic Shields Ltd, Cairn Research, Faversham Freemasons and Kent Coastal Surveyors.
Scarlett A. Member of SpaceQuEST
In EcoQuEST we are still developing a biodegradable bioplastic, but within our research, adjustments have been made to the baseline composition: we will now be using alginate and chitin. Alginate is a natural polymer extracted from brown seaweed, while chitin is a structural material found in crustacean shells and insects. By combining these naturally derived substances, we aim to explore environmentally friendly alternatives to petroleum and fossil fuel based plastics.
To manufacture the material, we plan to use a process called electrospinning. Electrospinning works by applying a high voltage electrical field to a liquid polymer solution, causing it to stretch into extremely fine fibres that are collected onto a surface as a thin mat. These fibres are commonly only hundreds of nanometers thick and create lightweight structures with a very high surface area. The technique is already being researched in areas such as biomedical engineering, filtration systems and advanced textiles because it can produce materials with unique strength, flexibility and porosity.
Although the exact formulation and processing conditions are still being refined, the project will investigate how biomaterials and advanced manufacturing methods could be combined to create sustainable products that support both innovative design and environmental responsibility. Within this project we hope to encourage a greater appreciation of biomaterials, green engineering, and understanding of the future of sustainable manufacturing.
Lottie O. Head of EcoQuEST
French Exchange 2026: From Faversham to Hazebrouck
Our recent French exchange proved to be another memorable and enriching experience for all involved. We departed bright and early on Thursday 7th May, with students full of excitement as they prepared to reunite with their exchange partners whom they had not seen since December.
Upon arrival, we were whisked immediately to the school canteen where we were treated to a three-course lunch, in true French style! After this, we had a tour of the school, including its chapel, where Henry W played the organ so expertly, followed by a tour of the town of Hazebrouck itself.
As we arrived just before a bank holiday weekend in France, students were able to spend three full days immersed in family life with their host families. During this time, they enjoyed a wide range of activities and excursions, including visits to Lille, trips to Plopsaland theme park, laser tag sessions, sleepovers, and shopping trips to nearby Westfield shopping centre. Students also had the opportunity to sample a variety of French and Flemish delicacies, with Flemish stew proving particularly popular.
On Monday, the group travelled to the beautiful city of Bruges, where students took part in an engaging virtual reality tour that brought the city’s rich history to life. Tuesday gave students the chance to experience school life in France by attending a variety of lessons alongside their partners before rounding off the trip with a fun bowling trip. Soon afterwards, it was time to begin our journey home by ferry.
The exchange was a tremendous success, with students demonstrating growing confidence, independence, and cultural understanding throughout the visit. Most importantly, many formed friendships that look set to continue for many years to come. We are extremely proud of how well all students represented the school and would like to thank our host families and partner school for their warm welcome and hospitality.
Kent Festival of Speech and Drama
Saturday 9th May included Year 12 Drama students competing in this year's Kent Festival of Speech and Drama in Canterbury. Each performing a challenging mix of Shakespeare and contemporary monologues.
Congratulations to the following students who placed in each class: 
Contemporary Monologue
1. Magnus I
2. Erina H
3. Claudette R
Shakespeare Monologue
1. Emily T
2. Leah H
3. Bella W K
We are thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s Spring Photography Competition. The caliber of talent on display was truly exceptional, with entries that captured the vibrant spirit of the season in breathtaking detail.
A massive well done to every student who participated - you should be incredibly proud of the creativity and technical skill you brought to this contest. It was no easy feat for our judges to narrow it down!
After much deliberation, here are the top-placing forms:
1st Place - 12Q
2nd Place - 7Q
3rd Place - 7S
4th Place - 12Q
5th Place - 9E
Click the link below to view the placed images:
Thank you to everyone who made this year’s competition such a visual feast. Click below to view all the entries:
The Wizard of Oz
Our annual school production reached magical new heights this year with an enchanting journey to Oz. Featuring two alternating casts of students from Years 8 to 13, the show played to packed houses and delivered stellar performances every night. This production was truly a student-led triumph, with our exceptional Sixth Form team spearheading everything from technical direction and costuming to choreography.
The National School Play awards came and reviewed the performance stating, “this was a classic story retold by pupils who embraced every facet of theatre-making with imagination and invention. While the team behind this production may have been young, their professional execution proved they certainly ‘weren't green’. A lion-hearted, colourful and thoroughly joyous success.”
Click below to view photos of the event:
History
The Great History Debate Season III has continued to roll as Round II has seen two debates taking place each Wednesday and Thursday. Events have been well-attended and questions posed by the audiences have been of an exceptional standard this term in particular. We have seen victories for Caitlin and Tallulah, Freya and Sophia, Barnaby, Jack and Ewan and Sebastian in debates, respectively, on the Industrial Revolution, Titanic, Douglas Haig, the US involvement in both world wars and the Great Reform Act of 1832. As always, we would like to remind any pupils in Years 7-9, and staff, that they are welcome to pop in and watch the debates (check the posters that can be seen in the library, canteen and outside H2).
We would also like to remind students from across Years 7-10 that we are running 'The Great Historical Fiction Writing Contest' for the first time this year. As with our 'The Great History Art Competition' we will be using this to mark and celebrate the anniversary of the Virgin Queen's royal charter that paved the way for the reopening of a grammar school here in Faversham.
All of the rules are explained on History GCs - just search for the post made by Mr Buckland on 31st March. If you are in Year 10, aren't studying History (and so you don't have a History GC any more), but would like to access these rules then simply seek out in person or email Mr Buckland (pwb@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk). The deadline for entries is 8th June 2026 - please send Mr Buckland an email if you are considering taking part. It will be helpful to know in advance how many stories are being written behind the scenes!
QE Team Water Polo Update
This term has seen the start of QE water polo training sessions - Thursday mornings, Week A, is an early start at Faversham pool for keen polo players (or indeed those that wish to try out the sport!) We are preparing the u13 squad for the first round of their English Schools' cadet competition in June. If anyone is keen to try, then please contact Dr Perkins via email: JMP@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk .
STOP PRESS!
Barnaby and Flora P have been selected to represent their region's talent centre program at the Swim England talent games in Manchester next month. Congratulations to them for their selection.
Additionally, we are really delighted to announce that Paloma T (Year 9) has been invited to join the England talent centre program. This is well deserved as Paloma played for South East region in their bronze medal winning inter-regional campaign and was invited to the Prince of Wales Cup last November. The regional talent program comprises the best school and club players in the country and is the pathway for the England and GB teams. Paloma is the fourth QE student to be selected in the last four years!
This term's newsletter is about IASK.
IASK stands for: Information, Advice and Support, Kent. They provide Special Educational Needs and Disabilities advice and support for families and young people with SEND. They are an impartial service that can help with a range of issues including:
- Assisting and navigating the education system
- Understanding rights and health/social links
- Applying for Education, health and care Plans
- Helping you prepare paperwork
- Offering a range of opportunities for training and workshops.
The service is free to use and it is confidential. Their website contains helpful YouTube clips and provides guidance about identifying possible needs in your child, as well as how to access specific support; the website also signposts viewers to other agencies that can offer help.
The IASK website contains a parent/carer section with information about workshops, jargon busters and specific helplines - it also provides support for EHCP tribunals, school transport and disseminate's information available from KCC’s Local Offer.
You can contact IASK using the details below:
Helpline: 03000 41 3000
Email: iask.kent.gov.uk
Website: https://www.iask.org.uk/
IASK also supports Kent PACT, which is a forum for parents and carers of children and young people with SEND. Explore the website for Kent PACT HERE.
Ideaworks Schools' Academy
A small group of Year 12 students who signed up to the Ideaworks Schools' Academy started the programme on Wednesday 6th May!
The first session was an introduction to the company, who is who within the organisation and what products they make:
'Ideaworks design, install and support the technology in some of the largest, most complex and most incredible homes and yachts in the world. We are able to do this as our clients and their teams trust us for our technical excellence, our creativity, and our experience.' - https://ideaworks.co.uk/
The second session took place on Wednesday 20th May and the students had a masterclass in cable assembly and learned new skills along the way.
We are planning a trip to London on 1st July to the Ideaworks Exhibition Centre, an immersive technology and lighting showroom located at 206 Great Portland Street. The London venue serves as a street-facing showcase for architects, designers and private clients to experience smart-home tech, immersive sound and creative lighting.
We will provide an update on the trip in Term 6!
Former student, Darja Kotova, gave a talk during Enrichment
Year 12 film and art students enjoyed a talk from Darja, who left Queen Elizabeth's in 2022, and has since carved a successful career following her graduation in 2D Animation. She shared her animation journey working in the industry, how the industry works and offered very impressive examples of her work along with portfolio tips.
It was a thoroughly interesting talk and hopefully gave students inspiration if they are interested in this sector!
Darja is very happy to share her details, below, if any student would like to get in touch with her to discuss her experiences and if they need any guidance.
UCAS Information Evening - Wednesday 20th May
The evening was designed to launch the Higher Education cycle for Year 12, providing an essential roadmap for the upcoming year.
Mr Larter and Mr Finn-Kelcey gave a very informative presentation, with questions from parents/carers and students at the end of the event.
By bringing students and parents/carers together, the event ensured everyone was aligned on deadlines, expectations and how you can offer the best support at home.
It was an exceptional turnout and the theatre was packed!
The presentation slides from the evening have been emailed to all Year 12 parents and carers and Year 12 students, but can also be found here: UCAS Information Evening Presentation Slides
If you need any further advice and guidance on the UCAS process, please contact the Sixth Form Office.
Thank you to everyone who attended and for your support.
Higher and Degree Apprenticeships Assembly
Miss Butterly delivered an assembly to Year 12 students on higher and degree apprenticeships on Thursday 14th May. We explored what they are, the different levels, the benefits of learning whilst earning and how to research the different opportunities available.
Any student who is thinking of pursuing this route can see Miss Butterly for a further discussion - either pop in to the Sixth Form Office or email: hsb@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk
Introducing your Next Head Student Team!
Elections for the 2026/27 Head Student Team took place - a massive well done to all the students who ran for office! We are delighted to introduce your newly elected Head Student Team below - huge congratulations to you all!
Magnus I
The school has an amazing student community and is exceptionally vibrant, diverse and welcoming, and I hope to build upon this positive environment as a Head Student. I have always admired the Christmas panto ads introduced by previous student leadership teams; they are a fantastic tradition that I look forward to continuing and doing justice this year. Furthermore, I am delighted to be taking on the role of student director for next year's school show.
Zeno B
What I like most about QE is the sense of community that we have and my vision for the school is one in which students feel comfortable to ask for help without the fear of judgement. The thing I noticed most of all from the previous Head Team was how friendly and approachable they were around the school - and that's something I want to carry forward this year, helping to bridge the gap between year groups.
Fun fact about me: Unlike this year's highly successful school rocketry team, back when I was involved last year, our rocket spectacularly blew up right on the launch pad!
Claudette R
I really value this school's caring community, especially how much I notice students offering help and support to each other. It is clear that staff are always looking out for the students' best interests and supporting them in reaching their full potential. The most recent Head Team decided to include a designated day to celebrate diversity. I would like to continue this and perhaps even extend this over a longer period.
My vision for this school is to help maintain its positive environment and ensure that everybody is listened to and feels valued. I would also like to promote more student-led clubs and themed events throughout the year (for example, subject themed) hopefully helping students feel inspired to learn something new which interests them.
Azaliah E
What do I like most about the school? The QE community, of course! Every single person I've come across at QE, from teachers to students even to caretaking staff have been genuinely LOVELY. Moving from a school in Sittingbourne to Faversham might seem like such a small distance but I feel like I'm worlds away from the community that I used to be surrounded by. I feel like I've been welcomed with open arms and completely comfortable here. That is what I like most about this school!!
This year is my first year at QE, so I'll be honest, I don't have a clue what the past Head Teams have implemented because I haven't been here to see it! What I can say is that overall, our school is a generally positive environment already, whether that's due to past Head Team intervention or pre-existing tradition and faculty, I want to build on that positivity and by the time I'm off to university, leave behind an even better school than I found it to be.
Whilst I do think education is a priority, I envision a school with even more activity and opportunities for students to put down the books for a minute and have some fun. Like: Sports Day for Year 12's, Charity event traditions that go further than just a bake sale with student-led themed events. When Year 11's and Year 6's consider our school as their next step in their education, I think that it shouldn't just be grades doing the persuading, but student wellbeing too! I am absolutely delighted to be part of the Head Student Team! I’m always happy to chat, so if you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions, please feel free to come and speak to me whenever you see me around school.
Lottie O
What I like most about QE is how supportive the school is and has been. The former Head Student Team introduced Diversity Day, it was very successful and I would love to implement more student lead days or charity events that spread awareness, educate or just celebrate others.
My vision of the school is for the Head Student Team who represent the school and to be more prevalent and involved throughout all of the school. Inclusivity is so important and everyone should feel comfortable and encouraged to participate in all the clubs and extracurriculars QE has to offer, to make the most of these opportunities.
Monty S
My favourite thing about our school is that we are all a community. Everyone supports each other, with a welcoming atmosphere where people feel included and respected, which makes it easier to learn. Being part of our QE community also helps people build friendships and confidence (with school trips such as bude in Year 8, which helped me to make new friends and build my confidence) making the school feel more than just a place for lessons.
Previous Head Student Teams have introduced and supported many positive changes and events within the school community. They have been heavily involved in organising and helping at school events such as the summer fair, open evenings, charity events and fundraising activities. They have also acted as role models for younger students, represented student opinions and helped create a welcoming atmosphere for new students joining the school, where in my own personal experience in lower years I could recognise them as a familiar face to ask any questions or directions about. I would definitely like to build on what they implemented by continuing to support school events and encouraging greater student involvement through clubs and extracurricular activities. I would also do my best to act as a role model for younger students and be someone they feel comfortable talking to if they need support or advice.
My vision for our school focuses on community, with strengthening our already strong and supportive environment as my main priority, where everyone feels included and valued. I understand what it is like to feel excluded, so I want to make sure that no student feels left out or overlooked. My aim is to create an environment where everyone feels supported and comfortable being themselves. I would also like to encourage more opportunities for people to get involved in clubs, events and activities so that everyone has a chance to feel connected and part of the wider school community. In addition, I want to be a figure that students feel they can speak to if they need support, advice, or someone to listen to them, as well as supporting and being present in as many school events as possible.
I am dyslexic and have always found reading and writing challenging, but I have worked hard to overcome these difficulties and I am proud of my improvements in schooling and results in my GCSEs - as part of the Head Student Team, I hope I can be a role model for others who might relate to these struggles. Outside of the classroom I have played rugby for seven years, which has been fantastic for building my teamwork and communication skills.
Additionally, we would like to say a massive thank you to our departing Head Student Team, Olivia M, Alex T, Gigi Y, Fred M, Obi A and Medi M. You have been absolutely exceptional leaders this year. Thank you for your dedication and for introducing so many fantastic new initiatives that will benefit our school community for years to come. You've left big shoes to fill.
Year 11 Charity Day
Year 11 students recently organised a charity day in support of Reach and Kent Air Ambulance where they raised over £1,340, bringing together a range of activities that reflected both their creativity and their strong sense of community. Highlights of the day included a popular bake sale, where students contributed a wide variety of homemade goods, and a 'sponge the teacher' event, which proved especially entertaining and drew enthusiastic participation from both students and staff. Through these efforts, the year group worked collaboratively to raise funds while also promoting awareness and inclusion.
The cause was particularly meaningful to students, as one member of the year group has an upper limb difference. Their presence has helped foster a culture of understanding, respect, and support within the cohort, making the decision to support Reach especially personal. The funds raised are a reflection not only of the students’ hard work, but also of their commitment to making a positive difference and supporting others with similar experiences.
Year 11 Celebrate Their Final Day
On Tuesday 5th May, we bid a fond farewell to our Year 11 students, who were truly brilliant throughout their final day. The day began with the time-honored tradition of shirt signing, followed by a final assembly featuring a fantastic performance by our Year 11 band members.
The competitive spirit then took over during the Interhouse Obstacle Course, where students navigated the challenge while dodging a barrage of water guns. In an impressive turnaround, the year group soon swapped the water-soaked fun for formal attire. Looking incredibly smart, they enjoyed a special lunch served by their teachers - a wonderful opportunity for staff to celebrate the students' hard work. The afternoon concluded with Year 11 being able to take their own photos at the front of the school, capturing their year group and friends.
Well done Year 11! We wish you the very best of luck in your upcoming exams and whatever comes next!
Smooth Sailing: Remarkable Achievement for Year 11’s Alex S
We wanted to share some wonderful news regarding Alex S in Year 11G. After being awarded an Alex Halliday scholarship place last year, Alex discovered a true passion for sailing at Tankerton Bay Sailing Club. He made an immediate impact, becoming the first cadet to win a series - the Autumn Series - within his first six months of training. Since then, he has become a valued member of the TBSC team and has been appointed as the club’s Cadet Lead. Alex is incredibly grateful for the opportunity provided to him, and he has truly represented the school’s spirit in everything he does, whether he is supporting younger members, competing in races, or assisting senior members with rigging.
Spectacular Success in Roller Hockey for Year 11 Duo!
We are thrilled to share the outstanding achievements of Year 11 students Alex S and Maxim M, who have had a phenomenal season playing for Invicta Hockey Club.
Demonstrating incredible dedication, both boys have played across three different age categories this season: the Under-17s, Under-20s, and the Seniors Team 2. Their hard work has culminated in an extraordinary run of success:
- The National Cup Finals: Following thrilling quarter and semi-final victories over the last few weeks, both their U17 and U20 teams have secured spots in the National Cup Finals! In a monumental feat of endurance, Alex and Maxim (alongside two other teammates) will be playing in two national finals in a single day on Saturday 30th May at the Bay Sports Arena in Herne Bay.
- National League Qualification: Both their U17 and U20 teams have qualified for the prestigious National League, representing the top two teams in the region. They will travel to King’s Lynn in June to compete against the top five teams in the country.
- Inter-Regional Selection: Both boys have also been selected for the U17 and U20 Inter-Regional teams and will be travelling to Middlesbrough in June to compete at the highest regional level.
Beyond their immense success on the rink as players, both boys have given back tremendously to their sport and club. Alex has dedicated his time to coaching younger players during tournaments, while Maxim has recently qualified as a Level 2 referee. Alex is also just one assessment away from achieving his Level 2 qualification, having already done brilliant work refereeing up to U13 level.
We are incredibly proud of Alex and Maxim's achievements, sportsmanship and leadership. We wish them the absolute best of luck for their double-final showdown on 30th May!
Half Marathon to Raise Funds for Meningitis Now
As many of you know, our school community recently suffered the heartbreaking loss of one of our students, Juliette Kenny, to meningitis. Juliette was a deeply loved member of our school and she is greatly missed. In her memory, her close friend Roxy M, in Year 13, has taken the inspiring initiative to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon in 2027. Roxy, and her friend Scarlett, will be raising vital funds for the charity Meningitis Now, to help support their important work.
Roxy would love to share the following message with you all:
“In March, Scarlett and I lost a close friend to meningitis. Juliette was a ray of light in our lives and losing her has brought our attention to meningitis B and the effects it has on so many people daily. We want to challenge ourselves and run the London Landmarks Half Marathon in 2027 to celebrate and honour Juliette’s memory, whilst raising funds for the charity, Meningitis Now. Anyone who knows us is aware that this is no easy feat for either of us, and we would love your support in achieving this huge goal in honour of our dear friend.”
Roxy M, Year 13.
If you would like to donate, please click HERE to access Roxy’s JustGiving page. You can learn more about the charity Meningitis Now by accessing their website HERE.
National Dressage Success for Florence!
We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the fantastic achievements of Florence H, in Year 8, who recently traveled to Grantham, Lincolnshire, to represent the Faversham and District Riding Club at the prestigious British Riding Clubs Winter National Dressage Championships.
Florence’s riding journey began when she was just six years old, but over the last year, she has formed an incredibly special partnership with Lees Court Phantom, or ‘Tom’ to his friends. While Tom is known for being a bit cheeky and keeping Florence on her toes, their hard work as a team has truly paid off. After joining the local riding club last summer, the duo’s dedication earned them the title of Junior Member of the Year at the club's AGM back in February.
Their path to the Nationals began in October at their very first dressage show together, where they successfully qualified. From there, Florence and Tom spent the winter months training tirelessly to perfect their skills ahead of the April championships.
Competing on a national stage at Arena UK was a daunting experience, with eight busy arenas and hundreds of competing horses. However, Florence handled the pressure beautifully. Competing in an open class against both adults and children, she rode two fantastic introductory tests, securing 12th and 17th place and improving her overall percentage score with each round! Despite a cheeky buck from Tom during the warm-ups, he was on his absolute best behaviour when it mattered most, earning the pair glowing feedback from the judges, who called them a "pleasing and well-matched partnership."
A massive congratulations to Florence and Tom - we are incredibly proud of you!
We always love seeing what our past students achieve, and today we have a truly wonderful update to share! In 2018, Will Ansley left QE to begin his medical studies. Fast forward to today, and we are absolutely thrilled to introduce him as Dr William Ansley
Dr William Ansley MBBS BSc(Hons)
Dr William Ansley is currently working as a Foundation Year 2 Doctor, and things are moving fast as he has just accepted an
exciting offer to start as an ENT-themed Core Surgical Trainee this coming August! We are so incredibly proud of him. We caught up with Will to find out what life is like for him now, where his medical career has taken him, and to look back at his time at QE.
Please provide a brief overview of your role and the primary activities that make up your average workday?
My day-to-day role is very variable depending on the rotation I am doing, though it always involves patients. Currently, I am non-clinical on my 4-month academic block, where I am doing ENT-themed research. I am currently doing projects on smell and taste disorders, as well as head and neck cancer diagnostics. My previous clinical rotation was ENT (what I want to do for the rest of my career!). I had a mix of:
1) Ward days: where I would do the ward round seeing all ENT inpatients, then carry out the jobs for each of them, such as requesting and reviewing bloods and scans, updating families etc. These days are 08:00-17:00.
2) On-calls: where I hold the on-call phone and take urgent referrals for patients from A&E and GPs who need same day ENT review. These days are longer – 08:00-20:30 or overnight from 20:00-08:30, when I’d be the only ENT doctor on site.
3) Theatres: days where I would be in the theatre assisting with operations, usually for head and neck cancers or thyroid problems.
4) Clinics: where I would be seeing patients in the outpatients department, normally in the emergency clinic for things like recurrent nosebleeds, foreign bodies in the ear and difficult to treat ear infections that the GPs need hospital input for.
Could you provide a brief overview of the qualifications and career path that led you to your current role?
After leaving QE in 2018, I went to St George’s in London and studied for my medical degree (MBBS), graduating in 2024. In those 6 years, I took a year out to get a BSc in Anatomy (this is called intercalating and is unique to medical degrees).
After graduating, I started work as a doctor. The first 2 years are called Foundation Year 1 and 2, where you rotate around 6 different jobs. I have done Thoracic surgery, Neurology, Geriatrics, Acute Medicine, ENT and am now on a research block. The research block is not part of the ‘normal’ Foundation Programme, but if you’re interested in research, as I am, you can apply to do Academic Foundation Programmes where one rotation is non-clinical and focuses on research.
At the end of Foundation Year 2, you apply for specialty training (though are definitively not guaranteed a job!). I applied for Core Surgical Training (CST), which is the initial training to become a surgeon. The job I have accepted for August is ENT-surgery themed. I now need to revise for and sit my postgraduate surgery exams (MRCS).
Which teacher or subject had the biggest impact on you, and why?
A-level Chemistry springs straight to mind! It taught me that something hard and (at times) frustrating can be enjoyable and rewarding, and this taught me resilience – a key skill for the job I now do. My teachers were Mr Leake and Mr Larter, who through being approachable helped me learn all sorts of interesting facts – this is an approach I have since adopted when it comes to teaching medical students and more junior clinicians. The (at times otherwise useless!) facts have also been a huge help in pub quizzes!
Are there specific values or habits you learned at school that you still use in your job today? (e.g., resilience, teamwork, curiosity).
Organisation and efficiency are key attributes I developed at school that have helped me massively in my career to date. Juggling all the content and skills I had to learn at medical school, and now juggling multiple clinical tasks, research and revision for postgraduate exams, as well as having a life and time to relax are only possible due to clear organisation and efficiency when completing tasks. When I did my GCSEs and A-levels, this looked like timetabling my revision (including breaks and social activities) and has since progressed to keeping my
What do you think is the most important skill for a young person to develop in 2026?
Having just completed CST interviews, which like so many job interviews nowadays, are held online, I would say learn to have formal discussions both face to face and online. Looking at the camera, speaking clearly and presenting yourself well, even though you’re doing an interview in your bedroom, is really important!
Free School Meals / Pupil Premium – Are You Eligible?
We would like to remind all parents and carers to check whether your child(ren) may be eligible for Free School Meals. Eligibility also means the school receives additional Pupil Premium funding.
According to Kent guidance, your child may be eligible if you are in receipt of any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit, with annual net earned income not exceeding the current threshold.
If your family circumstances have recently changed, for example due to employment, income or benefit changes, your child may now be entitled even if they were not previously eligible.
Applying is quick and confidential. You can apply online via Kent County Council’s Free School Meals/Pupil Premium portal HERE or contact the school finance team and we will be happy to help you with the process.
If you require any support, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Shooter via email: jls@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk