Term 6 Newsletter 2025/2026

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

And so we reach the end of another academic year, there is much to celebrate and we are delighted to publish our final newsletter of the year. 

As you will see, a huge amount has happened over the last 7 weeks - including a range of day trips, national trips and international trips, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions, many sporting activities - and successes! - award ceremonies, competitive events, new Year 7 and Year 12 inductions, theatre performances, concerts and of course our Year 11 and Year 13 proms. GCSE and A Levels were completed, RSC performances were given and extremely hot days were just about survived! We are very grateful to our brilliant staff team who work so hard to make all of this happen and provide such a vast range of opportunities for our students. 

This year we are sad to say our farewells to 4 fantastic members of staff - Mr Germain, Mrs Blatchly, Miss Newing and Mrs Dickson. We are very grateful for all that they have done for the school and will miss them very much. 

Enjoy the newsletter and have a fabulous summer! 

Kind regards 

Mrs A J McIlroy

UKMT Junior Maths Challenge Success

It has been another fantastically successful year in the UKMT Junior Maths challenge. In the initial round there were 26 Bronze awards, 31 Silver awards and 21 Gold awards. 13 students qualified for the Junior Kangaroo follow on round where they achieved 7 Bronze awards, 2 Silver awards and 2 Gold awards.

A big congratulations to Zeke, who not only qualified for the Junior Olympiad, but went on to achieve a Certificate of Distinction after tackling the 2 hour written challenge.

Well done to all students who participated!

Axiom Maths

It has been another wonderful year for Axiom Maths as we welcomed a second year group to the programme. All year, students have been attending a weekly maths circle where they have explored maths beyond the curriculum. While the Year 8 cohort attended a problem solving afternoon earlier in the year, it was the turn of Year 7 to attend an Axiom event this term, and we headed to the University of Kent for the Rising Mathematicians Festival. After participating in maths circles with students who are part of the Axiom programme in local schools, students had the opportunity to ask questions of current University students as well as take a tour of some key areas around the university. We finished the afternoon off with a lecture on Randomness by Dan Bard, a University of Kent Lecturer in Computer Science. A big thank you to Dr Perkins for driving the minibus and to the parents who also assisted in transporting students to the event. 

To celebrate the end of the year, we held a joint Year 7 and 8 Axiom Party in the last week of term where students enjoyed some lovely snacks and played some maths based games. We ended the party with a KS3 versus Year 12 Fizz Buzz off. Well done to Year 12s who sealed victory thanks to Violet. 

Our fantastic Year 12 Junior Mentors have been instrumental in allowing such a high number of students to be involved, and we want to say a massive thank you to Molly, Darcy, Jake, Josh, Hugo, Zeno and Violet for all their hard work this year as they hand over to a new cohort of mentors next year. You will be missed! 

Meet Shakespeare!

Actor, Luke Thompson recently visited our school to discuss Shakespeare and the craft of acting. Our Year 9 students asked insightful questions about their current text, Romeo and Juliet, while Year 7 focused on A Midsummer Night's Dream, which they studied in term 3 and 4. Year 12 received a brilliant introduction to Othello, and a few Drama students had the unique opportunity to perform their Trinity exam monologues for him. It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to experience Shakespeare in action! 

Here is what some of our students had to say about their experience, and the key lessons they learned from listening to and speaking with Luke Thompson:

“That Luke's favourite line in MSND was Helena's line, ‘I'm as ugly as a bear’.  Dylan AJ

“That Luke would rather be a main character than a side character because it's easier to learn lines as a main character.” Isaac C

“Actors have to improvise and make up dialogue when they forget their lines.” Felix L

“There isn't anyone to prompt you if you forget your lines anymore, but there used to be.” Alex T

“There is a spot in Shakespeare’s Globe where you can whisper and everyone can still hear you.” Isabel R

“I learnt that plays move much quicker and are more fun than filming.”  A Stiles 

“It can take weeks to film a single scene.” Matilda W

Year 9’s thoughts:

“I learnt that actors don't just say lines and do predetermined actions, they improvise mid scene because only by doing this improvisation, they could act with genuine surprise and emulate shock, love and fear.”   Seb B

“I learnt that Shakespeare is so much more diverse than I thought. There are so many different types of characters with their own varied personalities.” Arthur G

“Learning lines in a Shakespeare play is like learning lyrics to a song, since they both have rhyme and rhythm.”  Lilly G

“During Shakespeare's plays the actors would be directly talking with and interacting with the crowd in character during the performance.” Emily K

“Theatre is actually quite safe from AI as nothing can really truly replicate that feeling of a live performance.” Nia K L

“I learnt that Macbeth is the shortest Shakespeare play.”  Harry L

“That Macbeth is the shortest play out of all Shakespeare plays and that coming unprepared to an acting role is sometimes the best way of preparing.” Ollie W

“The talk was very interesting, going into detail about an actor's approach to performing, especially through Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet, and the significance Shakespeare has to the acting world. It provided a lot of previously unseen depth to Shakespearean characters through the lens of acting rather than literature, and was overall very interesting.” Thomas N

Preserving Our Heritage: University of Kent Historian Visits the Telfer Library

We were delighted to welcome a very special guest to our school archives recently. Dr. Sheila Sweetinburgh, a lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent, spent some time in the Telfer Library researching our historical collections.

Dr. Sweetinburgh's visit was inspired by a momentous milestone for our community: the 450th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I’s royal charter, which officially established a grammar school in Faversham. She used the material to prepare a commemorative lecture on the topic and found our archive to be a rich resource for her research. Our archives contain important local history, and Dr. Sweetinburgh was able to examine several vital documents that chart the school's unique origins.

The Abbey Connection: She reviewed handwritten notes by Canon Telfer detailing the deep historical links between the original Faversham Abbey and the school.

The Town’s Petition: Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries—which closed the Abbey and its school—the people of Faversham successfully petitioned Queen Elizabeth I to re-establish a grammar school for the town.

The Royal Charter: Dr. Sweetinburgh studied a fascinating 1844 translation of the original Elizabethan charter that granted the town's request.

Anniversaries of the Past: To see how previous generations marked this historic milestone, she also explored vintage school magazines detailing past charter anniversary celebrations.

We are incredibly fortunate to have retained such a vast collection of old school magazines, articles, registers, and artifacts over the decades. Having a leading academic utilize our repository highlights the significance of the school's heritage and its enduring place in Faversham's history.

We would like to extend our warmest thanks to Dr. Sweetinburgh for her visit and for sharing her findings in her anniversary lecture.

450 Years in the Making: A Night of History, Reunion and the Royal Charter

What does a school look like at 450 years old? This term, we have been commemorating our incredible milestone anniversary with guest lecturer Dr. Sweetinburgh. During the lecture she did a fantastic job of guiding us through our past and transporting us back to the late 16th century, putting the founding of our school into national context.

The turnout for the evening was spectacular, with 75 guests filling the hall. The crowd was a wonderful mix of parents, staff, governors, several former students and local historians. The evening doubled as an impromptu reunion for some attendees, sharing memories of their own school days, and marveling at how much the school has evolved.

The Royal Charter was on display alongside an exhibition of our own students’ incredible creative talents.

Special thanks to Fiona Palmer, from Faversham Charters and Magna Carta and who has numerous links to QE and Yvonne Willis, Governor, for organising this event.  

While honouring our incredible milestone anniversary, we’ve enjoyed looking back at our roots while celebrating the vibrant community we have today.

To mark the 450th anniversary of the granting of Faversham's Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School charter, a band of former pupils rang the bells at the St Mary of Charity Church. Click here to read about the event: BellBoard Website

Framing the Future: A Huge Thank You to Our Photographers!

A massive thank you to everyone who grabbed a camera, captured a moment and entered our recent school photography competitions. We were blown away by the incredible creativity, humour and talent on display.

These competitions were launched as a special way for our school to celebrate the National Year of Reading, and seeing how you combined visual art with the world of books has been a true highlight of the term. 

We had two distinct competitions for our photographers, both designed to honour the joy of books in unique ways:

Pets & Pages 

This category brought us endless joy. From sleepy cats curled up next to classic novels, dogs intensely focused on maps, ready for their next walk, to a gothic bird and cute guinea pigs. You perfectly captured the cozy, comforting link between a good read and our favorite furry companions.

Bookface

The optical illusions in this category were brilliant! The alignment and precision required to blend your own faces seamlessly with book covers took serious skill. 

Once again, thank you for sharing your unique pictures with our school community.

National School Theatre Awards

On Monday, June 22nd, our Sixth Form Performing Arts team attended the National School Theatre Awards, capping off a wonderful evening that celebrated creativity and talent.

Held at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, the red-carpet event offered students the opportunity to connect and celebrate with schools from across the country that had produced their own musicals and plays. 

Nominated for prizes from this year's production of The Wizard of Oz, were Lauren. M and Emma. W for Choreography, Jasper. B and Henry. R for Lighting and Sound design, Ben. S for male solo alongside Best Ensemble and Best Musical. A special congratulations to Evie. C who was nominated and won the Kavanagh Outstanding Contribution to Theatre, a solo prize awarded from teacher nominations for students who have gone over and above to support and create performing arts in their school. 

Congratulations all!

RSC Performance at The Marlowe

A fantastic evening was had from Drama students in Years 8, 9, 10 and 12, who performed their version of King Lear at The Marlowe. Students have been rehearsing with Sixth Form leaders and professionals as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company Associated School's programme. Well done to all!

Pasta Masterclass

This term, a small group of Year 10 Food Tech students enjoyed an exclusive pasta-making workshop led by experienced chef Ben Williams, Head of Food and Beverages at East Kent College.

MasterChef

A group of students from Year 9 and Year 10 were selected to take part in the final of MasterChef. The theme was, 'Foods which bring people together'. Stephen Harris, of the Sportsman, judged the competition and complemented all students for their highly technical and delicious tasting dishes. However, the trophy was awarded to Mobzy, Year 9, for her dish 'Kung Pao Chicken'.

CHINESE AT QE

China has become a major player in the global economy with trade, technology and culture continually expanding. There is a growing demand for people who can speak Chinese and understand Chinese culture. It gives young people better career opportunities, improved cognitive skills (as Chinese uses characters instead of an alphabet), cultural understanding and confidence.

Studying Chinese helps children understand a society that has different traditions and values and learn skills that help with other languages and subjects.

QE offers a Chinese club to provide support and an environment where students can enjoy and excel in combining language skills with cultural education, helping children build confidence and enjoy the learning process. Chinese should be considered by parents for their child as it is a key language for the next generation and is a skill which opens many doors.

In a practical sense, learning Chinese can count toward the Skills section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, earn UCAS points (if taken as a Chinese GCSE), and strengthen personal statements when applying to colleges and universities. 

Chinese can also be studied for GCSE level, which is offered in QE as an optional extra GCSE subject. Previously, 3 students who excelled in the subject have passed with A and A* which have enabled them to pursue the subject further alongside other A level subjects and further at university. Internally the school provides a graded certificate at the end of each year of studying which can be added to the student academic portfolio .

In the long run, students who learn Chinese gain lifelong skills that broaden their horizons and sharpen their critical thinking, making them highly adaptable and open-minded. Language learning teaches children to connect deeply with diverse cultures, helping them build strong social and professional networks. This opens doors to international environments and provides a distinct advantage in fields like industry, technology, finance, education, and the arts. Ultimately, it prepares students for a global future—boosting their career prospects, confidence, and sense of identity 

The Chinese Club currently runs twice a week, offering one class for beginners and a second for intermediate/advanced beginners. Students typically progress from the beginners to the intermediate class after one year of study. 

For those aiming to pursue the GCSE level, a higher level of commitment is required; this involves intensive study and additional tutorial support, which is provided outside of the regular club sessions. All students' work is done outside of normal curriculum and it is a testament to their commitment to the subject and subsequent success.

Students begin by learning basic conversation, characters, grammar, and insights into Chinese history and geography. As they progress, the curriculum shifts toward more advanced grammar and cultural exploration, including celebrating events like Chinese New Year. Throughout the course, students also develop their skills in writing characters and introductory calligraphy. All necessary materials are provided for these activities. 

The current group of students, (Evie, James, Seb, Jacob, An, Matthew, Olivia), are fulfilling the aims of the course and excelling in combining language skills with cultural education. They are proud of themselves for their diligence, perseverance and enthusiasm in studying what is considered to be the most difficult language in the world to learn. 

Mrs Magill - Chinese Club Organiser.   

Drama in the German classroom

Some of our Year 7 and 8 German classes have been bringing their language skills to life through the power of drama. Stepping out of their exercise books and onto the stage, students have been rehearsing and performing captivating mini-plays entirely in German. The performances have been packed with creativity, featuring imaginative storylines that include enchanted magic cafés, elusive chameleons, and classic fairy tales with a twist. By combining drama with language learning, students have not only boosted their speaking confidence and pronunciation but also demonstrated fantastic teamwork and expressive flair. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and linguistic talent shine through these creative performances!

Berlin 2026: Sun, Schnitzel, and Unforgettable History!

Last month, our Year 12 German students traded their textbooks for passports and embarked on an unforgettable, fast-paced study trip to Berlin. Our journey began in torrential rain on the way to the airport. However, as soon as we touched down in the German capital, we were greeted by a brilliant, blazing blue sky. Berlin was in the grip of a major summer heatwave, setting the tone for a week of high-energy sightseeing, tactical shade-hunting, and an impressive consumption of ice lollies!

Here is a look back at our packed four-day itinerary:

Day 1: From Downpours to Iconic Landmarks

After our damp start in the UK, the Berlin heat hit us the moment we stepped off the plane. We wasted no time and headed straight into the heart of the city.

• The Sights: We stood before the monumental Brandenburg Gate, took a moment for quiet reflection at the Holocaust Memorial, and headed to the German Bundestag (Parliament). Climbing up into the famous glass dome gave us stunning panoramic views of the sprawling city below.
• The Food: We wrapped up our first evening like true Berliners, diving into a traditional dinner of Currywurst and local Bouletten (seasoned Berlin-style meatballs).

Day 2: Royal Retreats and Cold War Realities

With the temperatures soaring, Day 2 took us slightly outside the bustling city center to find some much-needed shade.

• Potsdam: We spent a beautiful morning at Schloss Sanssouci, the breathtaking summer residence of Frederick the Great. The students loved exploring the terraced vineyards, lush gardens, and stunning water features—which offered a very welcome, cooling mist!
• Back in the City: In the afternoon, we engaged with Berlin’s complex 20th-century history. We visited the poignant Jewish Museum, paused at the famous Checkpoint Charlie, and walked through the sobering Topography of Terror exhibition.
• Retail Therapy: To escape the peak afternoon heat, we ducked into the air-conditioned refuge of KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens), one of Europe’s largest and most luxurious department stores.

Day 3: Walls, Views, and Traditional Feasts

By day three, our students had become experts at navigating from one patch of shade to the next, ice lollies firmly in hand!

• A Divided Berlin: We started the morning at the Nordbahnhof "Ghost Station" exhibition, learning how the subway system was severed during the division of the city. From there, we visited the moving Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Straße and took in the vibrant, historic murals at the East Side Gallery.
• Culture & Daily Life: After admiring the stunning Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, we stepped back in time at the interactive DDR Museum to experience what life was like behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany.
• Reaching New Heights: Before dinner, we headed up the iconic TV Tower (Fernsehturm) at Alexanderplatz to take in the breathtaking views from 203 meters in the air. After descending from the clouds, we refueled after a long day of walking with a fantastic, well-deserved dinner of traditional crispy Schnitzel.

Day 4: Final Reflections

On our final morning, we visited the Stasi Museum, located in the actual former headquarters of the East German secret police. It provided a fascinating, if chilling, insight into surveillance and state control.

We enjoyed one last group lunch together in the modern bustling hub of Potsdamer Platz before making our way back to the airport.

• The Verdict: We arrived back home thoroughly exhausted, incredibly hot, and with suitcases full of dirty laundry—but it was absolutely worth it! Our Year 12 students were fantastic ambassadors for the school, immersing themselves in the language, history, and culture. Vielen Dank to everyone who made this spectacular trip possible!

100 Day AQA Challenge *winners*

Congratulations to Elian, Joshua, Issy, Hazel, Genevieve and Emma on completing the 100 Day Challenge!

Over the course of 100 days, these students completed one past exam question every day. This remarkable achievement reflects their dedication, resilience, and perseverance. I hope this consistent effort has not only strengthened their exam preparation but also encouraged greater curiosity, confidence, and engagement with their GCSE.

Well done on an outstanding accomplishment!

Spirited Arts international competition

Our Spirited Arts competition ran again this year with students responding to one of six religious and philosophical themes such as "Searching for God" and "Sacred Spaces". These will be sent off at the end of term to be judged alongside artwork from schools across the world...

Well done to Bella in 7G and Millie in 8K for their entries and good luck in the competition!

History

This term we were thrilled to judge our first ever Great Historical Fiction Writing Contest. Budding novelists from across Years 7 to 10 took up the opportunity to craft a short story set in the Tudor period. Like our recent Great Arty History Competition, this year's theme has been inspired by the 450th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's signing of the school's Charter.

As well as being charged with writing something, gripping students were also instructed to research the context carefully and trickle it into their writing in order to achieve as much authenticity as possible.

In an extremely strong field of entries Francesca came out on top with her poignant and alarming tale about Jane Grey and Mary Tudor whilst Harry finished as runner up with his story about the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. Jaxon also deserves a special mention for his yarn set at Faversham Creek.

We will be certainly running this competition again, in 2027, and warmly encourage anyone currently in Years 7 to 9 that is interested to bite the bullet and get involved - you won't regret the experience. In the meantime, you can read this year's winning and runner-up entries here: 

The Great Historical Fiction Writing Contest 2026

In other news, The Great History Debate has continued to rumble towards its closing stages. Round Three (the last eight teams) has concluded with Stanley and Rafi conquering Caitlin and Tallulah over the Vikings, Jack vanquishing Sophia and Freya over the Romans, Clementine and Matilda dispensing with Ewan and Sebastian over Queen Mary I, Isabella and Elodie putting Arthur and Isaac to the sword over the Apollo 11 Mission, Felix crushing Liam's hopes of progression over Guy Fawkes, Seth ending Barnaby's journey over Henry VIII and Thomas and Eva knocking out Elijah and Ryan over William Gladstone's legacy. 

The 2025-26 competition will conclude in September and October ... and yes ... Season IV will launch in its aftermath. Anyone interested in getting involved next time should keep their eyes peeled for the advert that will drop on History GCs as well as the posters around school (canteen, library and the Humanities Building).

Finally, I would like to thank both Katy (Year 12) and Mr Piotrowski for sacrificing two of their lunch times each week in order to interrogate the debaters and pass final judgement. I couldn't do it without them.

On Friday 3rd July most of the Year 10 historians travelled to the Imperial War Museum to explore the spine-tingling but highly informative Holocaust Exhibition. Thank you to all of the staff who volunteered their time to support this experience but I am most earnestly grateful for Mr Sladden's work in organising and leading this essential visit.

Year 10 Orbyts Project 2026

On 18th June, 11 students showcased their lunar habitat materials project at the UCL Orbyts Conference. Engaged in original scientific research, the students stepped into a rich academic environment alongside their peers and leading experts, demonstrating profound knowledge regarding how their materials would withstand the harsh conditions of space.

The presentation served as a fantastic display for the amount of work they put in the last 9 weeks. As the students outlined their findings, they faced questions from field experts, allowing them to thoroughly demonstrate the depth of their understanding. This interaction was highly educational, teaching the participants how to articulate complex scientific data while also being able to demonstrate the vast knowledge they had acquired over the preceding weeks. The conference also provided a welcoming, judgment-free forum for the students to explore other innovative physics projects and pose inquisitive questions to their peers.

Their confident grasp of the subject was the direct result of their nine weeks of meticulous, hands-on scientific investigation. Throughout this intensive period, the students conducted their own experiments, carefully viewing samples of 3 different possible materials using a microscope to document exactly how the materials altered when exposed to simulated lunar atmospheric conditions. Through this rigorous process, the pupils transitioned into partial experts on how various substances would react to the unique challenges of the Moon. Their extensive knowledge was further spotlighted during the subsequent poster session, where they proudly displayed project summaries and eloquently fielded queries from other participating schools regarding the science behind their discoveries.

Written by Emma. M

State of the art research equipment...in a school? Yes please!

The Scanning Electron Microscope has returned! For a couple of weeks this term we've had the privilege of a loan from the Royal Microscopical Society/institute for research in schools/Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers of a state of the art Scanning Electron Microscope with x-ray analysis capabilities (thanks to Oxford instruments). This is a professional system which can be found in industry and university labs but the form factor allows it to be transported to different locations easily and Dr Perkins set it up in a record time of about 15 minutes! 

We've had a number of students training on the SEM so that they can be first in the queue if we're lucky enough to have a return visit. We've also been really delighted to welcome back Lara, a QuEST alumnus who is currently a 4th year chemist at the University of Bristol. When she was at QE she was our expert SEM user so was delighted to come back and train the new users of the instrument. 

We've had Orbyts project (Year 10 research) samples looking at Lunar Regolith building materials. A-level physics materials science samples - different types of fibre, including snapped copper wire from a core practical and snapped glass optic fibre to look at how different materials behave. Alex's EPQ project involves titanium dioxide coatings for solar cell applications. Ecology studies of biodiversity from the school site as well as fun sessions exploring various flora and fauna at year 8 and year 7 JuniorSTEM sessions designed and run by the QuESTies. 

Some examples of the images are shown below - including a tick that was found on Dr Perkins' dog!

Year 7 Junior STEM club

We have had a fantastic term 5 and 6 in Year 7 Junior STEM and students have participated in a variety of challenges and activities. We have made smoke cannons, investigated oobleck, made curves of pursuit coasters, competed in a marble run competition, launched rockets, inspected items in the Electron Microscope and more! The grande finale was a joint session with Year 8 Junior STEM where students competed in the Pizza Box Challenge, where after consuming some delicious pizza, students had to build the strongest possible bridge from pizza boxes. 

A very big thank you to Dr Perkins, Mrs Dabson and Mrs Butterworth, our Premises Operative, Mr Wrigley and Science Technician, Mrs Wrigley for their help and support in facilitating these activities. All of our sessions were supported (and in some cases led) by our excellent team of Year 12 STEM helpers, led by Molly, and we are all very grateful for all the time and hard work they put in to supporting the younger students - thank you! 

We have enjoyed the enthusiasm, creativity and teamwork shown by Year 7 during these sessions and we look forward to welcoming them back to more STEM activities next year!

What's been happening in QuEST?

It’s been a busy final term for QuEST this year, with groups preparing resources ready for the IRIS science conference, PollutionQuEST going to the first Pitch for the Planet, plus some very interesting talks from former QuEST student Oliver Newcombe and QuEST sponsor, Magnetic Shields. A massive thanks to both Oliver and Magnetic Shields for delivering lunchtime talks to our QE students. Oli is a data scientist with a maths degree from Bristol who talked to us about the basis of AI reasoning, before going into a more in depth session with our Year 12 Further Maths students. It was a great opportunity for students to learn how these complex systems actually work, helping to demystify them.

Sadly, due to the extreme heat in London recently, IRIS was unable to go ahead. Regardless, well done to all of our QuEST teams who worked very hard on preparing posters and presentations!

Zeno B. QuEST President

This term for MotorQuEST has been fairly busy. We've continued developing steering wheels using 3D printing, we've almost finished our wheel covers for aerodynamics. Recently, we attended our school fete. At the féte we ran a tyre toss, guess the lap time, and we had the F24+ car and goblin car on display. During the day we displayed the car and performed demonstrations around the field which attracted lots of attention. 

As the term comes to an end and the end of the school year approaches, we have been looking to recruit upcoming Year 12's into Sixth Form to build our team. We are looking to revive the goblin car and get it running again, and are constantly seeking sponsorship for our project.

Tom W. Head of MotorQuEST

We’ve had some very exciting recent developments this term in PollutionQuEST, as we presented our project at the first ever Pitch for the Planet, an event intended to provide young people with a platform to speak about their research or projects which could benefit the world. Our project has been looking at building pollution monitors that can be used as kits within primary schools to help promote learning about pollution and the climate from a young age, and we presented this idea to a crowd of over 200 people at the Royal Institution.

Thanks to this incredible experience we have also been able to get in contact with Connie Potter, an outreach worker from CERN who is interested in how our project could be incorporated into her outreach events at festivals; and so we are currently in talks with her about developing our project further over the summer, alongside another student from Simon Langton Girls who had a similar idea.

We are also excited to be starting the handover to next year’s PollutionQuEST members, some of whom also came with us to Pitch for the Planet in order to get a feel for what they might be able to do in the coming year!

Zeno B. Head of PollutionQuEST

After our successful trip to Belgium in April, SpaceQuEST have continued applying our experience with PCB design by working on a multi-functional board which can be used for many small experiments and utilities for many QuESTs to come. Additionally, we plan to use our remaining funding to continue with various other projects. For example, we were given the opportunity to launch an improved version of our original experiment on another balloon in September (though we won’t be able to travel there ourselves), which we will use as an opportunity to actively learn from our mistakes and gather some even more interesting and helpful data. We also plan on dedicating time towards rocketry, using our members’ previous experiences and our desire to improve in order to create some homemade rockets we can hopefully launch next year.

We were initially supposed to attend the IRIS science conference on the 25th June, giving us an opportunity to share our research and network with other schools who have their own interesting experiments and data to share, however unfortunately due to the blistering heat in London due to the heatwave the conference was cancelled. On the bright side, our posters for the conference were still sent to us and will be put up in the science corridor (alongside pictures from our trip) so we can show off our research to the rest of the school.

Josh H. Head of SpaceQuEST

Well, what a strange summer term it has been for PE clubs and fixtures. When the temperature was right, it rained, and when it stopped raining, we saw temperatures in excess of 35 degrees put a stop to our activities. What hasn’t wavered is the students’ enthusiasm and drive to continue performing and trying their best. Obviously, the swimming gala was the main event to fall foul of the weather gods. This is such a shame as it is always a highlight and spectacle in our summer calendars. I am sorry for our swimmers that this did not happen this year - fingers crossed it will be back with a bang next year. A special mention and thank you must go to Mr Charlton - I know he put hours of preparation into the organisation of this event. 

Athletics 

Despite the rain on some occasions, we have managed to enjoy a number of Athletics fixtures with other schools in our district.  The culmination of this is always the district Championships, held at Canterbury Academy on the synthetic track and is always quite a spectacle with 11 schools in attendance. We had very strong teams this year, with many of our junior athletes proving to be the strength. We had a record number of athletes winning their event, making them District Champion in their discipline.  These are listed below:  

In addition to these results, we have also seen a record-breaking number of school Athletics records broken and re-written. There is a very long-standing tradition of excellence in Athletics at Queen Elizabeth’s and some of these records have stood for a VERY long time (some since the 1980’s). 

These new record holders are as below:

All of the athletes who competed in this event played their part in winning points for our school team The Junior Boys (Years 7 and 8) team finished in 1st place, almost 20 points ahead of the Langton Boys team. Our remaining 3 teams (Junior Girls & Inter Boys and Girls) all finished in a VERY respectable second place behind both the Langton schools. This is a super achievement for all involved, as it also resulted in a combined winning score for the overall title of ‘District Champions’. We scored a massive 370 points, 80 ahead of the second placed school.

Yr 7 Athletics Championships

Exactly a week after the District Champs, we were supposed to head back to Canterbury Academy for our Year 7 only Championships. The heatwave had other ideas, but as a district of PE colleagues, we managed to pull together and reschedule this event for the next week. Once again, we took a very strong team of athletes who all performed their very best throughout the morning. There were a number of event winners (listed below), lots of students finished in second place and all achieved great results with lots of points contributing to our total score.

District winners titles go to the following:

Again, the boys’ team proved too strong for any competing schools and they ended the morning as District Boys’ Year 7 Champions. The Girls’ were not very far behind in terms of scoring, and so the two teams combined score meant that we retained the title of Year 7 Overall District Champions. The only problem with all this winning is that I am struggling to find space in the trophy cabinets! Both myself and Mr Charlton have been incredibly proud of all of our athletes over this season. Those who competed at the district events, but also those who would have loved to, and just missed out on performance. You are all superstars already in our eyes and we look forward to next season already.

I would like to finish the Athletics section by mentioning 3 students in Year 7 who have achieved so much in their very first summer season at QE. Jessica is an outstanding athlete, who I believe probably could have won almost every event single handedly. Earlier this term Jessica, along with others (Archie, William, Edward and Ashtyn) attended the Kent Schools Athletics Association Track & Field Championships. Jessica competed in a number of events, but it was the Long Jump where she truly excelled. She managed to jump a massive 4m 41cm, smashing the school Year 7 record which had stood since the year 2000 (4m 19cm). Jessica went on to represent the school team at the Year 7 Championships, where she once again achieved 1st place and smashed her own school record, set 3 weeks earlier. Jessica’s new record stands at a whopping 4m 65cm.  

Archie & Edward have burst onto the Athletics scene at QE, also attending both the Kent Schools Championships and both District Schools Champs.  They have overwhelmed their competitors in each and every event they have competed in, winning titles all round. CONGRATULATIONS Jessica, Edward and Archie - we are excited to see if they can achieve any more records in their time with us at QE, and just hope they remember their PE teachers when competing at the future Olympics!!!

The David Smiley Tennis tournament

Once again, the David Smiley Tennis Open has provided plenty of entertainment and drama for all to enjoy. We have been blessed with a very talented Year 7 cohort this year, and they have impressed both the PE teachers and the older students. Jackson S, Heinrich O and Viggo L have been the standouts having knocked out reigning champions and players 3 years their senior. Viggo has brushed aside his opponents in the whole school competition to be the first to qualify for the semi-finals. Heinrich beat last year’s KS3 champion, Jacob J, in a very back and forth game, and Patrick M (this year's whole school favourite) praised him for his performance in their whole school quarter-final face-off.  

Heinrich and Jackson promise to serve up an epic KS3 final during the last week of term- we are very excited to enjoy one of the highest quality finals in years. Good luck to both players! 

Iwan D’s quarter-final match against Mrs Tkacenko has been the highlight of the whole school competition so far. As it stands, they are tied at 3-3 with both players playing very well in their game of attrition. They are both displaying a variety of high quality shots with some excellent lobs executed by Iwan. We have an action packed week at the end of term, so good luck to the semi-finalists; Thomas R or Jackson and Patrick.

We will report on the final results next term!

Pickleball Premier league 

At the halfway stage of the league Viggo announced himself on the scene as a talented racquet sports player leading the league with 2 consecutive Americano victories. Tom R in year 9 is second and Felix (Year 7) is a close 3rd. The matches have been incredibly close and are a true showcase of the students skills and reflexes! The lunchtime practices have been extremely popular and clearly successful! 

Softball

The year 9 Softball team have been dedicated to practising at every opportunity and this has clearly paid off as they dispatched a year 10 and year 12 team! Tom W and Henry H have been the standout performers - but it has to be said that the whole team have played their part! 

District Rounders Round up

This year's District Rounders competition proved to be one of the most unusual seasons to date. With the unpredictable British summer weather causing the cancellation of many pre-season fixtures, our teams entered the competition with far less match experience than usual. Despite this challenge, every year group demonstrated resilience, determination, and outstanding sportsmanship.

Our Year 7 team attended the tournament armed only with the skills and knowledge they had developed during PE lessons and training sessions. Their confidence and teamwork shone through as they battled their way to become District Champions. Their achievement was made even more special by the praise they received from all the schools in attendance. A huge congratulations to the entire team, and a special thank you to Claudia F for her exceptional captaincy. Claudia's organisation, encouragement, and leadership kept the team motivated throughout the day and played a vital role in their well-deserved success.

The Year 8 girls returned to the district competition ready to build on last year's experience, and they certainly did not disappoint. Although they were unable to overcome Simon Langton in the final game, they showcased just how much they have improved over the past year. Their determination, teamwork, and positive attitude were evident throughout every match, and they should be incredibly proud of the performances they produced.

Our Year 9 team continued their remarkable legacy by retaining the District Championship title for an incredible third consecutive year. Their faultless catching, phenomenal batting, and consistent communication made them a joy to watch, with outstanding leadership from their Captain, Maddie H. The team's exceptional standard of play earned admiration from everyone present, with one spectator even referring to them as "professionals." Not only did they bring home the trophy once again, but they also left with the respect and praise of every school they competed against.

We are incredibly proud of every student who represented the school this season. Their commitment, talent, and sportsmanship have been outstanding throughout what has been a challenging and memorable year. What a talented group of individuals we have! We wish all of our players a well-deserved summer break and look forward to another fantastic rounders season next year.

Sports Day

And before we knew it, we had reached the final weeks of term, and our favourite day of the year.  This year’s Sports Day saw all students in Years 7-10 competing in a multi-sport activity session. This included Rounders, Football, Netball, Danish Longball and Pickleball. Students showcased their sporting skills, determination and sportsmanship to earn points for their Houses. 

In the afternoon we met on the track as a whole school community to watch the sprint races for each year group. Despite there being no new school records, each race was hotly contested and some super performances seen from all involved. It was also great to see the spectators enjoying themselves - there were some House signs made and chants heard from all along the 100m straight. All students displayed great behaviour and participation, and it was a lovely event to sign off with from the PE department this year.  

After the morning session, Q House was in the lead with 118 points. That was until G House’s prowess on the track proved too strong for everyone else. They managed to score over 200 points in the afternoon and were finally crowned Sports Day Champions 2026.

I wish one and all a healthy, active summer break and look forward to seeing you all back to school in September, ready to hit the ground running! Please remember that the summer holidays are a great opportunity to have students’ ears pierced, rather than during the school term. Earrings must be removed for all PE lessons and activities - taping is not sufficient. 

That just leaves me to say a HUGE Thank You to all of the PE staff for their hard work, commitment and fun they have brought to all of the lessons, clubs, fixtures, school events and competitions throughout the year. We are so lucky to have such a dedicated team of PE teachers… bring on next year! 

U13 English Schools' Cadet South tournament report

This year's u13 english schools cadet tournament was a great success for the QEGS water polo squad The results put the QE Spitfires team in last place sadly, but it was a very tough tournament with hugely experienced teams from Trinity, Dulwich college and Colfe’s school. Despite this the games were close. The spitfires included players who had not played a full water polo tournament before so a positive debut for them. Thanks to Elliott N who captained the spitfires with words of encouragement to keep the team’s spirits high. Fred. S showed some noticeable good play during the match, by playing very well in center back and making many good calls and steals. Shout out to Liam T who’s goalkeeping meant the games remained competitive!

The Lions had a very successful tournament, coming out as the undefeated champions, absolutely dominating, winning games by a large margin. Well done especially to Hugo B who despite being the least experienced player on the team, played exceptionally well, making many assists and a couple of excellent goals. Barnaby P was top scorer for the whole tournament and George D in goal was superb.

Spitfires featured Elliot N (captain), Liam T (gk), James W, Zoe M, Lara P, Mimi V-H, Fred S, Brandon B.

Lions featured Barnaby P (captain), Eric S, Leo J, Flora P, Hugo B, George D (gk), Henry M

Hopefully next year, QE can keep up the title of u13 champions as several of the year 8 players head into the u15 squad.

Talent games for our talented players 

Over the weekend of the 20/21st June, three QE students and an ex-QE student travelled to the Manchester Aquatics centre, home of the Manchester commonwealth games for the Swim England water polo Talent Games. The talent games is a tournament for the small number of regional talent centres which are the training ground for the future GB teams. You have to undertake a rigorous assessment to get into the talent centre (see previous newsletters) and then if you're lucky enough you can be invited to the talent games. This is the best group of junior water polo players at that age group in the country. They are nominated via schools, polo and clubs.

Barnaby P, Flora P and Paloma T were all invited and played for their region in the competition. London region won two each for the boys and girls and lost one match (narrowly) against the mighty North West (who train at the Manchester aquatics pool!)

They also met ex-olympic captain Craig Figes who discussed the route into the GB team and how best to prepare the players for elite sport.  Phoebe Layzell was one of the coaches for the London team. She is a QE alumnus having started playing water polo whilst at school and captained our u19 girls team a few years ago. 

This term’s final focus is all about the holidays and what events are available for children and young people with SEND.

SEND Events and Activities 2026

The Summer holidays often bring with it a variety of challenges for SEND parents, not least keeping their children entertained! Here are some days out/activities that are advertised as SEND friendly.

July 20th – 21st, 2026: SEND Fest at Marsh Farm. Located in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, the venue closes to the public for two days of exclusive, inclusive fun.

Club AUsome is a Medway charity supporting children and young people with additional needs or disabilities (ages 0–25). Their mission is simple: to provide safe, fun, and inclusive activities for children, while offering guidance and friendship for families. They run a number of activities and events throughout the Summer Holidays. Click here to find out more.

SEND friendly cinema screenings:

Odeon, Vue and Cineworld all offer Autism and SEND friendly screenings throughout the summer.

Space 2 be Me offers a range of support groups and services to support families, including drop ins.

Here is a link to Kent County Council’s suggestions for activities:

Brogdale CIC

The VIBE Project offers a variety of Summer youth groups and activities throughout the Summer in Kent. See the website here.

We wish all our SEND families a wonderful Summer and look forward to welcoming you all back in September.

Former student - gap year assembly 

A former student, Liv Boxall, came in to deliver an assembly to all of Year 12 about her experiences of taking a gap year. 

If any student wishes to make an appointment with Miss Butterly to speak about gap year options, please email: hsb@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk 

Year 12 Ideaworks Trip to the Exhibition Centre in London 

A small group of Year 12 students attended the Ideaworks Insight Day on Wednesday 1st July! 

The Ideaworks Experience Centre, located at Great Portland Street in London, is a state-of-the-art showroom and exhibition space showcasing high-end, integrated environmental technologies. It functions as a hands-on hub where architects, designers and private clients can explore advanced smart home systems, including custom lighting, motorized shading, advanced audiovisual displays and digital art. 

After getting the train to St. Pancras and then a light lunch, the students started the afternoon with a talk from an Ideaworks representative who has worked in the company for over 27 years. He demonstrated the Orbit Room - the core showcase for integrated environment technology, smart lighting and high-end digital art, as well as a dedicated creative lighting studio. The students especially enjoyed the chair that spun around 180 degrees to view each huge screen!  

Our students were then treated to a film in the demonstation area with treats and sweets a-plenty before we headed home back to Faversham. 

Many thanks to Kerri, and all the Ideaworks staff, for accommodating us for the day and supporting our students. 

Miss Butterly - KS5 Support and Careers Coordinator

UCAS Personal Statement Talk 

Ben Pettitt, representative from the University of East Anglia, gave an informative talk to our Year 12 students on 8th July.

Ben talked about the UCAS application process and how to write a stand out personal statement, even for those not planning to apply for university in 2027. His advice and guidance extended to those students who may wish to apply for apprenticeships or employment after Sixth Form, or further down the line. 

There were many questions and answers at the end - we hope our Year 12s feel more confident about starting their personal statements.

The Sixth Form Team and your child(ren)'s form tutors and teachers can always give advice on guidance on the process so please contact the Sixth Form Office with any queries. 

Will Ansley - Talk for Budding Medical Students 

Former QE student, Will Ansley, came in to school to give a talk to those Year 12 students who are interested in the medical field as a career. 

He imparted so much important information, advice and guidance on the process and there were many Q&As at the end. 

A big thank you to Will for his time and expertise in supporting our students. 

If any students have any questions for Will, please email Miss Butterly via: hsb@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk 

East Kent College Visit and CV/interview skills guidance - Monday 13th July 

Year 10 students in school this week enjoyed a visit from East Kent College about what the college offers and the options/courses available. 

In the afternoon, Anna Wilkinson, who works in the insurance industry, gave an informative and interactive talk about how to build a CV and demonstrated interview skills. 

Many thanks again to Anna for coming along to support our careers programme! 

If any student would like to have a careers/looking ahead meeting, Miss Butterly is available in the Sixth Form Office via: hsb@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk

Year 10 Work Experience: Exploring the World of Work

On 13th and 14th July, our Year 10 students took part in two exciting days of work experience, giving them the opportunity to explore different careers, develop new skills and gain valuable insight into the world of work.

We were delighted to see students secure a wide range of placements across England, from local opportunities to experiences further afield. A huge well done to everyone who successfully arranged their own placement; we have received some fantastic feedback from employers, who praised our students for their enthusiasm, professionalism and willingness to get involved.

For students who were unable to secure a placement, we ensured they still had a valuable and informative experience. They took part in sessions led by Canterbury College and our careers and enterprise representatives, focusing on post-16 pathways, future options, CV writing and interview skills. These sessions provided students with important knowledge and confidence to support their next steps beyond Year 10.

We are incredibly proud of all of our students for engaging with the opportunities available and representing the school so positively. Work experience is an important step in helping students discover their interests, build employability skills and start thinking about their future ambitions.

Year 11 Prom Celebration

Our Year 11 Prom was a spectacular evening and the perfect way to celebrate our students' hard work and achievements. Despite the summer heat, everyone arrived in high spirits, dressed to impress and ready to make lasting memories. The night was filled with fantastic music, non-stop dancing and plenty of laughter as the year group celebrated the conclusion of their school journey together. It was a joy to see our Year 11s relax, have fun and look back with pride on everything they have accomplished.

End of KS3 Ball

The fabulous end of KS3 Ball took place on the 15th July. Students were treated to an ice cream, photo booth, pizza, light up hair garlands and funky disco glasses. They danced the night away with friends and staff and had a wonderful evening. KS3 staff wish them all the best as they head into KS4.

Young Carers Summer Activity

On Monday 13th July our Young Carers went to Faversham Outdoor Pool with Mrs Shooter and Mrs French. After their swim, they refuelled at a local cafe who very kindly provided milkshakes, smoothies, and a selection of delicious desserts.

Young Carer Champion

Mrs Shooter is the school champion for young carers. Please email jls@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk if you think your child might be a young carer.

Support in school

For young carer students, Mrs Shooter runs a weekly support club which is held every Friday at lunchtime.

We work very closely with IMAGO, the external young carers support team and they will come into school to speak with young carers, either in a group or 1:1 setting.

Our Support Coordinator from IMAGO is Ellie Chown - click here to visit the IMAGO Website

Ready, Set, Volunteer! Making Sports Day a Success

This term is always packed with exciting opportunities, and our local primary schools are no exception. Despite the heatwave - and armed with plenty of sun cream and water bottles - QE was delighted to send volunteers to Hernhill Primary School and Bysingwood Primary School to support their Sports Days.

The day gave our fantastic Sixth Form students the opportunity to develop valuable skills, from encouraging and motivating young pupils to working as part of a team and, of course, enthusiastically cheering from the sidelines!

A huge thank you to our students (Anjola O, Jessica P, Annabel E, Oliver E, Dexter J, Christopher Q, Amelie B, Edward P, Nuala A and Aydrian C) for giving their time so generously, and to the staff at Hernhill and Bysingwood for making us feel so welcome and providing such a wonderful experience.

Here's what a few of our students had to say:

Anjola O - "Volunteering at Bysing Wood was an amazing experience. I loved interacting with all the primary school kids, they were very receptive and welcoming. Watching them all cheer each other on sports day and watching their teamwork was very wholesome and it was such a positive atmosphere the whole day even though it was very hot."

Jessica P - "I really enjoyed volunteering, it helped me develop my communication and teamwork skills. It was a great sports day and I was glad I could help to make it happen."

Oliver E - "It was such a great opportunity to go and help out. I enjoyed being able to help the teachers that are working constantly to create an incredible day, whilst also being able to see the incredible sporting ability of many of the children there."

Conquering Snowdonia: Gold Practice Expedition Success!

Our Gold DofE participants have officially returned from a highly successful five-day practice expedition in Snowdonia! Setting off early on Thursday 9th July, the students tackled challenging terrain, intensive micro-navigation training, and surprisingly warm weather. They showed incredible resilience throughout - navigating a steep learning curve while managing their own hydration, gear, and camp cooking. A huge thank you to Mrs. Woods, Ms. Humpage, Dr. Perkins, and Mr. Anderson for volunteering their time to support this trip, and to parents for your help with the preparations.

To hear what the experience was really like on the ground, read student Kian S.’s fantastic first-hand account below!

Day 1 

We arrived in a “heatwave”, a word Wales is not so familiar with, after a 6 hour drive and the day started with navigation practice. We made our way along a river where we all met successfully by the bridge and were given our next checkpoint. Meanwhile, for some obscure reason, in a classic DofE moment of trial and error, Theo and Isaac decided to investigate some natural water sources for drinking. This prompted a swift, hands-on refresher from the staff on staying safe and sensible in the heat, after which everyone carried on with smiles. The group then made our way to a bog where our new shiny boots became caked in mud. I put my foot on what looked like grass but was actually a 2 foot hole of water, and Tom put his foot in a river which subsequently led us to the lake where we sat and enjoyed the great view. On the way back whilst most people slipped over at least once; Henry took a  tumble and rolled into a small brook - this was the first of many tumbles for Henry. In the evening after failing to find the campsite for a while, we arrived to then wrongfully pitch our tents in the sun on a hill, needless to say we didn't get much sleep. 

Day 2

On the second day I was woken up by my group taking off the outer of my tent and soaking my sleeping bag in the dew; so it was a damp start to the day for me. We then packed our day packs ready for the ultimate climb - Mount Snowdon. The heat was immense but the views were amazing. At the foot of the climb, the group split up, with some returning and the rest of us tackling the ascent. It was a steep climb in the summer heat, so we got creative using any water we could find to splash on our clothes and stay cool! After a steady, determined push and plenty of mutual encouragement, we reached the summit. It was still incredibly warm at the top, but reaching the peak felt like a massive achievement and we enjoyed an unexpected RAF flypast. That night we went out to Caernarfon on the coast and took in the sights of the castle, where Molly managed to misplace her phone and Dr. Perkins made friends with an exuberant proud local Welshman.

Day 3 

This was the first day carrying a full load. The first part was following a river. We went slightly off the path but decided to carry onto the checkpoint. When we met up, Ms. Humpage gave us a firm but necessary safety brief about the importance of sticking to the route after our little detour. Once back on track, our final stretch was a warm one, walking under the hot sun along the open path. After a few friendly encounters with the local cows and sheep, we made it to the van and set off for the second campsite. This campsite was beautiful. The evening was full of camp fun as we played cricket, relocated Dr. Perkins' tent to a prime spot, and even tested out the teachers' chairs to rest our legs. The showers proved to be on the very warm side, but we made do. We finished the day sorting out some routine blister care and enjoying a chuckle when Doruk discovered he’d been calling Mr. Anderson 'Mr. Andrews' all along!  

Day 4

This was our longest day of walking! An easy morning paved the way for an adventurous afternoon, where a few wrong turns gave us a great chance to put our map skills to the test. Despite the warm air and growing appetites on the climb, the stunning scenery kept our spirits high. We dug deep for a surprise final 3km, which ended in an exciting 'Amazon rainforest' style finish as Isaac's group successfully carved out a route through the thick vegetation for the team, and other teams to follow. 

This campsite had showers and water located away from the tents so some of us got blisters on top of existing blisters due to our sliders or ‘Slippers’ as Dorok would say. Mr. Anderson was surprised when he found out I'd been eating twice the recommended food rations. My group got creative and decided to combine all our remaining ingredients into one giant bowl. While our 'everything dinner' was certainly a memorable culinary experiment, it's safe to say we won't be opening a restaurant anytime soon! Our final night provided plenty of entertainment. Despite Doruk bravely managing some stubborn blisters and Imogen somehow becoming a magnet for the local flies, spirits remained high - especially when Mr. Anderson put a sort of beekeeper's costume on to avoid the flies and settled down to then enjoy Ms. Humpage’s vegetable surprise, which I'm sure he found delicious. 

Day 5 

The final day was the easiest day as it was the shortest walk. We ascended up to an old mine where Dr. Perkins showed off his drone skills again and we all took a final photo. By this time most people’s feet were wrecked, so as we recreated the ministry of silly walks, we started our descent. The final descent was quite a challenge, featuring a rocky path with plenty of boulders and drops. Henry had a few classic slip-ups along the way, but he brushed himself off each time. We finally reached the car park to begin our journey home, making a very welcome stop at the services along the way for some good food - a highly anticipated treat after our last creative camp dinner. Doruk then discovered a week-old banana in his bag that had accompanied him on his travels and we all listened to a podcast on fountain pens that made everyone fall asleep on our journey home. We finally awoke to the voice of Ms. Humpage as we were back in Faversham. 

This term, our Year 10 and 12 students received a session from the Alice Ruggles Trust on the subject of relationship safety, specifically recognising and responding to stalking. The Alice Ruggles Trust was set up in memory of Alice, who is from the Leicestershire area, after a campaign of controlling behaviour and stalking led to her tragic murder. Her story is used to raise awareness amongst young people, to teach them about the risks associated with stalking, and to empower them with the knowledge to seek help and report it. 

Click on the link to learn more about the Alice Ruggles Trust .     

Wunderbar! Leah H. Wins Oxford University German Flash Fiction Competition 

Congratulations to Leah. H in Year 12, who recently was awarded winner of Oxford University’s inaugural German Flash Fiction competition, Years 12-13. This annual competition invites secondary school pupils to write a short story of no more than 100 words in German. Almost 200 entries were received and the German judging panel, made up of academics from the Faculty, commented that they were “extremelyly impressed with the hard work and creativity that went into writing a piece of fiction in a different language.”  

What an incredible achievement, Leah - well done!  

Charles Completes 20k Swimming Challenge for Cancer Research UK

Huge shoutout to Year 13 student Charles M-K, who swam a massive 20k throughout June! Charles took on the challenge to raise awareness and funds for everyone affected, directly or indirectly, by cancer -  what an amazing achievement! 

Below, Charles shares his reasons for taking on the challenge: 

“In May 2025, my sister was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma; she was only 18 and had just left Queen Elizabeth’s sixth form. This was obviously a huge shock and the last thing we could have ever expected. Despite the horrible situation my family found itself in, she managed to make a full recovery early this year thanks to the incredible people in the NHS. Not only did the doctors and nurses give her the physical care she needed, but there were so many others who helped with her care, her mental health, her additional needs, and on the whole made such a difficult time bearable. Therefore I decided to take on this challenge to do my part in supporting all of those incredible people who helped my family. I have now completed my challenge and raised an incredible £510, smashing my original £150 target, however the link is still open for donations with a new target, and I would be incredibly grateful for any and all you can give to this very worthwhile cause!”

If you would like to donate, please follow the link to Charles’s Giving Page.

Solo 110km Walk for the Meningitis Research Foundation

In September, Agnes M (Year 13) is going to be walking 110km on the Camino de Santiago, a historic pilgrimage route in northern Spain, to honour her friend Juliette, who passed away in March, and to raise money to support the incredible life-saving work done by the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Agnes told us, "since losing Juliette, we have all come to realise how important it is that further research, awareness, and vaccinations are ongoing in order to limit the impact of meningitis. My route starts in the town of Sarria and will take 6 days of walking to reach Santiago, with my longest day being 22km! I chose this particular route because it is the most popular on the Camino, meaning it is the busiest, which is good because I am doing this solo and hoping to make some friends whilst I’m there. Until then, I will be spending my summer going on lots of long walks (with a very heavy bag!) so that I am ready to take on this challenge in September. I am so excited to be doing this and I feel very honoured to be able to contribute to Juliette’s legacy."

Here is the link to the fundraiser if you would like to donate in support of this cause, or even share the page. Agnes is very grateful to everyone who has already supported her through sharing and donating! Agnes's fundraiser for Meningitis Research Foundation

Riding High: Annabelle’s BHS Success

Congratulations to Annabelle W (Year 9) for passing her British Horse Society (BHS) Stage 1 Care and Riding exam. 

Annabelle’s passion for horses began at the age of seven, initially drawing her in as a wonderful way to connect with like-minded people. Driven by a lifelong aspiration to become a vet or work closely with animals, she recognised that pursuing the BHS exam route would equip her with a valuable future skill set. The BHS offers exams and educational courses to anyone in the equine community, providing clear pathways to careers as qualified riding instructors, equine coaches, or stable managers. 

Annabelle told us, "after my livery yard hosted a BHS Stage 1 course, I decided to begin my exam journey. BHS qualifications are nationally recognised, valued by employers and offer UCAS points at advanced stages, making them ideal for my future plans to attend equine college or enter the veterinary field. My drive stems from a lifelong love for animals and a passion for competitive showjumping. This summer, my horse Winnie (see photo) and I are training for 1-metre classes and preparing for eventing. I'm incredibly grateful to be at a supportive riding establishment that provides the perfect environment and career pathways for our future together." 

We wish Annabelle and Winnie the best of luck for their future competitions. 

If you would like to learn more about the British Horse Society, click here: BHS Website  

Stunning trophy designed by QE Student

We are incredibly proud to share some fantastic news that Henry. R, Year 12, has won top spot in the annual design competition for the 2026 Kent Mental Wellbeing Awards.

Henry got the unique opportunity to visit Cactus Graphics in Dover to watch his vision quite literally roll off the production line. His winning design for the trophy was brought to life using sustainable bamboo, meaning this year's award winners for the charity, Mind,  will receive a truly unique, eco-friendly reminder of their achievements. Head over to the Mind East Kent webpage to read the full story on Henry’s fantastic achievement!

East Kent Mind - Designer sees trophy roll off production line

East Kent Mind - Trophy Design Winner Revealed

Performance Spotlight

Back in May, Elliott N, along with his performing arts group at PQA (Pauline Quirke Academy) did their first performance of ‘Across The Line’ in the Westend at His Majesty’s Theatre, London.

Elliott had a lead role as the character, Bailey and was performing as well as puppeteering doing an absolutely amazing job. Keep up the fantastic work! 

Fond Farewells 

This term, we say goodbye to Mrs Dickson, Ms Newing, Mrs Blatchly and Mr Germain.

Mrs Dickson has been an integral member of our QE team for 20 years, having joined us in September 2006. Mrs Dickson is one of those members of staff who has been involved in all sorts of aspects and areas of school life and as such her influence and her impact upon our school is far-reaching.

She is an incredible teacher of maths and an exceptional mathematician. She has inspired generations of students and many have gone on to study maths and related degree courses, as a direct result of having been taught by Mrs Dickson. Her knowledge and expertise and of course her love for the subject, has enabled her students to flourish and I know that her current maths students are really going to miss her. 

During her time with us, Mrs Dickson was also a deeply caring, committed and thoughtful Head of Year and her academic and pastoral support for the sixth form students was far-reaching - she also helped to develop many areas of the Sixth form and over the years supported hundreds of students in applying for their degree courses, including highly competitive courses.

We wish Mrs Dickson an exciting and happy retirement. Although she most certainly deserves a rest, we suspect that she will be busier than ever!

Ms Newing, is a much-valued member of our KS3 pastoral team and has made a lasting difference to the lives of so many students and their families through her kindness, compassion and unwavering support. While we will greatly miss her warmth, dedication, and sense of humour, we are excited for her as she begins a new chapter in Cyprus. 

Mrs Blatchly has spent the last five years as a dedicated member of our SEND Department. Her patience, encouragement, guidance and willingness to go the extra mile have made all the difference to our students. We are incredibly grateful for everything Mrs Blatchly has contributed to our school community and we wish her every success and happiness in the future.

A big thank you to our IT Support Technician, Mr Germain, for his fantastic support this past year. From installing new equipment around the school to sorting out students' device issues, he has been an incredibly helpful member of our school community. Mr Germain will be greatly missed by the IT team, and we wish him all the very best with his future plans.

We wish you all the very best for your future ventures and thank you for your wonderful support over the years. 

Fundraising Success: A Brilliant Year of Giving Back

What a fantastic way to end the school year! Thanks to the incredible generosity and energy of our school community, this year’s fundraising has exceeded all expectations. Our finalised total for the summer term fundraising push is an amazing £8,642, beating our £8,500 target, raising £500 more than last year and an impressive £2,000 more than in 2024. The Summer Fete raised a brilliant £4,105, the Prize Draw brought in £2,951, and Non-Uniform Day added a further £1,586. A huge thank you must go to our Treasurer Laura and the QE Finance team, and everyone involved in counting, collecting and keeping everything running smoothly.

Across the whole academic year, the totals are even more exciting. Preloved uniform sales raised £1,776, the March Quiz added £1,227, and Easyfundraising contributed £198, bringing our overall fundraising total to £11,843. With the additional support of generous parent company fund-matching schemes, this amount can more than double, giving us over £20,000 to invest back into school life. This is a remarkable achievement and a true reflection of the commitment, kindness and teamwork shown by parents, carers, staff, students and our wonderful PTFA volunteers.

Most importantly, these funds will be shared across the school, supporting a wide range of subjects, faculties, projects and extra-curricular activities so that as many students as possible benefit. PTFA funding is flexible and responsive, meaning it can help meet student needs quickly where the standard school budget may not be able to move as fast; the recent support for entries for Arts Awards is a great example of this in action. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated, volunteered, bought tickets, came along to events, matched funding or supported in any way. Together, you have helped create opportunities that will make a real difference across the school in the year ahead.

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