Term 5 Newsletter 2025
Dear Parents, Carers and Students
It hardly seems possible that we have reached the end of Term 5 and whilst it has been a relatively short term, as always a huge amount has been going on. We said goodbye to our brilliant Year 11 and Year 13 students a couple of weeks ago and they have now all embarked upon their exams. We are very proud of all that they have already achieved and wish them every success in the coming weeks.
You will see from this newsletter that amongst many different activities across the faculties - including our celebrations for Mental Health Week - there has been a range of trips taking place this term - not least our annual Year 8 trip to Bude and our Year 12 trips to Amsterdam and Asgard. These residential trips (and of course the many day trips that also take place) provide fantastic experiences for all the students involved and we hope special and lasting memories. They also require a great deal of work - both in preparation and during the trip and as such we are always hugely grateful to the staff who run the trips.
Earlier this term we were delighted to announce our new student Head Team - well done to Alex, Gigi, Olivia, Obi, Fred and Medi - we know you will do a great job. Looking ahead, we hope many of you will join us on Saturday 5th July for our school fête - always a lovely occasion with a great variety of stalls, food and drink and live music!
Kind regards
Mrs A J McIlroy
Headteacher
Royal Shakespeare Company Workshops
Students taking part in the playmaking festival with the RSC and The Marlowe Theatre have experienced workshops from visiting professional actors and directors. The students have developed their vocal skills, learning how to project outside against the weather and reminiscent of Shakespeare's contemporary performances. Directors from The Marlowe have assisted the students blocking and character portrayal, developing their understanding of his rarely performed text 'Pericles'. All of this will contribute to the students' site specific performance of an extract of 'Pericles' with other schools across Kent in June at Samphire Hoe.
The Design Ventura Celebration and Pitching Event
Design Ventura sparks curiosity to engage with design and design thinking. Over 10,000 students from across 207 schools across the UK and beyond participated in Design Ventura 2024-25. The top 10 teams attended Deutsche Bank London headquarters to pitch their designs to peers and judges in March. This year's brief was to design a product for the Design Museum shop to be sold for around £15. It is so important that students learn about design and what it takes to develop a product. A small group of Year 10 students participated in the competition and two members of the team share their experience of the event below.
"Our team took part in the Design Ventura Competition with Designer! Snap!, a fun and inclusive card game promoting sustainability and diverse representation. Before the event, we worked hard to develop our idea, create prototypes and prepare our pitch. On the day, we visited Deutsche Bank’s headquarters, enjoyed delicious cakes and presented our game in the auditorium. A month later, we visited the Design Museum to find out the winners. Although we didn’t win, we were proud to be commended for the most inclusive design and named a top ten finalist. We even saw our work exhibited in the museum!".
By Emilia J (Year 10)
"For the Design Ventura Competition, we worked on the concept of a SNAP-based game for Design and Technology GCSE students, based on the prompt 'CHANGE'. Over 4-5 months we met every Friday lunchtime to work together on the design. After submitting the design and being shortlisted, we then created the product using CAD (Photopea) and a local company called Abbey Print. We then went to the Deutsche Bank in London for a pitching day, where we presented our idea to a panel of judges, using our prototype and our slideshow, which unfortunately de-formatted. On the same day, we met lots of other schools and learnt about their wonderful designs. About a month later we revisited London, but to the Design Museum this time. Here the winners were announced and we discovered that we had received our Commendation Award (which is displayed in the Tech Department!). Design Ventura taught us that it’s always a good idea to join a competition, you may get further than you’d imagined!".
By Zoe L (Year 10)
Image courtesy of Richard Heald
Kent Festival of Drama and Speech
Year 12 Drama students took to the stage in a county wide competition of Speech and Drama in May. The students performed in two classes, monologue and Shakespeare monologues with each of them demonstrating mature and well prepared performances which received high praise from the adjudicator. Congratulations to Lauren M who was placed first in both classes for her rendition of Emma from 'People, Places and Things' and Rosalind from 'As You Like It'.
Languages, Sport and Global Opportunities – A Truly Inspirational Day at QE!
On 20th May, after the tremendous success of last year’s visit, we were thrilled to welcome back Steve Eadon from Mingalaba, whose passion for languages and sport lit up QE once again. With an impressive career that includes 11 years at Arsenal FC, Steve brought a wealth of real-world experience to share with our students, showing them just how far language learning can take you.
During his time at Arsenal, Steve not only participated in outreach initiatives to promote languages in schools, but also played a vital role behind the scenes at Arsenal FC, communicating with international players and staff, travelling the world as a coach, and using his language skills in high-pressure, elite-level environments.
Students in Years 9 and 10 were captivated by Steve’s presentations, which took them on a journey from his university days to unforgettable experiences working with globally recognised footballers. He opened their eyes to the incredible range of careers where language skills are a true asset, not just on the pitch, but in fields such as sports nutrition, media and technology, physiotherapy, logistics and more. Many students came away with a brand-new appreciation for how languages can boost their future careers, even in areas they had not previously considered.
But the day didn’t stop there! Steve also delivered four action-packed, language-based practical sessions for Years 7 to 10, incorporating French, German and Spanish into high-energy sports drills. Imagine combining warm-up exercises with learning new vocabulary, then putting those skills to the test in a lively match, all while thinking and responding in another language! These sessions were not only incredibly fun, but also provided a great challenge for both body and brain.
The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Many described the day as eye-opening, exciting and empowering. It’s clear that Steve Eadon and Mingalaba have left a lasting impression on our young linguists, showing them that language skills are more than just a classroom subject, they are a passport to a world of opportunity.
We look forward to welcoming Steve back in the future to continue inspiring the next generation of global citizens here at QE!
What’s been happening in QuEST?
This term, QuEST welcomed Professor Becky Parker from Project Earth to give a talk. It was one of the most well attended talks we’ve had in a while - a testament to her captivating nature and interesting subject matter. Project Earth is an organisation dedicated to helping students research the environment and create inventive solutions. She spoke to us about the amazing students already working with her and was eager to garner interest from other students. While EcoQuEST and PollutionQuEST are already working tirelessly on their projects, we hope more students from across the school will take her up on this incredible offer.
One of the most anticipated trips, to the ASGARD campaign, also took place this term with six QuESTies heading to Belgium for this fantastic opportunity. The SpaceQuEST segment will go into detail about this wonderful trip.
Currently, the QuESTies are preparing for the IRIS Conference next term as deadlines for posters and presentations are rapidly approaching…
Alexis E. QuEST President
This term we measured the nitrate, phosphate and pH levels of the local Cooksditch Stream in which the nitrate levels measured at a concerning 50ppm when it should be close to 0ppm and an also worrying phosphate concentration at 2ppm when it should be 0.05ppm. High levels of these minerals could lead to eutrophication which in turn would kill off all living organisms living in the stream, lowering the biodiversity.
To combat this, I have created three terrariums using water and sediment from the stream as well as introducing two different native aquatic plants to two of the different terrariums. The other terrarium is a control. I will monitor the phosphate and nitrate levels and see which aquatic plant lowers the levels the most. In the future we hope to plant some of the aquatic plants that lowered the levels in the stream the most, to reduce the possibility of eutrophication occurring, preventing the loss of biodiversity.
Jack R. Head of EcoQuEST
MotorQuEST has still been very busy this past term as we’re still building the frame of the car. This term we have focused on setting up the electricals including connecting the ignition to the battery and motor. In the upcoming weeks we plan to start designing our full shell, ready to be tested for aerodynamics in the wind tunnel at a later date.
Scarlett C. Head of MotorQuEST and Lucy C. MotorQuEST Member
BioQuest initially followed our cigarette vs vape smoke experiment with researching how safe tampons are. Fortunately, we found little bacteria grew when using agar to determine microbial properties and an insignificant amount of bleach. Therefore, we chose to research a new project, partnering with EcoQuest to investigate the tensile strength of plant fibres and whether they could be a sustainable substitute for plastic bags. As well as this, we are looking forward to the upcoming IRIS Conference where Summer and I (Grace) are hoping to present, which will be a really nice opportunity to develop speaking in front of large crowds.
Grace R. Head of BioQuEST
This term, we updated the official pollution monitor not only by changing to the smaller Arduino Nano Every but by also adding a range of other components including a GPS, a working screen (presenting the CO2 levels, humidity, temperature, time, longitude and latitude) and an SD card, which we can use to upload the data we collect online. 
During May, we took this pollution monitor to the ASGARD Conference, where we collected data on the Eurostar and around Brussels. We also shared our project and then later, our findings, in two presentations, held on the first and last days of the conference - comparing our data with the data collected by SpaceQuEST’s GAIA project, which successfully monitored the change in CO2 levels between ground level and over 25km in the atmosphere.
Finally, we have also been working to 3D print a box for the monitor, in order to make it easier to transport and to provide protection. To do this we used Onshape, a type of CAD software, to create several different models which we are hoping to finalise and then 3D print using the school’s 3D printer.
Josie Y. Co-head of PollutionQuEST
This term… ASGARD happened!!!!
We began our trip on Tuesday, taking the Eurostar to Brussels. Whilst on the train, the experiment started and we collected a lot of interesting data from the pollution monitors we brought with us. CO2 levels really spiked when we were in the tunnel. 
On Wednesday the conference started. We presented our plan to the rest of the ASGARD participants and had a wonderful talk on the Einstein telescope (a telescope that once built will be very sensitive to gravitational waves) from a phD student who used to attend Sint Pieterscollege (the school hosting ASGARD). After the presentations, we explored Brussels with one of the Belgian and one of the Portuguese teams. We saw some breathtaking monuments and finished the day with a group meal together.
Thursday… launch day! The launch took place at KMI, the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. Whilst Thomas integrated our hardware into the gondola, the rest of SpaceQuEST had two workshops. The first was with the Head of Engineering about the troubles of sending hardware into space. The second was about using SPENVIS, software designed to calculate radiation exposure that astronauts receive. Straight after, we counted down to lift off and watched the balloon with the attached gondola rise into the sky and out of sight. Next, after grabbing some quick lunch, we visited the Royal Belgian Natural History Museum and received a guided tour. They have the largest collection of dinosaurs in Europe, which was absolutely fascinating to see. We even got to touch a real meteorite! Finally, we spoke with Andrea Boyd, who is in charge of communicating with the astronauts on the ISS! 
Luckily, both gondolas were retrieved and brought back to the hotel, with the large one containing our project arriving at 8! With that first hurdle cleared, it was time to inspect our project. Unfortunately, our gas sample did not seal meaning that element of our project was unsuccessful. The motor worked, successfully opening the syringe and we believe the seal mechanism did work at first but then the microcontroller rebooted meaning it reopened. It then closed and 
reopened a few more times before landing in the open position. While this does mean we cannot do the analysis at UCL, we did still get some interesting data from the CO2 sensor we had on board. Our initial processing determined that CO2 concentration did in fact decrease with altitude. A lot more analysis is needed but these are some really 
promising results.
On Friday, we headed to the planetarium for the final presentations. The day opened with a talk from Petra Vanlommel, one of the scientists at KMI who discussed solar 
storms and other interesting weather events as well as the exciting steps that research in that area is taking. We then watched all the other groups and showed our initial results. Many groups had interesting data and many experienced similar challenges to us - overall it was a very successful campaign. As a final hurrah, we went back to Sint Pieterscollege for pizza before hopping back onto the Eurostar. Bye Belgium!
Alexis E. SpaceQuEST member
Rounders
It has been great to see so many students attending our extracurricular rounders club this term, enjoying the sunshine and participating in some recreational rounders. Students have been working hard to better their skills and to work more tactically. In addition to this, we have played weekly fixtures against other local schools with some great results achieved. Well done to our Year 7 and 8 teams who played Herne Bay High School and won both games. Our Years 9 and 10 teams also played against Herne Bay High School and both returned victorious. More recently, the Year 9 team played against a mixed Year 9 and Year 10 team from The Archbishop’s School. They not only won the game but also scored a whopping 28 rounders! Thank you to everyone who has committed their time to school rounders this term - we look forward to some additional fixtures next term and the District Competitions!
Multi-sports
KS3 multi-sports club has been a big hit yet again this term, offering a variety of non-competitive sporting activities. The students have learnt the importance of physical activity, along with building upon communication skills and teamwork. Another big thank you to the KS4 and KS5 pupils who have helped run the club alongside Miss Washington.
Athletics
We have been busy attending District athletics fixtures, practicing and working hard in preparation for the District Finals next term. Those winning their events so far have been Libby W, Hugh J, Will K, Oceane, Zhana W, Dan O, Leyton B, Malachi O and Ollie BB on the track whilst Harlow S, Hugh J, Oli W, Will K, Oceane, Virtue A-D, Amy F, Dora O, Sophie JM, Malachi O, Logan, Mark and Axel have all been winning in the field events. This has been fantastic to see and Mr Charlton and I are both very excited about seeing what this group of athletes (and more) can do at both the District Championships and the Year 7 District Festival.
Meadowfield School
Many thanks to Miss Waldron for organising (and attending) the school visit for our Year 12 A Level P.E. cohort. All students spent a day at Meadowfield School in Sittingbourne observing and participating in P.E. lessons for students with additional needs. They threw themselves into every activity offered and fully immersed themselves in the environment for the whole school day. This gave them an appreciation and insight into P.E. provision for all and will help with their inclusion in sport work.
Softball
Both Softball clubs (KS3 and KS4) are going really well with growing numbers each week. All students are welcome to attend their respective clubs and these will continue next term.
Other Sporting News
As well as all the successes in school sport that we like to celebrate, we also love hearing about all of our student’s big achievements in club sport. I am really pleased to report that we have two National Football Cup winners within our community. Both Adrianna Z in Year 10 and Chloe B in Year 8 have won the Junior Premier League (JPL) Cup in their age groups for their clubs: Cray Wanderers FC and Arsenal FC respectively. Football at this level is extremely competitive and hard work, so CONGRATULATIONS to these two girls for playing at the very top end and winning such a prestigious competition. Arsenal won their final 9-0 and our very own Chloe scored a hat-trick! Just amazing!
On a more local level, I learnt that some of our Year 8 and Year 9 students also won their League Cup this weekend for their club team, Rising Stars FC. Isla S, Isla S, Freya D, Zhana and Eden all represented their team and helped secure a 3-2 win over Maidstone United. This group of players have worked hard together from a young age, winning the league last year, securing a second place finish in Division One this year and lifting the League Cup too!
These two news items show the growth and development in girls’ sports locally and in particular football. I am always happy to report external success, so please do keep your updates coming and we can celebrate as a whole community.
Mrs K French
Head of PE Faculty
Photos from left to right: Adrianna with the U15 JPL Cup, Chloe with the U13 JPL Cup, Isla S with the U14 Kent League Cup
Much Ado About Numbers
On 20th May, Year 9 were treated to a talk by visiting author, Rob Eastaway. He gave a really entertaining talk about how William Shakespeare would have experienced mathematics and how this was reflected in his plays. He explained the fascinating connections between maths, English, history, science and music - something for everyone! The students participated enthusiastically in the quizzes and we were thoroughly impressed by those brave enough to volunteer as demonstrators. Students can find copies of Rob Eastaway's books, including 'Much Ado About Numbers', in the school library.
UKMT Junior Maths Challenge
Students in Year 7 and Year 8 who participated in the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge received their results this term. The students absolutely smashed it, with 71 awards across the two year groups: 30 Bronze, 29 Silver and 12 Gold.
Well done to Albion, Lucas, Sebastian, Thomas, Joshua, Barnaby and Nate for qualifying for the Junior Kangaroo follow-on round and a massive congratulations to Freddie in Year 7 who achieved 'best in school' and qualified for the Junior Maths Olympiad.
We are very 
proud of all students who took part and we wish the students competing in the next rounds the very best of luck!
Festival of Rising Mathematicians - Axiom Maths
Students from Year 7 who are enrolled on the Axiom Maths Programme attended the Festival of Rising Mathematicians at King's College London.
In the first session of the day, students were mixed into groups with other schools and participated in a Maths Circle where they worked both in teams against each other and collectively as a group to solve some strategy problems and games. This was a lovely opportunity for our students to meet and work with other students who also took part in the Axiom Programme.
The second session consisted of a tour of part of the King's College Strand Campus, including a visit to the Hall of Professors, meeting Reggie the Lion and working on different mathematical puzzles and questions regarding the surroundings. The next session was a Q&A with the student ambassadors, a mixture of students at various stages of studying a STEM degree at KCL. After a lunch break to enjoy eating pizza, the final session of the day was to attend a lecture by Dr Lassina Dembélé on Magic Squares and Donuts, which including some hands on opportunities to create our own Magic Squares. On our way back to the London Underground we took the opportunity to see some of the famous London landmarks in Westminster. We were very proud of the students who attended the trip - they all did an excellent job of representing the school.
The Great History Debate
This term we have completed Round Two of the knockout competition. The standard has continued to impress both audiences and judges.
Joni, Seth and William took Napoleon Bonaparte's reputation to task. Kingston, Rex and Jude put the Magna Carta under the microscope and Eva, Thomas, Evie and Alba interrogated the American decision to drop nuclear bombs on Japan in 1945.
We are really excited to see what the Quarter Finals bring. Before the term is out, Stanley and Rafi will be disputing the causes for the Armada's defeat with Flora and Lottie. Ethan and Sophie will be exploring who was most culpable for triggering the English Civil War and Emmeline and Mary will get into a tug of war with Sebastian over how lucky Adolf Hitler was to find himself as the Chancellor of Germany in 1933.
As always, we thank everyone in Years 7 to 9 who has attended the debates, posed questions and cheered the winners and conquered. The debates are open to anyone in those year groups to pop along and watch. Finally, I would like to place on record my sincere gratitude to all of the staff who have helped to adjudicate this term.
Mr P. W. Buckland
Economics
Should economic growth be prioritised over environmental sustainability?
Year 12 economics students are encouraged to submit essays for national competitions, which provide students with an opportunity to engage in research, hone their writing skills and draw links between economic concepts and real-world scenarios. The competitions include the 'Minds Underground' and 'John Locke' essay competitions.
Agnes M wrote an engaging essay on the topic of whether economic growth should be prioritised over environmental sustainability.
good luck year 11
We waved a fond farewell to Year 11 on Tuesday 6th May as they embarked on their study leave before their GCSE exams.
It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to watch our students blossom over the years and we are delighted to see how much they have achieved over their time at Queen Elizabeth's.
We wish them every success for their GCSEs and their future studies.
GOOD LUCK YEAR 11!
Farewell to Year 13
The Year 13s last day started with a late breakfast of hot food and pastries. The weather was glorious and perfect for photo opportunities.
After a final breakfast together, Year 13 made their way over to the theatre for a memorable farewell assembly led by Mrs McIlroy. Mr Larter and Mr Finn-Kelcey, our fantastic Heads of Sixth Form, shared some heartfelt words of wisdom and encouragement with the students. The students received Lion Awards for school and other achievements. The cheers really started when the 'Fun Awards' (which they had nominated and voted for themselves) were announced.
After the assembly, each student was sent off with a 'pick and mix' bag of sweets. It was a day to remember, filled with good food, great company and a whole lot of fun.
Ski Trip 2025
This year the school ski trip broke from tradition and set off for Stubai in Austria in the first week of the Easter holidays. We usually take the trip during February half-term, but thought we would give Easter a try this year. This proved to be a great decision because we enjoyed fantastic weather and skiing conditions all week. The sun shone, the slopes sparkled and the students made great progress with their skiing, with even the beginners making it to some of the hardest slopes by the end of the week. The ski trip provides an excellent opportunity for students from different year groups to spend time together and this year we took students from Year 8 to Year 12, of varying skiing ability - from total beginners to advanced skiers. We were really proud of all of the students - and the coach drivers commented that they were the best school trip they had ever taken.
The Hotel Stubai provided excellent accommodation and delicious food and we were only 20 minutes drive from the main ski lifts, which meant we could ski for a full five hours each day. As always, all the students really enjoyed the opportunity to nominate each other (and the staff) for the daily “chicken award” - for mishaps amidst the snow! Falling off lifts, falling into other students, getting lost, forgetting equipment, losing equipment, saying very silly things - you name it, they did it and were nominated for it with great glee! Due to various nominations, Miss Girdler and Dr Perkins both wore the chicken with pride. As if skiing wasn’t enough activity each day, we went swimming twice (we loved the water slides and the outdoor pool!) and we also had a competitive evening out bowling in Innsbruck.
Thank you to Dr Perkins, Mr Leake, Miss Girdler, Mrs Chandler and Mrs McIlroy who all accompanied the trip.
Year 8 Adventure Holiday to Bude
On Sunday 11th May our Year 8 students and their families had an early start to make it to school for 08:00, but we all managed to make it on time and this allowed us to make a swift departure for Bude, Cornwall, before 08:30. Once on board their coaches, Year 8 found a second lease of life surrounded by their friends and their film and music requests came in by the bucket load. Everyone was excited and not at all phased by the fact we had a long coach journey ahead of us.
We made two stops at Fleet and Taunton Dean - I don’t think that there was anything left on the shelves by the time we came through and you can imagine what it was like with around 180 of us all piling off these coaches and heading inside to, what really was a small space. That said, Year 8 conducted themselves in a very positive way and were considerate to those around them - well done! In fact it was the staff who had to be watched more closely after having spilled an entire cup of coffee during one service stop. Copious amounts of sugar were consumed during all stops and so the bus parties kept on going all the way down to Bude. We arrived in Bude around 16:30 and had no time to rest. It was straight upstairs to leave our bags and then we had our welcome meal of the Cornish classic…. sausage rolls!
Dinner over and evening activities started with a meet and greet of our Tutor Group Leaders and a staff briefing too. Then we danced our hearts out at the welcome disco and located the tuck shop for some more sugar intake. Bedtime at 22:00 couldn’t come soon enough for some of our students but that didn’t stop a few people chatting long into the wee hours of the night.
07:00 came round quickly for our late night chatters and the early morning run was most definitely not appreciated by everyone - but most of us were still running on that high of being the first full day of Bude. The early morning exercise was a regular activity and everyone gave it their best shot!
All our students enjoyed a variety of activities with surfing and bodyboarding being among the favourites, one student quoting ‘it was like being on holiday with friends for a week.’ Others conquered their fear of heights on the high ropes and the climbing wall, while staff had a few too many ice creams to cool down in the glorious sunshine. Everyone had the routine down by the end of the week, wake up, breakfast, sun cream, activity…..and room cleaning. The first day’s points came as a big blow to some people only scoring 50 out of 100 for the cleanliness of their room. Needless to say the hoovers became a hot commodity on both floors. By the evening we all enjoyed the various things on offer - the tuck shop being a firm favourite followed by football and a lot of karaoke.
Students and staff rounded off their week with an awards presentation evening and our Superstar, Joker and Bottle prizes all went to worthy winners and the Super Team of the week.
Mrs Wicks has recently trained as a Drawing and Talking practitioner and is hoping to deliver this programme of interventions next academic year.
What is Drawing and Talking?
Drawing and Talking is a therapeutic intervention that can be delivered to children, young people and adults. It is an attachment based approach where the child, young person or adult utilises drawing as a way to help them communicate and express their feelings in a different way to verbal language. It is a way to help children, young people and adults process emotional pain resulting from trauma. Drawing and Talking is a non-directed approach and allows for the client to discover and communicate their emotions in a safe and secure environment whilst being supported by the practitioner.
How does Drawing and Talking Work?
Drawing and Talking is a time limited intervention. The sessions will take place at the same time and in the same place with the same practitioner over a 12 week period. The Drawing and Talking practitioner will ask a number of non-intrusive questions about the clients drawings and over time a symbolic resolution is found to conflicts and trauma begins to heal. 
The Drawing and Talking practitioner creates a safe and secure environment to ensure the client feels comfortable to explore and express their unresolved feelings and thoughts linked to trauma.
Drawing and Talking explores the world of dream and fantasy as it is based on Jungian principles. The practitioner will guide the client through the power of healing while working with the unconscious. Drawing and Talking supports clients to heal as it relies upon the fantasy situation and the client stays in metaphor.
Mrs Wicks hopes to incorporate some of these strategies into her sessions which she will hold in the next academic year.
Mental Health Week
This month, we have been looking at Mental Health Awareness Week’s theme of 'community'. Mrs Longhurst visited year groups to promote being part of a positive community group having a benefit to mental health and wellbeing.
Being part of a safe, positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities that remind us we are not alone. Communities can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times and give us a sense of purpose.
Year 9 Wellbeing Ambassadors shared their enthusiasm for origami by distributing swans around the school for Mental Health Week. They also celebrated themselves and their hard work and achievements in increasing wellbeing knowledge to the school community this academic year with a celebration party. We thank you for your support over the last eight months.
Army Work Experience Week by Lily B. Year 12
"It was honestly one of the best experiences that I have had, I was very lucky that the instructors on the work experience focussed on sharing their best advice, tips and tricks for progression within the army, but also in civilian life, like fitness and mental agility. Not everyone who was there wanted to enlist, but most did. There was a variety of careers that people wanted to pursue: REME, Royal Engineers, Infantry, Royal Marines, and the instructors didn't all have the same background either; a few were from REME, RAMS, Infantry and the Tanks Regiment.
During the week, we learnt how to pack our kit and what goes in a Bergen, we learnt how to use PRRs, navigation, patrolling, ambush techniques, retreat techniques and my favourite bit was the medical side of things. We learnt how and when to use tourniquets, blast bandages, how to make a stretcher out of a basha, and when to administer certain medication. It was very interesting.
On the third day, we slept out on an exercise that involved patrolling the 'area' where a group of instructors acted out an ambush, which we had to respond effectively to. Then, we set up camp, ate rations, went on a Night Reconnaissance Exercise in the middle of the night, which was amazing to do. On the way back to base the next day, we had to cross a river, it was so, so, so cold and very rocky, I had massive bruises for three weeks! I still enjoyed it though and I'm still in contact with a handful of people that were in my section. I highly recommend this week to other students who are interested in army careers."
Student Successes
Lauren W in Year 13 has gained a place on the Pfizer Apprenticeship Scheme as a Quality Practitioner. This will involve dealing with clinical complaints and analysing where problems have originated from. The training provision will be building data collection skills and analysis of data.
Joseph A has gained a week's work experience with Jenner Group. He will gain a hands-on overview of all the different aspects of the construction company and the roles involved. He is especially interested in engineering.
Olamma O has successfully gained a place with The Sutton Trust Summer Schools and will gain an insight into studying and skills in data analysis. In addition to this, Olamma has also been accepted as a volunteer with 'Thrive Together', where she will help run workshops and work with the fundraising team to build on her accountancy work experience preparation. Olamma also has a place on the 'Pathways to Property Summer School' with Reading University.
A huge well done to all our students who have successfully gained a place on these programmes.
Unifrog
Unifrog is the online platform that we subscribe to in school to help our students to explore potential career pathways. It provides a comprehensive database of university courses, colleges, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities. The online platform has introduced a public events news page with free webinars and in-person events which will assist parents with helping their young person.
These events can be accessed without having a Unifrog account. Take a look at the upcoming events Here
Year 10 Event, Canterbury Academy - Tuesday 24th June
Success for QE Students in Data Science Competition
Congratulations to James E, Fraser C and Ken L (Year 12) who won second place in the competition 'Wharton High School Data Science Competition - Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative'. Schools from across the world entered the competition, which took place over the Easter holidays. Our team made it to the final and had to deliver a virtual presentation to a team of judges in Philadelphia. Well done to 'The Bruzz'.
James, Fraser and Ken have created a slide show presentation about the competition, click below to read:
Marriage announcement 
We're delighted to share some wonderful news from the school community! Our dedicated Attendance Officer, Mrs Wyatt (formally Miss Barnaschone), recently celebrated her marriage to Daniel. The happy couple tied the knot on a beautiful, sunny day in April, surrounded by their family and close friends. We hear it was a truly lovely occasion and we extend our warmest congratulations to the happy couple.
