The Elizabethan Festival, which introduces the pupils to the School’s royal founder, takes place every Play Term in October. Pupils take part in a variety of activities to get to know the school better alongside continuing to get to know each other in their year group.

This year, activities included drama workshops and performance, writing protest songs with the Music Department, a trip to the National Gallery, an introduction to the School’s Big Commemoration service in the Abbey, a talk from climate change writer Mark Lynas, a trip to the school’s archives and library, a Shakespeare workshops, and an introduction to Queen Elizabeth I by the Art History Department. The festival culminated in a pupil-led performance to the School community.

Speaking after the festival, Ned (Fifth Form, DD) said: “My first experience of the Elizabethan festival was absolutely brilliant. I enjoyed the music making the most as it was fun working in a group and even better when the music turned out to sound very good. The drama comes a close second as it was also very fun working in our group and also very enjoyable and fulfilling to have put hard work in and have the opportunity to perform our work.”

Lucian (Fifth Form, LL) added: “I really enjoyed the Elizabethan festival. I particularly enjoyed working collaboratively in a range of different activities, especially making our own protest songs, visiting the National Gallery and of course working on our own adapted scene from Romeo and Juliet, which we adapted into a spaghetti western.”