Spelling Bee Championship
STAR SPELLERS FROM THE HAREFIELD ACADEMY TAKE PART IN THE UK’S FIRST SCHOOLS’ SPELLING BEE CHAMPIONSHIP
Four pupils from The Harefield Academy will take part in the first Times national schools’ Spelling Bee Championship at Uxbridge Odeon on Tuesday 23rd April.
The Times Spelling Bee aims to discover the country’s best young spellers and make spelling fun for children of all abilities. Schools from London have been practising their spelling skills and each will send a team of three 11 to 12 year olds (plus a reserve) to the regional championship heats.
Taking part from The Harefield Academy will be Nathan Thompson (11). Thaila Phillips (11), Munib Ahmadzai (11) and Sam Mawdsely (12).
More than 750 schools are taking part in The Times Spelling Bee from schools as far north as Shetland to Jersey in the Channel Islands.
Over eighty local knockout heats will take place in Odeon cinemas around the country between Monday, March 16 and Friday, May 8. Successful schools will then move forward to the Semi-Finals which will take place from May 18 to May 22.
The ten winning teams from the Semi-Finals will travel to London to compete in the Grand Final at the Odeon West End, Leicester Square on Tuesday, June 23.
James Harding, Editor of The Times, said: "Spelling is many things, but rarely fun. It can be frustrating, surprising and illogical. It is also important. English is the country's gift to the world and its home-grown headache. We hope the Spelling Bee will help young people to learn while enjoying a great team-based competition and I’d like to wish good luck to all the teams taking part.”
Susie Dent, Lexicographer on Channel 4’s Countdown, says: “Most children think spelling is a bit of a chore. Anything that shows them that it can be fun as well as satisfying is a real boon to parents and teachers. The Times Spelling Bee provides just the right mix of challenge, entertainment, and easy learning.”
The Times, with Collins, official dictionary of The Times Spelling Bee, has already got people of all ages interested in spelling with the launch of the Spelling Bee website, full of interactive online games (timesspellingbee.co.uk). Since launching in October 2008, the site has received a million page views and Pam Pollin, a 60-year-old housewife from Melton Mowbray, is currently the top scorer with 1,221,074 points.
For more information, visit timesspellingbee.co.uk