First Spelling Bee has schools buzzing with success

Of the eight schools involved in the planning, six submitted teams of Key Stage Three students to battle it out and separate who spells well from who spells best.

Students competed either as individuals or as teams having to spell one letter of the word each in turn and all of the spellers did themselves proud as they spelled their way through increasingly challenging words, reaching the mind-boggling heights of “dysfunctional,” “ubiquitous” and “bureaucracy.”

Rossett School reigned supreme; spelling their way to victory in the individual tournament - won by Zain Punnu and the team tournament of Will Hick (Captain), Dylan Heywood, Zain Punnu, Zain Asif and Alvie O’Brien.

Amy Plummer, of Tadcaster Grammar School was runner up as an individual speller and St John Fisher’s was the runner up team.

Organiser Mr Kilby said: “I want to thank all of the students and teachers for their preparations in the run up to this exciting tournament and also the parents, grandparents, friends and our PTA who came along to support the young people.”

Competing schools were: Harrogate High, King James, Sherburn High, Rossett High, St John Fisher Catholic High School and Tadcaster Grammar School.