From left to right: Sam Tate Y6, Josh Williams Y8, Miriam Cummins Y8, Megan Bell Y8

On Tuesday, two teams from Chantry travelled to Gosforth to compete against nineteen other schools from around the North East in our regional heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz.

This is a national competition with similar regional heats taking place in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England throughout autumn. The UK final – which decides the British
team that competes in the World Final in Auckland – will be held in December.

Click continue reading for more about the event.

Our Quiz lasted for three brain pummelling hours and comprised one hundred questions split into ten themed rounds. As usual, the topics were as diverse as they were intriguing (Accidents, Symbols, Vegetables, Occupations….) and called for a wide knowledge of children’s literature. This year’s quiz was especially challenging because it demanded more than usual in-depth knowledge of plots and some lateral thinking.

Nevertheless, we adults continue to be astounded at the confidence and extraordinary knowledge of the participating students who were able to identify a book from the first line on the first page and answer questions taken from past World Finals more quickly, apparently, than they were answered at the original competitions!

From left to right: Stephanie Shek Y8, Molly Brown Y8, Felix Kaner Y8, Finn Cottiss Y7

First- timers St Joseph’s took a very well-deserved first place, having achieved consistently high scores in all rounds. Our Chantry teams held their own, however, and Felix Kaner and Molly Brown, both in Year 8, collected cash prizes for having the first correct answers to spot questions open to everyone. Well done to them and to their teams for surviving a gruelling competition and emerging with smiles on their faces!

They’d do it all again tomorrow!