UKSC National Finals 2023

FOREWORD A message from Robert Grant and

Ben Mooney

We are delighted to be able to welcome you all here to the 44th annual Schools Challenge National Final this week. The buzz and excitement of the live finals is second to none, and we're excited to be bringing everyone together in person, after four sensational virtual months of qualifying rounds.

It's great to be able to throw open the doors of the Schools Challenge National Finals to students from across the island of the United Kingdom who are blazing a trail with their passion for learning.

Our quiz masters have whittled down 150 team entries to the 8 exceptional teams that will be on show today. I would like to wish both the students and school organisers very well for their quiz sessions.

The National Finals is a fantastic celebration of learning and curiosity. Visitors will be able to marvel at the mental agility of our young teams, stop by some of the amazing food vendors nearby, and interact with the fantastic volunteers and supporting organisations, for whom we are very grateful.

I hope you have a wonderful time at this year's Schools Challenge National Finals.

Thank you for joining us!

Robert Grant & Ben Mooney

Proud organisers of the Schools Challenge

2023 National Finals

Robert Grant

Ben Mooney

Exhibition Partners:

The Schools Challenge Exhibition 2023 is kindly hosted by: HISTORY

The Hall School traces its roots back to 1889 when the Reverend Francis Wrottesley set up his own school, primarily to educate his own growing family of boys He took in other paying pupils and so the Belsize School for Boys was born. He sold it in 1898 to the Reverend Douglas Marshall when pupil numbers had sunk to 13

Marshall was a dynamic head, numbers steadily increased and in 1905 with pupil numbers up to 50 new premises were clearly required. Marshall arranged a building exchange with a girls school at The Hall Crossfield Road whose numbers were dwindling. Marshall left The Hall, as it now was, in 1909 when numbers were up to 100. He sold the school to Edward Montauban (later, one of the founders of Stowe School) who continued the development of The Hall over the next 10 years. 1920 saw The Hall pass into the hands of Robin Gladstone the nephew of Gerard Wathen and it was Wathen who, over the next 30 years really established The Hall as the leading North London prep school. The Hall became a charitable trust in 1952 and in 1955 Raymond Cooper its first appointed non-proprietorial head.

Ben Mooney (National Org)

Robert Grant (National Org)

Allison Grant

Question Masters Question Writers

The Hall School Staff Schools Challenge Volunteers

Senior Questions:

Ben Mooney

Ben Mooney

Robert Grant Allison Grant

Junior Questions:

Robert Grant

Event Stewards

Leo McAreavey

The Hall School Staff Schools Challenge Volunteers

Schools Challenge Partners

2023 TEAMS

School name/ Region

East Midlands

King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth

Stamford School

Uppingham School

London & Home Counties

Abingdon School

City of London School

Hampton School

King Edward VI School, Stratford

Lady Eleanor Holles School

Magdalen College School, Oxford

The Grey Coat Hospital

The Hall School

Tiffin School

Westminster

Wetherby Senior School

North West

Bury Grammar School

Bolton School Boy’s Division

Bolton School Girl’s Division

Calday Grange Grammar School

Lancaster Royal Grammar School

Merchant Taylor’s Boy’s School

Stockport Grammar School

Stonyhurst College

Northern Ireland

Abbey Christian Brother’s Grammar School

Bloomfield Collegiate

Enniskillen Royal Grammar School

Our Lady’s Grammar School

Sacred Heart Grammar School

St Colman’s College

St. Louis Grammar Ballymena

Scotland

Charleston Academy

ESMS Junior School

George Heriot’s School

Severn

Alcester Grammar

The Chase School

Warwick School

South Central

Ballard School

Bedford School

Cantell School

Davenies School

Hurstpierpoint College

Long Close School

School name/ Region

South-East

Eastbourne College

Haberdashers Boy’s School

King Edward VI Grammar School,

Chelmsford

Ludgrove School

Melbourne Lodge School

Royal Grammar School, Guildford

The Dragon School

Bede’s School

Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School

Colchester Royal Grammar School

Hilden Grange

King’s School

King’s School Rochester

Oxford High School

Sevenoak’s School

St. Josheph’s College, Reading

The King’s School, Canterbury

The Perse School

Tonbridge School

South-West & Wessex

Bryanston School

Exeter School

King’s College, Taunton

Mount Kelly School

Winchester College

Wycliffe College

Wales

St John’s College, Cardiff

West Midlands

Hereford Cathedral School

King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

King Edward VI High School for Girls

King Edward VI School, Stratford upon Avon

King Edward’s School

King Edward’s School B’HAM

Shrewsbury School

The King’s School, Worcester

Yorkshire

Giggleswick School

Ripon Grammar

Yarm School

Junior National Finalists

Team 1

School: Hall School

Team: Armaan, Conor, Maanas, Can

Team 3

School: Hampton School

Team: Alexander, William, Fred, Dennis, Svajan

Team 5

School: Magdalen College

Team: Alastair, Felix, Alex Jay

Team 7

School: City of London A

Team: Elliot, Carter, Sam, Vishnu

Team 2

School: The Perse

Team: Alexander, Yajur, Lynden, Benjamin

Team 4

School: King Edward School, Camp Hill

Team: Kezi, Yusuf, Nikhil, Ahnaf, Efa, Umar

Team 6

School: Tiffin School

Team: Oliver, Jed, Anton, Daniel, Dillan

Team 8

School: City of London B

Team: Nico, Oliver, Sam, Oscar

Senior National Finalists

Team 1

School: City of London School

Team: Julius, Matthew, Yipeng, Yonatan

Team 2

School: Westminster

Team: Rafael, Edgar, Sohan

Luke

Team 3

School: King Edward’s School B’HAM

Team: Andreas, Neelendu, Isaac, Lewis

Team 4

School: The Perse School

Team: Alexander, Yajur, Lynden, Benjamin

Team 5

School: Lancaster Royal Grammar

Team: Fred, Juan, Max, Luke

Team 6

School: King Edward VI Grammar, Chelmsford

Team: Caspar, Jamie, Michael, Advai, Roberto, Alex

Team 7

School: Bury Grammar School

Team: Adam, Callum, Lucy, Xander, Alex

Team 8

School: St. Louis Grammar School

Team: Conn, Connor, Annie, Daniel, Odhran

AWARDS

Main awards

Schools Challenge Winners 2023

The Schools Challenge Winner's Perpetual Trophy.

A Schools Challenge Gold Medal, for each team member.

A signed certificate, for each member.

2x free quiz question sets from the Schools Challenge Store.

The chance to represent the United Kingdom at the International Schools Quizzing Championships. Schools Challenge Runners-Up 2023

The Schools Challenge Runners-Up Perpetual Shield.

A Schools Challenge Silver Medal, for each team member.

A signed certificate, for each member. 1x free quiz question set from the Schools Challenge Store.

Special awards

Plate Winner

The Schools Challenge Plate is to be presented to the team who loses in the first round of the national final contest (the quarter-finals) and wins a repechage contest against all other quarter-final losing competitors. This award will be given once annually.

Award: Schools Challenge Plate

International Quiz Finals

Schools Challenge has come a long way since its inception in 1978. It was previously only open to schools from a few parts of England but has now expanded to welcome quizzers from all over the UK. The Challenge has grown to become the largest in the UK and its unrivalled gravitas highlights its position as the must-attend event for quizzers from all corners of the country.

This year we are excited to announce even greater opportunities for our contestants, with the launch of an exciting new international level of quizzing!

The International Schools Quizzing Championships (ISQC) is a one-day event held online, during summer, hosting the world’s greatest quiz teams from the USA, Canada, Ireland and, of course, the UK.

In partnership with:

A Lasting Impression

Paying tribute to Sue and Paul Sims

As we gather here today for the 44th annual National Finals of Schools Challenge, it is hard to forget about the exceptional work of the remarkable organisers that have led us to this point This year it is an especially prominent point as we pay tribute to the incredible work of Sue and Paul Sims, whose dedication and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on this event.

For thirty-seven years, Paul and Sue have been the driving force behind the success and growth of Schools Challenge, nurturing it into the prestigious event it is today.

Their passion for knowledge, enthusiasm for learning, and unwavering support for students have been truly exemplary They have provided countless young minds with a platform to showcase their intellectual potential, fostering a love for education that will last a lifetime.

Paul and Sue's tireless efforts in organizing and orchestrating this event have inspired participants and volunteers alike, and their exceptional leadership skills have set the standard for excellence Through their guidance, they have shaped the quiz competition into the unparalleled experience that challenges and motivates students today.

Now, as the baton passes and a new chapter begins in the history of Schools Challenge, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for their invaluable contribution, wishing them the very best retirement. May their legacy live on!

PUZZLES

Across:

1. Shocking action at the 2022 Academy Awards

5 St Pat's land

6 Quaint reply of denial

7. Baseballer Albies with two Silver Slugger Awards

8. One may need to be fed after parking

Down:

1 Take by force

2. "Hungarian Rhapsodies" composer Franz

3. Another nickname for “The Governator”

4 Fizzle (out)

6 Male cat

General Knowledge Quiz:

1. Of which European country was Franco Tudjman President?

2. To which family of instruments does the mandolin belong?

3. Of brass, bronze and copper, which is not an alloy?

4. Which dwarf planet is named after the Ancient Greek god of the underworld?

5. Where in the human body are the aqueous humours located?

6. Which American golfer won his fifth Open Championship in 1983?

7. Which cabinet post was held by Sir Geoffrey Howe from 1979 to 1983?

8. In the organisations MI5 and MI6, what do the initials MI stand for?

9. Which of the Seven Wonders of the World was a series of terraces irrigated by pumps?

10. The MMR vaccine gives immunisation against which three diseases?

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THANKS FOR JOINING US!

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Would you like to help us inspire students to reach their full potential and become a lifelong learner. Schools Challenge would love to hear from you! Whether you would like to become a permanent role on our board and bring forward new ideas, act as a youth representative, become a question checker or event steward, or simply just help in whatever way you can. Please speak to one of our Schools Challenge volunteers to register.

2023 Question Sets Now Available!

This year’s complete range of question sets will be available to purchase immediately after the national finals are complete. These can be perfect revision materials for future years and will allow you to view unseen extra questions.

To recognise your amazing support and as a reward for reaching this year’s finals you can now buy any of our 2023 sets 20% off using the code

‘NationalFinals23’.