News Success in MFL Spelling and Translation Bees 05.07.2023

Since the beginning of the school year, the Modern Foreign Languages department has introduced a number of language competitions for students to hone and showcase their linguistic skills. The MFL Spelling Bees for Year 7 and Translation Bees for Years 8 and 9 have garnered significant attention and participation from students, and the recent regional competitions saw students excel in both categories.

Two talented Year 7 students, Tharushana and Héloϊse, booked their place in the final of the National Spelling Bee in Cambridge when they both secured impressive second-placed finishes in the German and Spanish Spelling Bees respectively. Tharushana and Héloϊse further demonstrated their talent for languages by competing against 30 top spellers in their respective languages at the National Final. Tharushana achieved a remarkable third place in the country for German, highlighting her exceptional command of the language. Although Héloϊse narrowly missed out on a placement in the highly competitive Spanish category, her outstanding performance deserves tremendous recognition.

The Year 8 and 9 Translation Bees also witnessed notable performances from Daisy Coote (Year 8), who achieved fourth place in the Spanish category, and Eliza Cloughly, who secured fourth place in the German category. The standout performance, however, came from Alice Perone Pacifico, who achieved an extraordinary feat by clinching first place in the French Translation Bee. Alice’s exceptional skills allowed her to translate over 30 sentences in three different tenses within a single minute.

These competitions have not only provided an opportunity for students to showcase their language skills but also inspired them to strive for excellence in their language learning journeys. Congratulations to all our participants!