Croft Primary School hosts trust spelling bee final

The Croft Primary School, part of The White Horse Federation Multi-Academy Trust, was proud to host the 2026 TWHF Spelling Bee Grand Final.

Pupils from 21 schools across the trust were welcomed, travelling from Swindon, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Reading for a day of competition and celebration.

It was a hot and heated competition with this year’s finalists racing through to the final round. The event concluded with a special guest appearance by professional footballer Harrison Minturn. He presented a certificate, medal and pin badge to each of the finalists, to runner-up Arthur from West Kidlington in Oxfordshire and a trophy to the winner Daisy from Zouch Academy.

Simon Cowley, Primary Director of Education at The White Horse Federation, congratulated all the finalists. He said: “The TWHF Spelling Bee continues to be a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their dedication, resilience, and love of learning. Each year, we are impressed by the confidence and determination demonstrated by our young learners as they take on this challenge.

“Developing strong literacy skills is fundamental to success across the curriculum and beyond, and events like this help to inspire a lifelong appreciation of language. Congratulations to all our finalists, and thank you to the staff, families and students who make the Spelling Bee such a memorable and successful event.”

The school finalists had already competed in their own inter-school competitions to earn the opportunity to take part in the ‘Grand Final’. This year’s event was no mean feat, challenging pupils with a demanding list of words such as aesthetic, deference, and aberration, all of which they had been learning and practising in the lead-up to the final.

TWHF Spelling Bee finalists were eager to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Avyang Gujjar, a Year 5 pupil from Haydon Wick Primary, who secured the 2025 title with the correct spelling of the challenging word egregious. This year’s winner was Year 5 student, Daisy from Zouch Academy, securing her victory with the spelling of Ephemeral.

At the heart of The White Horse Federation is a shared commitment to inspiring every child to flourish through an inclusive and ambitious education. By strengthening collaboration across its family of schools, the trust works together to create greater opportunities for every young person.

Lisa Davies, Director of School Improvement at The White Horse Federation, said: “It’s been wonderful to see the excitement, confidence and determination shown by our students throughout this year’s competition. The Spelling Bee encourages precision, curiosity, and a genuine love of language, skills that support learning across every area of the curriculum. The standard was incredibly high this year, and our finalists impressed us at every stage. Congratulations to all our 2026 Spelling Bee finalists!”

Dan Nicholls, CEO at The White Horse Federation, said: “This is our third TWHF Spelling Bee and a fantastic event that demonstrates inclusivity across our Trust schools and communities. Congratulations to Zouch Academy who take home the coveted trophy this year and thank you to all the staff and Trust partners involved, who continue to inspire lives with greater opportunity and choice.

“Congratulations to our 2026 Champion, Daisy from Zouch Academy!”