A trust-wide celebration of knowledge and teamwork, The Big Quiz is a yearly tradition for pupils from Year 3 to Year 5, and from Year 7 to Year 9, which extends far beyond testing their own memory.
The initiative equips young people with effective learning methods and strategies to help them as they progress through education and into later life.
Meon Junior School stormed to victory for our primary schools, while Plymouth High School for Girls made sure it was secondary success in the South West.
Ahead of the competition, all schools were sent revision materials and a set of 30 questions which enabled students to practice memory and revision techniques, ahead of a qualifying round.
This round determined the top three pupils in each school for memory who then became our semi-finalists, before a highly anticipated March final.
While the competition element adds excitement and energy, the real value of The Big Quiz lies within developing our pupils’ resilience, confidence and self-belief. By reflecting on their thinking and learning techniques, they gain the tools which empower them to succeed across our varied curriculum.
Winning by three points to take the crown with an almost perfect score of 29 out of 30, Year 5 pupils, Eden, Felix and Giovanni, felt extremely proud to have secured the trophy for Meon Junior School.
Felix said: “I’m quite surprised because we had to learn 15 subjects and it was really hard to remember all the things we had to memorise”.
It was a more comfortable victory for Plymouth High School for Girls who finished a huge seven points ahead of our runner-up, as Emma, Gabby and Oyinkansola from Year 8 ensured it was Devon delight.
Emma was ‘really thrilled’ about becoming champions. She said: “It was a lot to remember and study but it was worth it in the end and I’m glad I had the opportunity to do this”.
The Big Quiz is designed to encourage pupils across our trust to reflect on how they learn through the power of metacognition.
These qualities form the foundation of our vision for all young people to become lifelong learners; transforming their life chances through opportunity.
Laura Gladstone, Head of Curriculum, Thinking, Teaching and Learning at The Thinking Schools Academy Trust, led this landmark event and discussed the importance of the quiz to our ethos.
“Pupils from across our schools have engaged brilliantly with The Big Quiz once again and seeing so many young people take pride in putting their memory strategies to the test is inspiring.
“The Big Quiz is an opportunity to celebrate our pupil’s curiosity about learning and their thirst for knowledge. They will use these thinking tools throughout school and beyond to support them as they develop their confidence and become lifelong learners.
“This is just one way in which we at Thinking Schools Academy Trust strive to transform life chances by bringing learning to life”.
A huge congratulations also go firstly to Chloe, Nye and Sampreet from The Gordon Children’s Academy as our primary runners-up, as well as Dunmi, Elizabeth and Modesire from The Rochester Grammar School who secured second place for our secondary schools.
With another year of exceptional participation and teamwork complete, The Big Quiz continues to inspire a culture of metacognition, resilience and achievement across the Thinking Schools Academy Trust.
A sincere thank you and well done to every school for your brilliant engagement with The Big Quiz this year.