To celebrate National Biology Week, our dedicated Biology Ambassadors organised an exciting Spelling Bee, challenging boys to spell complex biological terms such as ‘corpuscle’ and ‘phenylketonuria.’ This event highlighted the linguistic adventure that Biology can offer, emphasising the importance of literacy in science education. 
“We encounter a huge number and variety of new words during Science lessons. These words may not be commonly used outside of Science classrooms, so we may get fewer opportunities to practise accurate spelling of Science words,” explained one of the Biology Ambassadors.
The boys were provided with a list of words to learn, from which 20 words were randomly selected for each age category. During the qualifiers, boys wrote down their spellings, with approximately 30 boys from all year groups participating. The finalists then faced the challenge of spelling their words against the clock.
The finals, held just before half term, saw impressive performances from all participants.
The winners were:
Senior winner: Ruben Jacob (Upper Sixth)
Junior winner: Jayden Siu (Fifth Form)
One of the trickiest words, ‘phosphatidylinositol,’ served as a tiebreaker between Upper Sixth Formers Ruben Jacob and Alex Hammond, demonstrating the high standard of competition. A notable highlight was the participation from Sixth Form non-biologists, which showed the inclusive nature of the event.
Dr Shetal Arjan, Teacher of Biology and Head of Academic Extension, commented, “A special commendation goes to Lower Sixth Former Jibran Baloch for his exceptional organisation of the Spelling Bee. His efforts ensured a smooth and enjoyable experience for all involved. The event was a resounding success, reflecting the boys’ dedication and enthusiasm for Biology. Well done to all who took part!”
