The competition brought together finalists from 21 schools across The White Horse Federation Multi-Academy Trust. Pupils travelled from Swindon, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Reading after winning their individual school contests.
After a closely fought final featuring increasingly difficult words, Year 5 pupil Daisy, from Zouch Academy, was crowned the 2026 champion after correctly spelling the winning word, “ephemeral”.
Finalists were challenged with advanced vocabulary including “aesthetic”, “deference” and “aberration”, having spent weeks preparing for the competition.
The event concluded with a special appearance from professional footballer Harrison Minturn, who presented certificates, medals and commemorative pin badges to every finalist.
He also presented the runners-up prize to Arthur, from West Kidlington School in Oxfordshire, before awarding Daisy with the championship trophy.
Simon Cowley, Primary Director of Education at The White Horse Federation, 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.”
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.”
Dan Nicholls, Chief Executive of The White Horse Federation, added: “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!”
The competition has become a regular fixture in the trust’s calendar, celebrating literacy while bringing together schools from across its academies.
Last year’s title was won by Haydon Wick Primary School pupil Avyang Gujjar, who secured victory by correctly spelling the word “egregious”. Daisy now takes over the crown after mastering “ephemeral”, a word meaning something that lasts for only a short time.
