WREXHAM and Flintshire pupils were praised after taking part in a spelling competition.

More than thirty year seven pupils from eleven schools across Wales came to Bangor University recently to compete in the national final of the Routes into Languages Cymru Spelling Bee competition.

The scheme is a collaborative project between five Welsh universities, the four regional consortia and the British Council to promote language learning and increase the number of young people choosing to study modern foreign languages.

Pupils competed against the clock to win the title of Spelling Bee Champion 2019 and a glass trophy in one of four categories.

Competitors were supported by teachers, parents, and the student language ambassadors of Bangor University’s School of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics.

The finalists had already competed in three previous rounds to make it to the national final where they had 60 seconds to correctly spell as many words as they could from a possible one hundred French, German, Spanish, or Welsh words.

Four of the five north Wales schools participating, in the GwE consortium, made it to the final round.

Emma James of St. Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican High School in Wrexham came first in the German spelling final.

Other finalists from north Wales include Joseph Greenall of St. Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican High School in Wrexham for German, Alexandra Owen-Hatfield of the Alun School in for German, Chloe Jackson of Ysgol Rhiwabon for French, Safiya Wandji of St. Joseph’s for French, Grace Powell of Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay for German and Amelie Surridge of Ysgol Eirias for French.

Rachel Large, head of modern foreign languages at St. Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican High School praised the spelling bee and Routes into Languages Cymru, saying: “For our pupils who have taken part each year, the spelling bee has given them the confidence to just give languages 'a go' and they have seen the importance of languages in the wider world."

Simon Clark, head of French at Ysgol Alun, said: “It's the first time we have completed in the event.

"Alexandra had an amazing time and we are very proud of her.

"She exceeded her own expectations and has improved not only her spelling but her confidence as well. We would love to compete again next year.”

Dr Jonathan Ervine, senior lecturer of French at Bangor University, and one of the judges for the French category, said: “It was fantastic to host the Routes Cymru Spelling Bee here in Bangor, and to see the enthusiasm and skills of the pupils who were competing.

"The standards that they reached were truly astounding and I know that they left many people, including our local MP, highly impressed.”