The Sixth Form Inter-House General Knowledge Competition is always fiercely fought and feistily contested, and this year was no exception. Spread over three lunchtimes, the format was the same as University Challenge – including starters-for-ten, buzzers, and Paxman-style chivvying from the question master.
The early rounds included questions about British cathedrals built during the Middle Ages, the names of characters described by the titles of Shakespeare plays and, of course, a question about the dogs of Dennis the Menace (everyone knows Gnasher, but can you name – and spell – the other?). It also revealed the surprising but inevitable fact that teenagers of 2024 do not know who sang Heartbreak Hotel and Blue Suede Shoes; the teachers in the room felt very old…
The final was between Gascoigne, captained by Charlotte (Upper Sixth) and Harcourt captained by Aidan (Upper Sixth). It was neck and neck throughout, with questions on the James Bond franchise, the Spanish royal family, and three words beginning with M-A-R (marmalade, marmoset and maroon, for those interested). In the latter stages, Harcourt pulled ahead; accompanied by a symphony of whooping across the Sixth Form Centre (especially from Miss Woodcock), the competition was sealed with a final score of 270 to Harcourt and 230 to Gascoigne.
Roll on next year!
