Tuesday 30 November 2010

UK FINAL

Hi Everyone
We had a wonderfully exciting finish to the UK Final. Can you believe it two teams tied for first and two teams tied for second. I couldn't have written a more exciting script had I tried. Both sudden death play-offs went to the wire. The winner was Cockermouth School and in second place was Bristol Grammar. The good news was that the NZ organisers for the 2oth KLQ International Final invited both teams to NZ so although these two teams tied they both qualified for New Zealand. The play-off for third and fourth was between Glasgow High School and Litcham High School. The eventual third-placed team was Litcham. Glasgow High was fourth.
The event was strongly supported by authors, librarians, teachers, students and parents and the whole day was a huge success.Thank you everybody for supporting this year's heats and final.
Bye for now until next year
Wayne
Quizmaster

Friday 26 November 2010

NORTH EAST ENGLAND

Well what a day there was heavy snow and temperatures plummeted to -5 degrees. This meant that we lost 45% of our teams as the conditions were just to treacherous to attempt to drive. Nevertheless we still had a competitive heat and the team from Hexham School 2 won. In second place was Gosforth Middle School 1 and third was Dame Allans 1.
Our authors battled the elements with two railing from Scotland (Gill Arbuthnott and Linda Strachan) one from Leeds (Emma Barnes) while David Williams was local and they managed to give the kids a go for their money. While the authors did beat the Hexham team the surprise of the night was the one-man team (Steve) from Seven Stories who came a praiseworthy third overall. So as well as selling books his literary knowledge was also supberb.
This brings me to the end of the heats and only the UK Final is left to blog about so log onto the site on Tuesday to find out who has claimed the 2010 championship.
Meanwhile to all you finalists enjoy your weekend's reading.
Cheers
Wayne
Quizmaster

LONDON

Hi Everyone
Tonight's heat was the largest we'd ever had in London. Broxbourne High School was bursting at the seams with over forty teams including the World Champion school team from City of London.The talent was certainly evident. We had two author teams competing against one another as well as against the school teams. And with authors to spare we had them marking and keeping the scoresheet as well. All the heats were contested and the scores were competitive. I enjoyed seeing all the dedicated readers there tonight reading their prize books between rounds. Tonight's heat was won by Kings College Junior A team for the first time followed by Arnold House B and then the 2010 World Champions- The City of London School for Girls third.
Good stuff
Wayne
Quizmaster

Wednesday 24 November 2010

SOUTHERN ENGLAND

Hi
We had a great heat in the south tonight it was so very tight. The range was only 16 marks so really the event could have been won by any of the teams. In fact it was won by Portsmouth High B, second-placed was Poole GrammarA and in the sudden death play-off for third their other team, Poole Grammar B, also narrowly grabbed third position from the hosts Warblington School A who had to settle for fourth.
Lovely night had by everyone.
Happy reading
Wayne
Quizmaster

EAST ENGLAND

Bancroft's School has dominated this eastern heat now for a few years and they continued their winning performance again. In second place was Boswells 2 and in third place was Maidstone GrammarSchool for Girls team 2. This heat is always well organised and the team from the Thurrock Council Libraries have the formula down pat. The afternoon whipped around leaving just three more heats.
Happy reading
Wayne
Quizmaster

Monday 22 November 2010

NORFOLK

Hi Folks
We had a very knowledgeable audience tonight and very clever teams too. The winner was Litcham High School B followed by Thetford Grammar A and in third position was Wymondham High School B. As the local coordinator, Mr Robin Gregory, is retiring this year he awarded the prizes to the teams and said how well they had performed.
Many thank to Wymondham High School for hosting the quiz as it is well set-up for such an event.
Happy reading
Wayne
Quizmaster

Saturday 20 November 2010

SOUTH WEST ENGLAND

Hi Folks
Very exhuberant and exciting night in Wadebridge at the local high school with a large audience and 39 teams. The heat was won by Richard Lander School 1 followed by Great Torrington 2 and third place was once again decided by a sudden-death. It was between Penrice and Pilton. Pilton narrowly took third position. The prizes were awarded by Cornish author Chris Higgins.
Thank you to all the teams that traveled long distances to compete tonight.
All your high-fives were worth it. This is truly the 'sport of reading'.
Cheers
Wayne
Quizmaster

Friday 19 November 2010

WALES AND SOUTH

Hi Everybody
What an incredibly tight finish tonight. The top two teams tied and the third team was only half a point behind. The winner, after a nail-biting sudden death play-off was Bristol Grammar 1. They just pipped Howell's School 2 who settled for second. Third place went to Howell's School 1.
However, our authors' team gained the top score. They were Mark Robson, Marie-Louise Jenson and John Dougherty.
It was a lovely night at Bishop of Llandaff High School and well attended by parents, teachers and librarians.
Another night of great results.
Wayne
Quizmaster

Wednesday 17 November 2010

CENTRAL ENGLAND

Today's winners always had a hard act to follow after yesterday's amazing achievements but they scored consistently and managed a competitive total. Our authors (Julia Jarman, Mark Robson and Lucy Coates) out-scored our winners by one point. Each author handed out the prizes to the winners. Mark gave the third place prize to Kimbolton School. Actually both teams from Kimbolton came third equal so a sudden death play-off was required. Lucy awarded the second place prize to Kings School. Julia awarded first prize to Aylesbury Grammar School and they will now compete in the UK Final on 30th November.
I'm off to Wales tomorrow and looking forward to it.
Wayne
Quizmaster

Tuesday 16 November 2010

OXFORDSHIRE and BERKSHIRE

Hi Everyone
Quite an amazing afternoon at today's heat. Two records were set- one UK and one World. There were 42 teams tonight the largest ever in the UK and to top that off a new world record score was established by Oxford High School when they scored 97.5. (the previous record was 95). Obviously this school went on to win and their number two team was second. Third place was tight and required a sudden death play-off between St Gregory School and The Cherwell School. It was won by St Gregory. It was a very busy exciting afternoon the literary brain-power was awesome. The mayor of Bicester commented as he awarded the trophy to the girls from Oxford High that the competition was of an exceptionally high standard and that he was looking forward to attending the UK in Oxford on November 30th.
Thank you Oxford High School for allowing us to use your brand new auditorium, it was a marvelous venue.
Keep reading
Wayne
Quizmaster

COVENTRY HEAT

Hi Folks
The UK coordinator and I have just returned home after a late night froggy drive. Tonight's heat was exciting and very lively. The range between top and bottom was only 20 points so all teams were in with a chance. As it turned out two teams tied for first place which necessitated a sudden death play-off. The eventual winner was Blue Coat 2 with Windsor High 2 second. These close finishes are always dramatic. Then in third place was Kenilworth School 1. The authors team and the team from Scholastic performed outstandingly. In fact the authors were the overall winners. They were: David Calcutt, Marie-Louise Jensen, Leila Rashed and Ann Evans- congratulations.
Many thanks to the staff from the SLA Coventry library for a sparkling evening
.Bye for now.
Wayne
Quizmaster.

Sunday 14 November 2010

YORKSHIRE HEAT


12th November
The boys from Roundhay School of Technology College were always going to be hard to beat as they had won this heat last year and had staryed together as a unit for today' heat. Having read lots of books in the intervening year it wasn't surprising that they won. Lady Manner's School A gave them a good run and they ended second. St Martin's Ampleforth A came third. The heat was kindly sponsored by The Kirklees School Library Services and Council. The library staff had the day well organised in the grand old Cleakheaton Hall. Parents, librarians and teachers were able to view the events from the surrounding balcony. Schoolhouse Books supported this heat and had set up a small display within the hall.
Well that's the first week over and all the winning teams have looked pretty impressive.
Happy reading
Wayne
The Quizmaster

Friday 12 November 2010

Northern Ireland

NORTHERN IRELAND

Hi Everybody
Today was the fifth anniversary of the Kids' Lit Quiz in Northern Ireland and the Wellington College Hall was decorated with balloons and posters. There were competitions for best mascot, movie tagline grabber and best dress up. We started with a medley of songs from books made into movies and were then welcomed by the principal, Mr Pitts. There was a vibrant, festive atmosphere to the afternoon.
The heat was won by:
1 Coleraine High School
2 Rathmore Grammar
3 Methodist College Belfast.
The winners recived a chocolate bottle of champagne, book vouchers and the Northern Ireland trophy.
Scholastic was fully supportive and ensured that the contestants had a mixed variety of books from which to select. The librarians' team was devastatingly good and the the schools certainly enjoyed the literary challenge. The authors, M G Harris and Alec Williams awarded the prizes and even donated some special one-off prizes.
Happy Reading
Wayne
Quizmaster

Thursday 11 November 2010

NORTH WEST HEAT


10th Nov
Hi Everyone
At tonight's heat we had Joseph Delaney the author of the Spook's Apprentice series marking. He had his work cut out marking and signing lots of books for his many fans.
The winner tonight was Cockermouth School. Last year they travelled to the North East heat but switched this year to compete at the North West and they won. Withington School was second and last year's winner Lancaster Grammar came third.
Tonight we had a first as one of the contestants, a girl,who was blind participated and by jove she knew her stuff. When it came to the visual category her team mates described the picture to her and she had listened to many books and read stories written in Braille.
Many thanks to Bolton University for allowing us the us of their cafeteria again because as a venue it is spacious and accommodating. See you soon at a heat near you.
Wayne
Quizmaster

Tuesday 9 November 2010

EAST SCOTLAND

Hi Everyone
Just finished this Scottish heat at Gerorge Heriot's School and the winners this afternoon were:
1 Stewart's Melville College A
2 The Mary Erskine School
3 George Heriot's School B

Several authors attended today but rather than compete they marked the answers. So thanks to Keith Gray, Linda Strachan, Gill Arbuthnott, and Jan Henderson for their accuracy and dedication.

Today we had the largest turnout ever in the east and reading was certainly the winner.I think the reel of bagpipes at the start stirred the contestants to do well.
I move on now down the west coast of England.
Keep that reading up
Wayne
Quizmaster

Monday 8 November 2010

WEST SCOTLAND



Welcome to my first blog for this new round of the Kids' Lit Quiz. Today was the start of the search for the best team to compete at the International 20th Anniversary Quiz in Hamilton, New Zealand in 2011.

Today's event was held in the Kilsyth Academy and their hall was decorated with black and gold balloons and a large banner proclaimed that it was the 2010 Kids' Lit Quiz.

Two authors (Katie Grant and Cathy McPhail) formed a team with two librarians and came a creditable 5th.

The winners today were:
1 High School of Glasgow A
2 HIgh School of Glasgow B
3 Gryffe School.

The event was once again proudly supported by Scotia Books.

Catch you tomorrow
Wayne
Quizmaster