The Guernsey de Putron Challenge took place yesterday at Beau Sejour, the first in a series of three challenges being undertaken, with the Jersey challenge and inter-island challenge to come.

The de Putron Challenge aims to showcase the brightest young minds in Guernsey and Jersey. The challenge brings together year six and year eight pupils to test their creative thinking skills, environment and literature knowledge.

Having come through an exciting tie-breaker question in their heat in order to make it to the final, Melrose emerged on top in the year six competition with St Martins a close second, only 3 points behind. This meant that 2025 will see a new name on the trophy, with it being the first time Melrose has won the year six event.

The other two schools that made it through the heats to the final were La Houguette and St Mary and St Michael.

After closely contested rounds in the year eight heat, defending champions Les Beaucamps progressed to the final to face Blanchelande. It was the team from Blanchelande however that emerged triumphant, winning by just four points over the course of five rounds.

The Ana Leaf Foundation was also pleased to welcome teams from St Anne’s School in Alderney, the first time that they have taken part in the Challenge.

Every student that took part received a book voucher, and the teams that came in first and second place in their year groups took away money for their schools. Melrose and Blanchelande will be going on to compete against the winning Jersey teams at the inter-island final.

The final is being held in Guernsey at Les Cotils on Tuesday 1 April, with the winning Jersey schools travelling over to meet their Guernsey counterparts in the exciting final round of the Challenge.

Hayley de Putron, Trustee of Ana Leaf Foundation said:

“Congratulations to Melrose and Blanchelande for coming out on top in their respective year groups. As every de Putron Challenge comes around, I continue to be extremely impressed with the level of knowledge shown by our competitors. All the teams tried their best, and I hope everyone attending gained some additional knowledge from today’s event.”

For more information and updates on the de Putron Challenge follow @dePChallenge on Twitter or search for ‘de Putron Challenge’ on Facebook.