New South Wales' best young spellers will put their vocabulary and nerves to the ultimate test today when they meet at Penrith's Q Theatre for the 2026 NSW Premier's Spelling Bee state finals.
The 68 junior and senior finalists, from Years 2 to 6, represent the top 0.03 per cent of around 210,000 students who took part in school spelling bees across more than 1,070 NSW public schools this year.
The finalists earned their place at the state competition after emerging victorious from 68 online regional finals in August, which saw around 2,100 students compete for a coveted spot on the state stage.
Among the 34 senior finalists are seven returning competitors, including five students competing at the state finals for a third time.
They include Year 5 student Wafiq Ayyash from New Lambton South Public School in the Hunter, who won the junior state title in 2024. Now competing in the senior division, Wafiq will be aiming to secure a second state title in his third consecutive finals appearance.
This year's youngest competitor, Year 2 student Oliver Reid from Tallimba Public School, is representing the Riverina Innovative Education Network. Layla Clayton from Bungwahl Public School on the Mid North Coast is the junior division's sole returning finalist, having qualified for a second consecutive year. Bungwahl Public School has just 32 students.
Two NSW public schools will also be represented in both divisions, with Mount St Thomas Public School in the Illawarra and North Sydney Public School each having a junior and senior student qualify after winning their respective regional finals.
Contestants will begin by spelling words from lists supplied by Macquarie Dictionary before progressing to increasingly challenging unseen words.
Launched in 2004 by the Carr Labor Government, the Premier's Spelling Bee was created for students to engage with spelling and literacy.
The Minns Labor Government is focussed on delivering meaningful improvements in literacy across NSW schools after years of decline under the Liberals and Nationals.
This has been supported by the removal of distracting phones from classes, putting qualified teachers in front of every classroom, with improved pay and conditions, bringing vacancies down to a 12-year low, and the recent announcement that screen times in classrooms will be capped.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
"Every one of these finalists has already achieved something extraordinary, earning their place among the best young spellers in NSW.
"Whether they come from a small regional school or the heart of Sydney, these students are showing what can be achieved through a love of learning.
"From driving teacher vacancies down to a 12-year low, to reducing distractions in classrooms and putting phonics back at the centre of teaching, we're focused on getting the basics right so every child in a NSW public school has the best possible start in life."
Deputy Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"The Premier's Spelling Bee is about so much more than spelling. It helps students build confidence, develop their vocabulary and discover the joy of language.
"Lifting literacy outcomes for students is a priority for the Minns Labor Government, backed by a focus on phonics in the early years, and this contest gives our young learners the opportunity to challenge themselves."
