Alex Horne hosts Taskmaster for schoolchildren

More than 800 schoolchildren participated in a competition inspired by the hit TV show Taskmaster, hosted by the show's creator, Alex Horne.

The School Tasking Champion of Champions Final took place at the University of Warwick on Thursday, after teams had fought it out to be declared regional champions and earn their place in the final.

Created by Dr Ali Struthers in 2022, the competition introduces Year 5 pupils to the world of law through imaginative tasks and team challenges.

School Tasking is a Warwick-led legal outreach programme that now works with over 3,000 schoolchildren and 34 universities across the UK and Ireland.

At the final on Thursday, the competitors took part in fun tasks on stage with Alex Horne - from finding the audience member closest in height to a chicken, to tossing beanbags into Dr Horne's mortar board, to hiding in Warwick's iconic Butterworth Hall – in a bid to be crowned School Tasking Champions 2025.

Alex Horne said: "Every year, the children in this project consistently show how capable and creative they are in approaching each and every one of the tasks at the Champion of Champions.

"It must be nerve-wracking for them standing up on stage and being given tasks to do by 'that man off the telly', but they really do take it all in their stride and perform magnificently."

This year's School Tasking champion was Da Nuggets from Pirniehall Primary in Scotland.

The other regional winners taking part in the national final were:

• Brockwell Mega Minds from Brockwell Junior School (Midlands)

• Cookies 'n' Cream from St George's Catholic Primary (North East)

• The Law Busters from Stanhope Street Primary (Ireland)

• The Preppy Kids from Willow Lane Primary (North West)

• The Prison Breakers from Lawdale Junior School (South)

Dr Ali Struthers from the University of Warwick, said: "The School Tasking Champion of Champions is always such a joyful event, bringing together Year 5 teams from across the country who have won their Regional Finals and earned the right to lark about on stage doing ridiculous tasks with Little Alex Horne.

"It's not easy performing on stage in front of around 1,000 people in the audience, but they rise to the challenge brilliantly and absolutely give it their all."

School Tasking won the prestigious LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Award for 'Best Contribution by a Team of Students' at a ceremony at the House of Lords earlier this year.

It was also shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Award for Widening Access or Outreach Initiative of the Year 2024.

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