By Angela Saurine,Diana Jenkins
Copyright news
The Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee’s fifth birthday was the gift that just kept giving for two defending champions, who held off all comers to retain their crowns in the Green (Years 3-4) and Red (Years 7-8) levels of the national spelling challenge. The Orange level (Years 5-6) meanwhile saw a newcomer storm the leaderboard, giving her state of origin its first sweet taste of success.
Delivering NSW its first ever back-to-back win, Sydney Grammar School’s Aditya Paul claimed Red for the second year running in the annual Kids News competition.
The 14-year-old has made finals every year since the Bee launched and his final outing was the perfect swansong*.
“Honestly, it’s sort of surreal,” Aditya said.
“It’s the end of the line, which is both comforting and a bit sad. But it’s good to know I’ve gone out in style.”
Albie M of Neutral Bay Public in Sydney put NSW on the podium again, the Second Runner-Up in Orange posting 27/30 in 1:54.580. Further NSW success came from Neve D of Marsfield’s St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, whose third place finish delivered NSW a prizewinner in all categories – the only state or territory to stake such a claim this year.
Aditya’s score of 29/30 in 1:22.569 denied former national champion Ozi Egesi, whose 27/30 earned the Perth Modern Year 8 student second place and the top ranking overall in WA. Overall it was a bumper Bee for NSW, with SHORE’s Patrick H placing third and Armidale homeschool student Lily S finishing eighth in Red, placing all NSW high school finalists in the top 10.
South Australia has its first national champion thanks to first time entrant Elsie Chittleborough. Elsie got the job done with the sole 30/30 in the Orange category of the final, wrapping it up in 1:26.417.
The Torrensville Primary School student said she was “really nervous” heading into round three.
“I didn’t think I was going to win, because I didn’t do exceedingly well the past two times,” she said. “I got through, I just didn’t perform at my best as I rushed a bit and made some mistakes, but I just took it really slowly this round.”
Elsie’s victory wasn’t SA’s only claim to fame in this year’s record-breaking Bee. All three of SA’s Orange level finalists finished inside the top 10 of the national final, while Alexis H of Blyth Primary School was named First Runner-Up in Green with her score of 29/30 in 2:22.817 – just one error and 19 seconds behind the winner.
The Orange First Runner-Up – Evie Larner of Margate Primary School – delivered Tasmania its best ever performance. The year 5 student said she was “amazed” by her result.
“It feels pretty awesome,” the 11-year-old said.
“Even if you’re not the best at spelling, getting words wrong is a step closer to getting them right, and you can always learn from your mistakes.”
Ross Park Primary School student Dulcie Satour achieved the best score in the Northern Territory, finishing 4th in Orange overall after scoring an impressive 27/30 in 2:19.637 in the final, only very narrowly missing out on third place by a margin of less than 30 seconds.
Her heroic effort makes Dulcie the Territory’s best ever performer in the Bee’s five-year history.
“It feels nice, I’m proud and happy,” she said.
Dulcie enjoyed the format of the PM’s Spelling Bee, a teacher supervised classroom activity held online.
“It’s on the computer so you don’t have to say the words out loud and you can ask it to repeat as many times as you want it to,” she said.
Overall, young Territorians made a clear push towards the winners’ circle, with a top 10 finisher in all three competition levels, in another big first.
Green level competitor Jayden C from Haileybury Rendall School in Darwin came 8th in the final, while in Red, Haileybury’s Dylan C finished 10th overall.
In the Green level, Canberra’s Echo Feng was the only perfect score kid, saving her best until last to keep hold of the national champion title.
Echo credits her love of reading as a big part of her spelling success.
“I just read any books that I find,” she said. “I read every day if I have the time.”
Last year, she asked the PM to spell the word “astrophysicist” when they met – and he nailed it.
“Meeting the PM was great,” she said. “It was at the end of the day and we went to his office.”
Wanniassa Hills Primary School’s Walter C joined Echo in Green’s top 10, finishing in 10th place, while Aarush K of Burgmann Anglican School – Forde Campus was right in the Red mix, finishing 5th with 24/30 in 3:40.524 – the same score as the Second Runner-Up and fourth placegetter, just in a slower time.
Victorian super spellers also gave their all, finishing inside the top five across all three categories.
Nic Qiao’s 4th place in Red with a score of 24/30 in 2:55.463 makes him Victoria’s highest ranked finisher in this year’s competition.
The Mentone Grammar student only very narrowly missed out on a podium finish – he and the eventual Second Runner-Up from NSW both scored 24/30 – but the Melbourne mastermind was pipped at the post by just 50 seconds.
Turning 14 this year, Nic said achieving Victoria’s best result in the Bee’s 2025 national final felt “really great”.
“I feel like this is something I can be proud of, something I have really worked hard for and have achieved,” he said.
“I really enjoy the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee because it is done on a laptop and the voice is very clear.”
The hard-fought final also saw Connor B of Woady Yaloak Primary School finish 5th overall in Green, while Aisha M of Good News Lutheran College achieved the same in Orange.
Cracking Green’s top 10 for Queensland was Dutton Park State School student Kien T, whose 7th place finish with a score of 26/30 in 2:03.850 makes the nine-year-old the state’s highest ranked performer overall in this year’s Bee.
Kien said achieving the Sunshine State’s top result in the 2025 Bee felt “pretty amazing”.
“But it kind of makes sense,” he added, “because my hobby is reading books.”
“I like that in the PM’s Spelling Bee, you get to compete individually, but mostly that they can give you extremely hard words.
“The one I remember the best is ‘seedy,’ which I don’t know the meaning of, and a word I nearly got wrong was ‘extol,’ which I also don’t know the meaning of, but I could tell the spelling by the sounds of the word.”
News Corp Australia community ambassador Penny Fowler said Kids News and the PM’s Spelling Bee helped to create positive change nationally by recognising the critical role education plays.
“It is wonderful the PM’s Spelling Bee is becoming a truly national event, with our first South Australian winner in Elsie Chittleborough. And in our fifth year, we have our first (dual) back-to-back winners, Aditya Paul and Echo Feng,” Ms Fowler said.
“Congratulations to the winners and well done to everyone who entered, as spelling and literacy are so important.”
The three national champions – Aditya, Elsie and Echo – will head to Canberra in November to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after a private tour of Parliament House.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL 2025 PRIZEWINNERS:
GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
Echo Feng, Brindabella Christian College (ACT): 30/30, 2:03.809
FIRST RUNNER-UP
Alexis H, Blyth Primary School (SA): 29/30, 2:22.817
SECOND RUNNER-UP
Neve D, St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School (NSW): 26/30, 1:10.016
ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
Elsie C, Torrensville Primary School (SA): 30/30, 1:26.417
FIRST RUNNER-UP
Evie L, Margate Primary School (TAS): 28/30, 2:04.721
SECOND RUNNER-UP
Albie M, Neutral Bay Public School (NSW): 27/30, 1:54.580
RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
Aditya Paul, Sydney Grammar School (NSW): 29/30,
FIRST RUNNER-UP
Ozi Egesi, Perth Modern School (WA): 27/30, 4:42.704
SECOND RUNNER-UP
Patrick H, Sydney Church of England Grammar School (NSW): 24/30, 2:05.555
KIDS NEWS IS VERY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING NATIONAL FINAL RESULTS IN EACH CATEGORY, IN EVERY STATE AND TERRITORY
NSW NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND PLACE OVERALL
GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
3RD – Neve D, Marsfield’s St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School: 26/30, 1:10.016
4TH – Meggie L, Riverbank Public School: 26/30, 1:16.225
14TH – Madison Y, Marist Catholic College North Shore: 24/30, 2:29.032
ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
3RD – Albie M, Neutral Bay Public: 27/30 in 1:54.580
6TH – Maya T, Abbotsleigh Junior School: 26/30, 1:16.725
15TH – Duncan S, St Andrew’s Cathedral School: 25/30, 2:47.198
RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
1ST – Aditya Paul, Sydney Grammar School, 29/30, 1:22.569
3RD – Patrick H, SHORE: 24/30, 2:05.555
8TH – Lily S, Sindel-Marshall Homeschool: 20/30, 5:58.534
VIC NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND PLACE OVERALL
VIC GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
5TH – Connor B, Woady Yaloak Primary School: 26/30, 1:22.401
9TH – Jayden M, Lighthouse Christian College Cranbourne: 25/30, 1:20.160
18TH – Zoey M, Lighthouse Christian College Cranbourne: 23/30, 2:38.442
VIC ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
5TH – Aisha M, Good News Lutheran College: 27/30, 2:44.712
13TH – Kieran X, Serpell Primary School: 25/30, 2:03.011
18TH – Daniel B, Lighthouse Christian College Cranbourne: 23/30, 1:43.048
VIC RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
4TH – Nic Q, Mentone Grammar School: 24/30, 2:55.463
7TH – Jessica A, Lighthouse Christian College Cranbourne: 21/30, 1:58.335
DNF – Marcus Z, Melbourne Grammar School – Wadhurst Campus: did not compete
QLD NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND PLACE OVERALL
QLD GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
7TH – Kien T, Dutton Park State School: 26/30, 2:03.850
15TH – Luca M, All Saints Primary School: 23/30, 1:23.398
20TH – Lisa S, Somerville House: 22/30, 1:35.862
QLD ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
14TH – Tom G, Redeemer Lutheran College: 25/30, 2:31.821
20TH – Lucy G, All Saints Anglican School: 23/30, 2:11.619
21ST – Hunter V, Taabinga State School: 22/30, 2:25.707
QLD RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
9TH – Anna H, Moreton Bay College: 19/30, 2:17.988
11TH – Melody W, Redeemer Lutheran College: 18/30, 6:00.197
15TH – Jacob F, Glasshouse Christian College: 17/30, 2:53.997
SA NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND FINAL PLACE OVERALL
SA GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
2ND – Alexis H, Blyth Primary School: 29/30, 2:22.817
16TH – Charlotte M, Para Hills West Primary School: 23/30, 1:31.670
19TH – Ella M, Plympton International College: 23/30, 3:27.455
SA ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
1ST – Elsie C, Torrensville Primary School: 30/30, 1:26.417
9TH – Chelsea B, Craigburn Primary School: 26/30, 1:27.634
10TH – Alexander P, Blakes Crossing Christian College: 26/30, 1:49.165
SA RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
6TH – Melinda W, Pedare Christian College: 21/30, 1:35.067
13TH – Aidan L, Dara School: 17/30, 2:16.575
18TH – Mukudzeishe C, St Martin’s Lutheran College: 15/30, 3:29.173
TAS NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND PLACE OVERALL
TAS GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
11TH – Henry F, Launceston Christian School: 25/30, 2:14.010
22ND – Audrey H, Howrah Primary School: 21/30, 2:05.535
24TH – Nonie A, Lauderdale Primary School: 20/30, 1:54.941
TAS ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
2ND – Evie L, Margate Primary School: 28/30, 2:04.721
7TH – Asta P, Andrews Creek Primary School: 26/30, 1:21.594
11TH – Chloe S, Miandetta Primary School: 26/30, 2:04.172
TAS RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
21ST – Charlotte W, Marist Regional College: 11/30, 6:28.386
22ND – Daniel O, Marist Regional College: 8/30, 4:01.179
23RD – Amelie W, Sacred Heart College: 6/30, 5:49.842
WA NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND PLACE OVERALL
WA GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
6TH – Dinel D, Riverton Primary School: 26/30, 1:36.482
17TH – Advik D, Bull Creek Primary School: 23/30, 2:10.733
21ST – Emmanuel W, St Denis School: 22/30, 1:38.077
WA ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
17TH – Nicodemus S, Palmyra Primary School: 24/30, 2:40.223
19TH – Michael H, Bull Creek Primary School: 23/30, 2:07.633
22ND – Chayanit V, Leeming Primary School: 21/30, 2:30.887
WA RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
2ND – Ozi Egesi, Perth Modern School: 27/30, 4:42.704
12TH – Arthur K, John Curtin College of the Arts: 18/30, 6:19.388
19TH – Cameron K, Wesley College: 14/30, 2:20.843
NT NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND FINAL PLACE OVERALL
NT GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
8TH – Jayden C, Haileybury Rendall School: 26/30, 3:36.291
13TH – Shawn L, Haileybury Rendall School: 24/30, 2:05.427
23RD – Elliot M, Haileybury Rendall School: 21/30, 2:21.600
NT ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
4TH – Dulcie S, Ross Park Primary School: 27/30, 2:00.350
23RD – Emily C, Haileybury Rendall School: 19/30, 2:40.570
24TH – Finn K, Braitling Primary School: 17/30, 2:50.566
NT RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
10TH – Dylan C, Haileybury Rendall School: 18/30, 4:12.346
16TH – Georgia C, St John’s Catholic College: 16/30, 3:51.946
20TH – Jayden N, St John’s Catholic College: 13/20, 5:12.529
ACT NATIONAL FINALISTS BY CATEGORY AND FINAL PLACE OVERALL
ACT GREEN LEVEL (YEARS 3-4)
1ST – Echo F, Brindabella Christian College: 30/30, 2:03.809
10TH – Walter C, Wanniassa Hills Primary School: 25/30, 2:09.791
12TH – Fergus T, Hughes Primary School: 24/30, 1:51.207
ACT ORANGE LEVEL (YEARS 5-6)
8TH – Evie M, Hughes Primary School: 26/30, 1:23.244
12TH – James W, Ainslie School: 26/30, 4:39.233
16TH – David D, Forrest Primary School: 24/30, 1:43.369
ACT RED LEVEL (YEARS 7-8)
5TH – Aarush K, Burgmann Anglican School – Forde Campus: 24/30, 3:40.524
14TH – Tegan T, Burgmann Anglican School – Forde Campus: 17/30, 2:49.368
Khloe C, Burgmann Anglican School – Forde Campus: result not counted
CONGRATULATIONS, BRILLIANT BEES!
Originally published as Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee national champions announced
