Lancing pupils have their knowledge tested on CBBC's Top Class

Year six pupils from Lancing received the full TV star treatment as they appeared on CBBC quiz show Top Class in a bid to be crowned the smartest school in the UK.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Sep 2018, 12:16 BST
ks180445-1 WH Top Class phot kate The top class at Seaside Primary School. Pupils including Grace Edlin-Wright 11, Laim Manvell 11, Naz Balmer 11, Oliver Walker 11, Charlie Hopkins Danks11, and their teacher James Purveur.ks180445-1 SUS-181009-192320008ks180445-1 WH Top Class phot kate The top class at Seaside Primary School. Pupils including Grace Edlin-Wright 11, Laim Manvell 11, Naz Balmer 11, Oliver Walker 11, Charlie Hopkins Danks11, and their teacher James Purveur.ks180445-1 SUS-181009-192320008
ks180445-1 WH Top Class phot kate The top class at Seaside Primary School. Pupils including Grace Edlin-Wright 11, Laim Manvell 11, Naz Balmer 11, Oliver Walker 11, Charlie Hopkins Danks11, and their teacher James Purveur.ks180445-1 SUS-181009-192320008

A group of five pupils from Seaside Primary School in Freshbrook Road were put forward for the programme after year four pupils who love to watch it suggested to year six teachers that they should enter a team.

It was a lengthy process including having to take tests and undergo an interview, but the school made it through and were flown to Glasgow to take part in the show, which is presented by Scottish comedian Susan Calman.

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Grace Edlin-Wright, Liam Manvell, Nas Balmer, Oliver Walker and Charlie Hopkins-Danks, who was the team’s reserve player, battled it out against Liff Primary School from Scotland, joined by year six teacher James Purveur, who even had to take part in a ‘test the teacher’ round.

He said: “They were making me revise and learn about games like Minecraft and Fortnite, so I got progressively better.

“It was one of those experiences that will stay with you for life.”

Grace was the team captain, and was head girl at Seaside. She said they had the full TV treatment with their hair and makeup being done to appear on the show.

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Grace’s specialist category was the TV programme Friends, and she had to answer questions about the characters to receive points.

When asked about the best part of the experience, team member Oliver said: “Going on to the set and seeing what it is like behind the scenes and being on TV, it was all very exciting.”

The team made it through to the next round of the competition, beating Liff by just two points.

Now at high school, the group returned to Seaside on Monday to watch a whole-school screening of the first-round episode, which can be seen on BBC iPlayer.

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The next episode featuring the team in the quarter final is due to be aired next month.

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