Junior Ambassadors from Devonport High School for Girls (DHSG) organised this annual languages competition in their school.

Prior to the main competition, the students took responsibility for promoting the GCHQ National Language Competition to Year 9 students. They designed and displayed posters around the school, arranged for announcements to be made during morning notices, and visited Year 9 tutor groups to explain the competition, answer questions, and encourage participation. To gauge interest, one student created a Microsoft Form, which received a strong response from prospective participants. The students then organised the 13 teams involved in the competition, comprising 41 Year 9 students, and distributed team names, usernames, and passwords to ensure that everyone was prepared for the event.

During the week of the competition, the students supervised five lunchtime sessions, providing guidance and technical support while encouraging participants to engage fully with the challenges. Their support helped students navigate the competition website and work collaboratively to complete tasks.

Following the completion of the competition, the students organised a celebration of participants’ achievements. They contacted all competitors to arrange a group photograph with their GCHQ certificates and presented prizes to the winning and runner-up teams. A congratulatory message was then written to accompany the photograph on the school’s social media platforms, helping to recognise the students’ efforts and promote the success of the event within the wider school community.

Finally, the students worked together to evaluate, summarise, and document the project, reflecting on its outcomes and preparing the necessary evidence for submission. Through their organisation, leadership, and commitment, they successfully delivered an engaging competition that encouraged younger students to develop their language and problem-solving skills while raising awareness of opportunities linked to languages and careers in intelligence and cybersecurity.