1. The Times Spelling Bee Championship (“Championship”) is open to all schools (with pupils of the relevant age criteria) in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
2. The Championship comprises three rounds of spelling contests: local knockout heats, Semi-Finals and a Grand Final. Local heats are planned to take place in March, April and May 2010. Semi- Finals are expected to take place during May 2010 and the Grand Final will take place in London in June 2010.
School team entry rules
3. Schools must have registered to enter the 2010 Championship by December 4, 2009. Once registered, schools must enter a team for the Championship and must supply full details of their team members no later than 5pm on February 11, 2010. Teams must be comprised only of full time pupils who will turn (or will have turned) 12 years old between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010. (“Eligible Pupils”). Teams must comprise four Eligible Pupils – three competitors and a reserve.
4. Each registered school may enter one team only. Pupils who have previously participated in The Times Spelling Bee are not eligible to participate again.
5. Selection of team members is at the discretion of the participating school. The Times has no responsibility for, and will not participate in, any selection process for team members.
6. Only registered schools with eligible pupils may enter a team for the Championship. Applications from individual children and home-schooled children are not permitted.
7. Special needs: Schools should inform The Times Spelling Bee if any pupils have special needs such as wheelchair accessibility. The Times may in their discretion amend the rules to accommodate medical conditions in speech, hearing or movement. Rule changes will be for the purpose of making reasonable adjustment to enable any pupil to participate. Rules changes may be applied only to the relevant pupil.
8. Schools must submit the names of all team members no later than 5.00pm on February 11, 2010. Team names can be submitted on the appropriate form by post, or online, by visiting the website www.timesspellingbee.co.uk and clicking on the 'SIGN UP' button. Alternatively, team details can be given by phone to 020 8973 0046, faxed on school letterhead to 020 8977 7974 or sent by email to spellingbee@rapportgroup.com to be received by 5pm on February 11, 2010. The Times is not responsible for lost or delayed entries. Following February 11, 2010 no changes may be made to teams, except in exceptional circumstances, in which case The Times may in its discretion permit team changes.
9. Only three of the four team members may compete at any one time, with the fourth member acting as a reserve. The teams may substitute a team member with the reserve after each of the local heat and/or the Semi-Final, or between Challenges by following Rule 10.
10. Teams may not substitute a team player during the Challenges, but can make a substitution after the Spelling Play-Off and before the Quick-Fire Challenge. Teams may replace a team player with their reserve player for the Quick-Fire Challenge only by notifying the Spellmaster during the mid-event break. No correspondence will be entered into in respect of any decision by The Times in relation to substitution.
11. Team members who change schools during the Championship will be ineligible to continue participating in the Championship in respect to both their former and new school.
12. There is a top limit of 1,000 school team places in The Times Spelling Bee Championship 2010.
The Times Spelling Bee Championship Terms and Conditions for Schools
13. Once registered, each school will be sent a confirmation letter and email. Schools will receive details about their local knockout heat, date, place and time during February 2010.
14. The Times reserves the right to review the eligibility of team members. Any team member or reserve found to be in breach of the age rules for participation, or contravening the spirit of the Championship may be disqualified before or during the Championship and will have to forfeit any prizes gained through participation.
15. By entering a team in the Championship, each school agrees to be responsible for obtaining the necessary parental permissions for each team member to participate.
16. By entering a team in the Championship, each school agrees to be responsible for obtaining the necessary parental permissions for each team member to be photographed or filmed and for their images to be used in promotion for the Championship.
17. Each school is responsible for providing adequate and appropriate supervision of the team at all Championship events. The Times will not be responsible for supervising teams at any time.
18. The Times reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions of the Championship at any stage.
19. By entering a team in the Spelling Bee, each school agrees to abide by the Spelling Bee terms and conditions, and will ensure that each team member agrees to abide by the Spelling Bee terms and conditions.
20. Promoter: Times Newspapers Limited (“The Times”), 1 Virginia Street, London E98 1XY
21. The names and other personal data of each team member will be retained by The Times and its contractors and used solely for the purposes of the Championship, except as set out in these terms and conditions.
22. The Times may use the school name, and name, image, and performance of participating students to publicise and report on the Championship, provided that the students’ parents or guardian have provided the relevant consent.
Attending the Championship Events
23. It is expected that all members of each team will attend the Championship contest heats, including the reserve student. All teams must be accompanied by a member of staff to supervise the participants. School uniform must be worn.
24. The Times reserves to right to change the time and location of each event, and will inform participating schools of any changes as soon as reasonably practical.
25. Each school may bring a total of no more than 15 pupils/staff/or friends and family to each Championship event, including the team members and teacher manager.
26. Schools are responsible for covering the travel costs of their team, accompanying members of teaching staff and supporters to attend each Championship event. If, in exceptional circumstances, a school is unable to cover travel costs of the school team and accompanying member of teaching staff, which will mean a school team is not able to attend a local knockout heat or if successful, a Semi-Final and Grand Final, the head teacher should write to The Times Spelling Bee explaining the circumstances. Applications for a travel bursary will be considered only in exceptional circumstances and on an individual case by case basis.
27. If a school needs to withdraw their team from any event, the school should inform The Times Spelling Bee as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours prior to the event.
28. All correspondence and queries in relation to the Championship should be directed to: The Times Spelling Bee, Epic House, 128 Fulwell Road, Teddington, TW11 0RQ or email: spellingbee@rapportgroup.com.