Brains, buzz and plenty of craic at Pennyburn Credit Union’s School Quiz

This year’s event saw seven local primary schools take part: Holy Family P.S., St Patrick’s P.S., St Paul’s P.S., Eglinton P.S., Steelstown P.S., St John’s P.S. and St Thérèse’s P.S., all going head-to-head to be crowned quiz champions.

From the moment pupils arrived, the atmosphere was electric with teams whispering last-minute strategies and eagerly awaiting the first question.

The quiz featured two competitions running side by side, with Competition A for under 11s and Competition B for under 13s. Both groups tackled a wide mix of questions covering geography, music, sport and Credit Union knowledge, with Competition B facing an additional two rounds.

From the very first question, it was clear the contest would be closely fought as teams gave it their all.

Throughout the afternoon, the room echoed with cheers, nervous giggles and the occasional groan when a tricky question caught teams out.

When questions focused on Derry itself, particularly anything related to Derry City FC, pupils were in their element, nudging teammates and scribbling answers at speed.

Competition A delivered one of the most nail-biting moments of the afternoon. After ten intense rounds, St Paul’s P.S and Holy Family P.S were completely level, forcing two nerve-wracking tie-breaker rounds to decide the winner.

The room fell silent as pencils hovered and last-second answers were whispered.

Cheers erupted when the final scores were announced, with St Paul’s Primary School stealing first place. The winning team - Ryan, Lochlainn, Seamus and Sophie - showed incredible composure under pressure and were deservedly crowned champions.

In Competition B, St Patrick’s Primary School proved a force to be reckoned with. Darragh, Edith, Joe and Ben grew in confidence and steadily climbed the leaderboard as pressure mounted. They pulled ahead in the closing stages to seal the win and claim first place.

Winning teams received a medal each, a trophy and a voucher to celebrate their achievement, while every pupil who took part received a certificate and snack pack as a well-deserved thank you as well as trophies and medals.

A special word of thanks to The Trophy Cabin, who supplied the trophies and medals for prize-giving, and to photographer Peter McK, whose brilliant images captured the excitement and celebrations throughout the day.

A spokesperson said: "Events like the School Quiz highlight the Credit Union’s commitment to supporting young people and the wider community. Approaching its 60th anniversary, Pennyburn Credit Union remains focused on making financial services accessible, with no sponsor or appointment required to open an account and the option to apply for a loan on the same day as joining.”

"Having returned over £2 million to members in 2025 and serving the BT47 and BT48 areas for nearly six decades, the Credit Union continues to reinvest in the community it calls home.”

With big grins and plenty of laughter, pupils were already asking when the next School Quiz would be - a sure sign that it was a huge success, celebrating local pride and community spirit at its best.