Budding Mary Berry, 12, wins competition for her sensational scones

By Shannon, aged 13

Budding Mary Berry student Rebecca, 11, has won her school’s cookery competition after baking picture-perfect, tasty scones.

Rebecca scored top marks in a competition run by Priory Community School Academy in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

Her scones were picture perfect, jam first, then cream, and were tried out by all her family.

Rebecca has always enjoyed baking but normally she has struggled to find time to develop her passion. During lockdown, however, she found the time to experiment in the kitchen and improve her skills.

Rebecca said: “It gave me a break away from normal schoolwork, from my computer screen and it gave me something fun to do in my free time and provided me with delicious snacks to eat while doing my schoolwork. It was quite therapeutic.”

Baking is a great way to stay positive, especially when you are feeling stressed. It’s all about trial and error and learning new skills like kneading, whisking, and measuring.

By all accounts they tasted even better than they looked and were such a hit that she received requests from her grandparents to bake some more for them to try once it is safe to visit.

Rebecca is clearly a talented baker, but she also did the thankless task of washing up, “There was flour everywhere including all over me.” said Rebecca.

Of course, the biggest question of scone etiquette is whether you apply the jam or cream first. Her response was immediate and decisive: “Team Jam first: The Right Way. My Dad grew up in Cornwall, so we have always known it to be The Right Way.”

Principal Angelos Markoutsas said: “Rebecca has been getting excellent reviews of her baking and cooking, and she is a worthy winner of our school competition. 

“She has used her time during lockdown to great effect. Well done to everyone who took part.”