A Bedford Modern School student has been named the best student of Spanish in the UK and Northern Ireland as he prepares to take up a place at the University of Cambridge.
Aleksi, who begins studying Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge this autumn, earned the XIII Premio al Mejor Estudiante de Español 2026.
The national award is organised by the Consejería de Educación, the Education Office of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports in the UK and Ireland.
Aleksi was selected from entries submitted across the UK and Northern Ireland after being judged as the country’s most outstanding Spanish student.
To mark the milestone, Fernando Bartolomé Usieto, Consejero de Educación in the UK and Ireland, visited the school to present the certificate and prize in person.
As part of the award, Aleksi earned a stay in the historic Spanish city of Salamanca, home to the oldest university in the Hispanic world.
Cambridge bound
Speaking on the achievement, a spokesperson for Bedford Modern School said: “We are absolutely delighted that Aleksi has received this recognition.
“To be named the best student of Spanish in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to his talent, dedication and commitment to language learning.
“Aleksi embodies the academic ambition, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning that we seek to foster in all our students.
“We are immensely proud of everything he has achieved and look forward to seeing him continue his success at the University of Cambridge.”
The win marks the first time Bedford Modern School has entered a student for the national competition.
