Making English
a real adventure
An international team based in Paris, driven by one simple conviction: learning a language should be fun, rewarding and accessible to every student.
more than 500,000
participants every year
6,000
schools
8 countries
across Europe and the world
28 years
of educational adventure
2026 edition: figures consolidated across the European network.
The origin
It all starts in a classroom
On Tuesday 18 May 1999, a group of English teachers organised, for the first time in France, a large contest called The Big Challenge. The aim: to motivate students in primary and secondary schools to practise English differently.
The success was immediate. Year after year, the contest grew, became more structured and spread beyond France’s borders. What began as a teachers’ initiative has, 25 years later, become a major annual English event across Europe.
Our story
25 years, milestone by milestone
From the first edition in a few classrooms in 1999 to one of the largest English contests in Europe today: here are the steps that shaped The Big Challenge.
1999
Born in France
On 18 May 1999, a group of English teachers launched the first edition of The Big Challenge in France. The aim: to motivate students to practise English differently.
2002-2005
European expansion
First editions in Germany, Spain and Italy. The contest quickly grew beyond France.
2008-2012
Passing 100,000
The Big Challenge crossed the symbolic threshold of 100,000 participants and extended its network to Austria, Poland and Portugal.
2015
Collective formatCLASS Challenge
Launch of the whole-class challenge, which values collective performance as much as individual results.
2018
Going online
Birth of the Online format: the contest moves to computer or tablet, alongside the paper version.
2020-2021
The COVID years
Pandemic: the contest adapted to health restrictions, keeping the annual event alive thanks to the online format despite class closures.
2023
Continuous learningLaunch of the Academy
The Big Challenge Academy opens: the learning platform to work on English all year round, independently of the annual contest.
2026
Today27th edition
More than 500,000 participants, more than 6,000 schools, 8 countries. The Big Challenge remains one of the largest annual English events in Europe.
The logical next step
From the annual event to continuous learning
So that students’ motivation isn’t limited to a single day in the year, we wanted to offer them a continuous learning experience. That is how The Big Challenge Academy was born, the logical next step after the contest.
This complete learning platform lets students progress while having fun throughout the school year, with interactive quizzes, multimedia series and weekly challenges.
Our mission
Learn. Play. Shine.
Three words that sum up 25 years of educational conviction.
Learn. Learning a language is not only about memorising rules or repeating vocabulary lists. It’s about meeting another culture, understanding its humour, guessing the meaning of an unknown word from context. Our questions are designed to spark curiosity before testing memory: every student who pauses on an unusual question has already learned something.
Play. Play is not an excuse to make school easier to swallow: it’s a way of learning in its own right. When a student plays, they accept making mistakes, they try again, they talk with their classmates. The contest and the Academy rest on this logic: a playful setting, clear rules, visible progress. Competition is never the goal — it’s the means.
Shine. Every participant leaves with a diploma, a ranking, a reward. Not to hand out medals to the best, but to remind every student that they have done something to be proud of. For many, it’s the first time they are recognised for their English. That pride stays, long after the contest.
This mission is embodied in every decision we make: the choice of illustrations, the calibration of questions, the format of the rewards, the tone of the messages to teachers. Nothing is left to chance, because we know how much a student’s experience on contest day can shape their relationship with English for years to come.
Our convictions
Four pillars, one compass
From designing a quiz to organising the national contest, these four convictions guide every one of our decisions.
Learning through play
Language learning should be fun and rewarding. It has been our compass since day one: a contest should help students grow, not judge them. Every student receives a diploma, every effort is valued.
Building confidence
Every student deserves to experience success. Our tools are designed to value progress, not to penalise mistakes. The questions are calibrated by level so that everyone, from primary to upper-secondary school, finds their place.
Supporting teachers
We design a true teaching assistant: ready-to-use resources, self-marked homework, clear skills tracking. Teachers keep control of their progression — we save them time.
Opening up to the world
An international team, based in Paris, united by a shared passion for education and cultural openness. The Big Challenge takes place on the same day, in 8 countries, with identical questions. A European community of learners.
An international team, based in Paris
Aware of the challenges of the teaching profession, we design The Big Challenge as a true teaching assistant: ready-to-use resources, self-marked homework to save precious time, and a clear interface to track each student’s skills.
[Founder, to be confirmed]
Founder of the contest
« Making English a playground rather than an examination room: that is the very purpose of The Big Challenge since 1999. »
[Head of education, to be confirmed]
Educational direction
« We calibrate every question so that no student feels left behind and none gets bored. »
[International coordination, to be confirmed]
European network
« 8 countries, one contest, the same day: it’s a logistical challenge but above all a chance for the students. »
[Technical team, to be confirmed]
Platform & Academy
« The Academy must be ready in 5 minutes for the teacher. Everything else is secondary. »
European network
8 countries, one contest, the same day
The Big Challenge isn’t played only in France. Every year, students from 8 countries sit the same papers, on the same day, in the same language. A European community of learners, without borders.
Discover the European network- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇵🇱 Poland
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇿 Czechia
Join us to strengthen the bond between students and English
Together, let’s turn learning into a real adventure!