Creative Writing Competition for 7-11 year olds
2025 COMPETITION NOW CLOSED
We are thrilled to announce our 6th annual Creative Writing Competition for children!
Competition Challenge:
In collaboration with children’s author, Lucy Noguera, we have chosen a detective-themed challenge for children this year. The competition challenge is to write a story based on one of the following three story titles:
- The Mystery of the Missing Muffins
- The Case of the Curious Cat
- The Puzzle of the Peculiar Plant
Please put one of these above titles at the top of your story, so that we instantly know you have followed the competition instructions.
Present your story handwritten and as neatly as possible on an A4 piece of paper – add illustrations around your writing if you can! Your story must be no longer than one A4 page (about 300 words).
The competition is open to all children from ages 7-13 (Years 3-8). All children around the world can enter, but entries must be written in English. Note that we no longer accept typed stories (unless for specific circumstances) to reduce the risk of AI entries.
Competition Categories:
Group 1: 7-9 year olds (Years 3 and 4)
Group 2: 9-11 year olds (Years 5 and 6)
Group 3: 11-13 year olds (Years 7 and 8)
Certificates and Prizes:
- Children’s author and judge, Lucy Noguera, will read the winning poems, which we will share on our YouTube channel!Â
- Gold, Silver or Bronze certificates will be awarded to all children who enter the competition (following the task).
- Book vouchers will be awarded to the winner from each age group.
How to Enter:
- Please email the story as a PDF or image to info@brightlighteducation.co.uk.
- We welcome entries by schools! Please consider sending the students’ work via WeTransfer to us. Here is a PDF for Schools which you could send to parents about the competition.
- Please state the age group category in the email (Group 1, 2 or 3).
- Please ensure the story has a title, choosing from one of the three above.
- Please ensure your child’s first name is on the story (or in the email).
- The competition is open from February 1st 2025.
- The deadline is February 28th 2025.
- Winners will be announced March 17th 2025.
Terms and Conditions:
By entering the competition, you are agreeing to the following T&Cs:
- The entry must be a fictional story based on the task.
- It must be an original piece of work written independently by the child.
- Stories cannot be written by more than one person. One entry per child allowed.
- The child must not include their personal details within their story.
- Entries must not include unsuitable material; entries must be suitable for a child audience.
- The use of AI is strictly prohibited.
Judges:
The first round will be judged by a selection of creative writing specialists.
Welcome Lucy Noguera!
The final round will be judged by children’s author, Lucy Noguera. Lucy Noguera is the children’s author of picture book, Herman Needs a Home, and chapter book, SWOP: The Satsuma-Sized Secret for 7+ year olds. Her latest book, SWOP: The Daring Dinosaur Detective, was just released in January 2025!Â
Lucy lives in Ealing, London and, as well as writing, she visits schools in London arranging and planning book-based events and projects. Her books are particularly praised for their SEND awareness and inclusivity: she uses dyslexia-friendly font and often features deaf characters in her stories.
We are thrilled to receive your email and would like to express our sincere gratitude for awarding our child the 2nd Place Gold Certificate in the Annual Creative Writing Competition.
Our child was overjoyed upon hearing the news and feels incredibly proud of this achievement. The journey of participating in the competition has been a wonderful and enriching experience, and your support and encouragement throughout the process have played a significant role in boosting her confidence and creativity.
We truly appreciate the effort and dedication of the entire team in organising such a fantastic event. The opportunity to showcase creativity and storytelling skills in such a supportive environment has been invaluable.
Thank you once again for your support and recognition. We look forward to participating in future events.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to your organization for creating such a meaningful and inspiring platform for children who are passionate about writing. This competition not only nurtures their creativity but also encourages learning and helps them develop essential writing skills—an invaluable asset for their future.
As a parent, I feel truly happy and grateful to see my child participating in such a positive and purposeful activity. This is more than just a competition; it is a wonderful experience that allows children to confidently express their thoughts, emotions, and talents.
I truly hope that this program will continue to grow and reach even more young aspiring writers, giving them the opportunity to follow their passion and unleash their creativity. Once again, thank you, Bright Light Education, for organizing such an enriching and inspiring initiative!
Upcoming Courses
We run creative writing, comprehension and 11+ interview preparation courses throughout the year. Click on the link below to view our Upcoming Courses.
Get In Touch
Call: +44 208 088 4514
WhatsApp: +44 208 088 4514
Email: info@brightlighteducation.co.uk
Hours: M-F: 9am - 5pm