Competitions
A number of our students have participated in national competitions which are often linked to a topic or subject they are studying at school. We actively encourage students to participate in these as we believe it helps students develop their creativity and confidence.
Current Competitions
RSPCA Young Photographer
The aim of the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards is to encourage an interest in photography and an appreciation and understanding of all the amazing animals around us.
It’s open to anyone aged 18 or under
All you need is a camera, smartphone or tablet and a passion for animals and nature.
Stephen Spender Prize
Students have to translate a poem from any language, ancient or modern, into English and write a short commentary.
There are examples of entries, suggested poems and other resources on the website.
School Reading List
Various writing competitions for children, updated each month.
Wicked Writers
Be the Change students are asked to write a piece of persuasive writing about any environmental issue that is important to them, for example, the climate crisis, pollution or endangered species.
History Association
A number of competitions for students, from the Great Debate aimed at those age 15 and over to our Write your own historical fiction and a number of different competitions under the umbrella of the Young Historian Scheme.
Love Reading
Lots of chances to win all sorts of books.
Royal Society of Biology
Various school-led competitions, plus photography competition (date tbc)
The Young Walter Scott Prize
The UK’s only creative writing prize specifically for budding historical fiction writers. Students could win a £500 travel grant, an invitation to one of the UK’s best book festivals, and a chance to see their work in print. Stories must be between 800 and 2,000 words, and set in a time before you they born.
Young Art
Young Art is an annual exhibition of children’s paintings, drawings and prints, held for one week a year at the Royal College of Art. Entries are submitted for judging before being sold at exhibition to raise money for specific research into childhood cancers undertaken at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.
Environment 2025
Students send an image of their art in with the chance of winning love to shop vouchers.
The Sipher Challenge
Nationwide codebreaking competition for schools from the University of Southampton.
The Royal Economic Society
Students are asked to write an essay of up to 1,000 words excluding references on one of five topics. Date TBC.
KS5 Competition - Oxford Unversity Competition
Various competitions.