National Young Writers' Awards competition open to East Lancs students

The National Young Writers' Awards are set to return with a bang as a new 500-word story competition from Explore Learning has been unveiled with acclaimed children's author, David Walliams, to judge submissions.
The competition is open to any students in the UK.The competition is open to any students in the UK.
The competition is open to any students in the UK.

With the theme for this year's competition - which has been running for 10 years -being 'heroes', children across the country are encouraged to take pen to paper and write a story about their own heroes, be they parents, teachers, or other idols who they aspire to be like.

“It is a real privilege to be named judge for this year’s National Young Writers’ Awards and I am so looking forward to reading what the brilliant brains of our country’s children come up with," said David Walliams. "To write is such a wonderful, creative outlet for people of all ages and competitions just like this one are a fantastic way of encouraging kids across the UK to take the leap and release their inner authors."

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The winner of the Explore Learning - which has a centre on Kingsway in Burnley - competition will be surprised at a school assembly by David, who will announce the National Young Writer of the Year and present them with a trophy, a trip to Disneyland Paris for their family, and £500 of books for their school.

The top 10 entries will also receive £250-worth of books for their schools from Letts Revision, plus a large print of the opening line of their story by QuirkyLime, with each of the regional winners also winning £50-worth of books for themselves.

Charlotte Gater, Head of Curriculum at Explore Learning said: “We are extremely proud to organise the longest running writing competition for children and over the past 10 years the National Young Writers’ Awards have encouraged children in their thousands to release their creativity in abundance. We can’t wait to read what children put together along this year’s theme of heroes."

Running from Monday, 5th March until Sunday 29th April, the competition is open to all children aged 4-14 anywhere in the UK, children in East Lancashire can enter by picking up an entry form from their local Explore Learning centre and returning the completed entry in due time.