Wicked Writers: Be the Change
The competition is now closed.
Winners will be announced on Earth Day, 22 April 2024.
If you have submitted entries, we'll update you using the contact details you provided.
Please remember to send us your feedback via the links sent by email, and of course, to download the participation certificate for your students.
About the competition
Do pupils in your school want to be the change when it comes to the environment?
We are proud to partner with the acclaimed stage musical Wicked for a second year of this persuasive writing competition open to young people aged 9 to 14.
For Wicked Writers: Be the Change we asked your students 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.
Making a positive change is a key theme in Wicked and the subject of the song For Good.
Furthermore, our research on writing has shown that for young people writing to support causes and issues that they care about acts as a strong motivator.
"Thanks for organising such an inspiring competition; all the children were motivated and highly engaged in writing a piece that meant something to them."
Teacher, 2023 Competition
Taking part
The competition came complete with a full set of learning resources combining engaging persuasive writing lesson plans and content to inspire your students.
Entry to the competition was open to all UK schools and entries will be judged anonymously in two age categories:
- ages 9 to 11 (KS2/P6, P7)
- ages 11 to 14 (KS3/S1, S2, S3)
The competition included a chance of winning a range of exciting prizes to be awarded to winners, runners up and shortlisted students.
The closing deadline for entries was 11 March 2024.
Key information
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Eligibility
Open to all UK schools, for students aged 9 to 14.
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Theme
Entries must engage with the environmental theme.
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Entry submission
Teachers can submit an unlimited number of entries
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Format
Entries must be submitted in a typed Word document or PDF. Do not include students' names on the entry.
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Length
There is a word limit of 300 words for the younger age category (9 to 11), and 500 words for the older age category (11 to 14)
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Winners
A winner and runner up will be chosen in each age category. Shortlisted students will have a chance to be published in the Wicked Writers Anthology.
Competition Essentials
Download the teaching resources designed to develop pupils’ writing and vocabulary skills as they embark on a journey to explore and analyse persuasive writing and create their own competition piece to inspire change.
"When I heard I had come first in the competition, I was overjoyed… I am so excited to see Wicked with all my classmates."
Winner, Younger Category, 2023
Prizes
- Four schools will receive free class tickets to see the stage musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London, including a travel subsidy.
- Two winning schools will receive free writing workshops in school.
- 16 shortlisted schools will receive a book bundle.
- 16 shortlisted students will see their writing in print in a publication which will be distributed to their schools.
Entries will be judged by a fantastic judging panel, including children's author M. G. Leonard, teacher-influencer Holly King-Mand, Wicked Executive Producer Michael McCabe and National Literacy Trust CEO Jonathan Douglas CBE.
Questions?
If you have a question about the competition, please email Wicked Writers.
You can also read more about last year's winners.
In partnership with Wicked Active Learning
Praised by educators as “the gold standard for West End shows reaching out into education” and “enriching, engaging, and easy to use”, Wicked Active Learning is the London stage musical’s cultural and social education programme.
“Packed with content that mirrors the framework for personal development” (Belleville Primary School), Wicked provides a range of free classroom resources and lesson plans, a popular programme of official workshops, and post-show Q&As to maximise the educational value and learning potential of school trips to experience the award-winning musical.
The in-house Wicked Active Learning education team are on hand to provide expert advice and school trip planning support, including materials to assist in the completion of risk assessments.