The annual writing competition run by the National Literacy Trust and Wicked Active Learning is inviting young writers (aged 9-14) to advocate for a change they want to see in their communities.
Wicked Writers: Be the Change will launch for a third year on 13th January 2025.
The writing competition is devised by the National Literacy Trust and stage musical Wicked, as part of its Wicked Active Learning education. With the aim of inspiring pupils across the UK the programme encourages young learners to write and use their voices to change the world for the better.
The competition is based on the themes from a song in the musical, For Good, and this year the theme of local change challenges pupils to write persuasively about any kind of positive change they would like to see in their community. The competition is aimed at students aged nine to 14.
One winner and one runner-up will be selected in each category (Years 5-6 and Years 7-9). Winners will receive class tickets to see Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre. The show was recently named Best Theatre Production for Schools at the 2024 School Travel Awards.
All 16 shortlisted pupils will see their work published in an anthology and receive a bundle of new books for their school.
Last year, the competition asked children to use their entries to write about their passion for the environment and over 1,600 submissions were received. The 2024 winners announced in May were Sebastian Kesley, 10, from Hiltingbury Junior School in Hampshire, and Luo Chen He, 13, from Co-op Academy in Stoke-on-Trent.
Tim Judge, head of schools programmes at the National Literacy Trust said: “Last year young people put their hopes and fears for the environment on paper. Teachers told us that giving young people the opportunity to write about what matters to them improved their writing enjoyment, confidence and their motivation.
“Be the Change is all about listening to young people’s voices and showing them that writing can be an empowering experience that makes a difference in their world; we can’t wait to learn from this year’s young activists about the local changes they want to see in their communities.”
About Wicked Active Learning
Wicked Active Learning supports curriculum enrichment, personal development and learning outside the classroom and helps schools to deliver visits to the stage show. School workshops are available on and offsite, focused around the topics of wellbeing, anti-bullying and musical theatre.
The learning team also provides school groups with post-show Q&A sessions to discuss the themes of the show and speak to members of the cast.
The competition, along with a supportive learning resource pack, including curriculum-linked lesson plans, will launch in January.
Teachers and EVCs can sign up to the competition at literacytrust.org.uk
