ISEB and IAPS are bringing Time to Write, the groundbreaking creative writing competition for schools, back for a second year. All schools can now enter their pupils aged 7-16 for the chance to have their stories turned into beautifully illustrated books, with a range of other prizes on offer to commended writers and their schools.
The competition is open now and closes on 2 February 2025. To find out more, download resources and explore the competition at write.iseb.co.uk.
Time to Write 2025 is open to all schools, with four different categories for pupils aged 7-16. This year, writers are asked to produce stories based on the prompt ‘light’. The competition will be judged in two parts. The shortlisting round will be completed using cutting-edge Adaptive Comparative Judgement via the RM Compare platform, which will allow a pool of judges, including teachers from the schools that enter pupils, to take part in the shortlisting process, ensuring a fair, transparent and reliable outcome.
The top ten in each category will be reviewed by a panel of judges in person, at the historic P&G Wells book bindery in Winchester. The judging panel, including children’s authors and editors, senior university lecturers and English teachers, will review the top ten and name first place and two runners-up in each category.
The theme and categories
Writers will be asked to submit stories of a defined length based on the given theme, and we’ll be looking for the most creative entries in the first round of judging.
Writers in Years 3 and 4: 500 words Writers in Years 5 and 6: 650 words Writers in Years 7, 8, and 9: 750 words Writers in Years 10 and 11: 1000 words
Word counts are advised lengths and final submissions can be +/- 10%. This year’s theme is: ‘Light’.
To explore the judging criteria and the confirmed judges for the competition, visit write.iseb.co.uk/#judging.
The prizes
Fantastic prizes await the winning writers, as well as two runners-up in each category. Prizes will also be awarded to the schools of the winners.
The winning pupils will see themselves in print, as their stories will be turned into illustrated books by third-year students at Arts University Bournemouth. The university will invite students to prepare and submit portfolios for consideration and will work with ISEB and IAPS to find the most suitable illustrators for each individual story.
Winning writers will also receive a Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation Thesaurus from Oxford University Press, and a personalised hoodie from Team Elite.
Runners-up will be awarded a one-page illustrated concept of their story.
The winning writers’ schools will receive a selection of fiction and non-fiction books from Oxford University Press, a C-pen Reader 2 from Scanning Pens, and a digital workshop for the winning writers and their schools with author Sarah Bentley.
Words from our leaders and sponsors
Julia Martin, ISEB CEO said: “We are so excited to be bringing Time to Write back for a second year – we couldn’t believe how many thousands of young writers entered the competition, and thoroughly enjoyed reading their stories. We are passionate about creative writing as an outlet for imagination, innovation and individuality, but also as a key skills-building activity for young people. We can’t wait to read the next set of stories, and to see another four children experience the wonder of seeing their words brought to life on the page.”
Dominic Norrish, IAPS CEO said: “Very few things we do at school are as difficult, or as rewarding, as creating a compelling story out of nothing but the amazing resources of a growing imagination. Yet if you’ve read a lot of writing by children, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this is actually quite easy to do, because their stories seem to effortlessly combine suspense, humour, drama and surprise in ways we adults would struggle to emulate. This competition is a chance for our best young writers to be recognised for their talents, and for the rest of us to be entertained and enthralled by their work.”
Time to Write 2025 is kindly sponsored by Arts University Bournemouth, Oxford University Press, Scanning Pens and Team Elite.
Samantha Armstrong, Head of Home Learning at Oxford University Press: “At Oxford University Press we are passionate about encouraging children to enjoy both reading and writing. We have been delighted to work closely with ISEB over the last year on our Bond/Century online platform. We are therefore very pleased to be part of the judging panel for ISEB’s new writing competition and look forward to this celebratory event and seeing all the fantastic submissions.”
Neil Ryland, Business Development Manager at Scanning Pens: “I am really excited that Scanning Pens are sponsoring the creative writing competition. We are passionate about language and reading, so it is a perfect fit for us.”
Stephen Chapman, Team Elite Ltd: “We have been working with IAPS for over a year as the provider of their sport merchandise. We are delighted to be a sponsor for the Time to Write Competition and are excited to see not only the creative stories but also the illustrations that will bring them to life.”
Time to Write made its debut in early 2024, and saw more than 2000 young writers from 180 schools in 13 countries submit stories based on a time travel prompt in celebration of ISEB’s 120th anniversary. The four winning writers in each category saw their stories come to life as illustrated picture books, and writers and their schools were also awarded a range of other tech and literary prizes.
Winners from the 2024 Time to Write competition have now received their illustrated books. Sakina, aged 9 at the time of entry, said: “When I found out about this competition I knew that I would love to participate… I am so grateful to have won – this is a dream come true.” Elaine, aged 12 at the time of entry, said: “Many things have inspired me to enter this competition but my greatest inspiration is my passion for reading. I’d read a lot of books leading up to the competition but I’d never written a short story before.”
Ready to write? Entry is open now and closes on 2 February 2025. Schools can enter online, with full information about how to enter, the judging process and criteria, and terms and conditions available at write.iseb.co.uk.
