Today is the launch of Wicked Writers: Be the Change 2025, a writing competition devised by the National Literacy Trust and stage musical Wicked (as part of its acclaimed Wicked Active Learning cultural and social education programme), to inspire pupils across the UK to write and use their voices to change the world for the better. Now in its third year, the writing competition is based on the themes of one of the most well-known songs from the Wicked musical, ‘For Good’, and this year challenges pupils aged 9 – 14 to write persuasively about the change they want to see in their local community.
Last year, the competition asked children to use their entries to write about their passion for the environment and the response was enormous, with over 1,600 submissions from pupils inspired by the positive themes of Wicked.
Recent research from the National Literacy Trust found that children and young people’s enjoyment of writing and daily writing habits are at an all-time low, meaning that 7 in 10 (71.3%) are missing out on the associated benefits, not just to their academic success, and writing and critical thinking skills, but also to their confidence, creativity and wellbeing [1].
Taking part in writing competitions can be a fantastic way for schools to tackle this downward trend and inspire a love of writing. The research also found that twice as many children and young people who had taken part in writing competitions reported that they enjoyed writing (43.7% vs 21.7%) and wrote daily (16.2% vs 8.3%) in their free time compared with those who didn’t enter a competition. With more than a quarter (28%) of 11-year-olds leaving primary school last year unable to write at the expected level for their age [2], competitions like Wicked Writers: Be the Change are an important opportunity to inspire a love of writing and support young people with the literacy skills they need to thrive.
One of the competition’s previous winners, 18-year-old Iona who now studies English Literature at University of Oxford, won the competition in 2017 (under its previous name of Wicked Young Writers Award) aged 10 and went on to become Birmingham’s Young Poet Laureate, as well as a Literacy Champion and Youth Ambassador for the National Literacy Trust. Iona was inspired by the competition to write a story for the first time and still remembers the excitement of winning tickets to her favourite musical, Wicked. [See full case study in notes to editors]
Iona said: “I remember sitting in the room and hearing everyone’s names and then seeing them walk up on stage and hoping that the next name that would be read out would be mine. And then when it was, I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. I think it was just this feeling that my words mattered to people and that they were being valued, especially because I was so young, it was something that I couldn’t really fathom that I had been able to achieve at that age.”
Returning to the competition’s judging panel this year is best-selling children’s author-illustrator Cressida Cowell, best known for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and ‘The Wizards of Once’, who presented Iona her certificate back in 2017. Joining this year’s judging panel for the first time is author Manjeet Mann, whose book ‘The Crossing’ won the 2022 Costa Book Award in the Children’s Book category. The fantastic judging panel also includes National Literacy Trust Chief Executive Jonathan Douglas CBE.
One winner and one runner-up will be selected in each category (Years 5-6 and Years 7-9). All 16 shortlisted pupils will see their work published in an anthology and receive a bundle of brand-new books for their school. Winners will receive class tickets to see the acclaimed musical Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre and an author workshop with judge Manjeet Mann.
Tim Judge, Head of Schools Programmes at the National Literacy Trust said: “After an incredible competition and 1,600 inspiring entries last year, we are thrilled to provide another opportunity in 2025 for young people to write about what matters to them. In past years teachers have told us that Wicked Writers: Be the Change has inspired pupils and improved their confidence when it comes to writing persuasively. We are looking forward to finding out which local issues this year’s pupils are passionate about and celebrating their work.”
Teachers can now download a free supportive learning resource pack, including curriculum-linked activities, and get their class involved to inspire their writing and have the chance to win some amazing prizes.
The competition is open for entries between January 13 and February 28. Find out more and download the resources: www.https://literacytrust.org.uk/programmes/young-writers/wicked-writers-be-the-change/
