Now in its 14th year, the 2024 Chiswick Book Festival’s Young Poets Competition aims to encourage young people to enjoy creating their own poems. We look for original poems on any theme, up to 25 lines long.
1. All entries must be received by Saturday June 8th 2024.
2. Only one poem can be entered per child. Entries must be in English and the entrant’s own original work, with strictly no parental or teacher help. Entries must not have been previously published, broadcast or have won another competition (unless in an individual’s school magazine). UK entrants only.
3. Poems should be no longer than 25 lines and must have a unique title. We have two themes suggested for this year, “Hope” and “Home” but they are not obligatory; teachers may suggest their own themes and enter poems written during class. Where the same title is used, please distinguish between them: e.g. ‘Hope 1’, ‘Hope 2’, ‘Home 1’, ‘Home 2’, etc.
4. Poems must be typed or handwritten in black ink.
5. Poems should be on one side of A4 paper and cannot be returned under any circumstances.
6. Poems will be judged anonymously so the name of the writer and their school should not appear on the front of the manuscript. Write them on the back of the sheet (if posting) and on the entry form if emailing.
7. Teachers/parents/carers should state clearly on the entry form:
(a) that the poem is their candidate/child’s own original work, with no extra help, and
(b) if their candidate/child is challenged by a specific educational need (where relevant).
8. All entries must be attached to the correct completed entry form and will not be accepted without one.
a) Schools: please complete (legibly) one School Entry Form on behalf of all candidates. Maximum of 30 entries per school. Please send one set of originals and one photocopied set of poems and entry form for the judging stage. Download the Schools Entry Form here.
b) Individual entries: Please complete the Individual Entry Form which can be downloaded here.
9. Entrants must be in Year 3 to Year 7 on the closing date.
10. Entries should be sent by post or email (including the correct entry form). Email entries must be sent from a parent/carer (individual entries) or school email address (school entries.)
Email Entry: Entries may be sent by post or email (including the correct entry form). Email entries must be sent from a parent/carer (individual entries) or school email address (school entries) to: poetry@chiswickbookfestival.net Put ‘CBF Poetry Competition’ in the subject line.
Postal Entries: Address to CBF Poetry Competition, c/o The Parish Office, St Michael and All Angels Church, Priory Avenue, London W4 1TX. (NB This is a postal address only; you may not hand-deliver entries.)
Copyright: The copyright of each poem remains with the author. However, by entering the competition, authors of the winning poems grant the organisers of The Chiswick Book Festival permission to publish, broadcast and/or use their poem in promotional displays including on the Chiswick Book Festival website and social media. The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into concerning this decision. For further enquiries email children@chiswickbookfestival.net