Premier League Writing Stars 2018

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Last year Premier League Writing Stars was launched and the competition was a huge success with over 25,000 entries! So this year it is back and hoping to be just as (or hopefully even more) popular. This year the theme is diversity and primary school pupils are encouraged to get creative and write a poem on the subject of diversity, there are some great Premier League related prizes up for grabs for those taking part. 

The idea behind Premier League writing stars is to get primary school children interested in poetry and to have a go at writing their own poem. The fact that the campaign is backed by top Premier League football clubs that many young children support helps get some pupils interested. Especially as they can win some amazing Premier League related prizes for their school by taking part in the poetry competition. 

Writing Stars is part of an educational program called Premier League Primary Stars, which is free for teachers to access and has lots of resources for key stage 1 and 2. 

This year the theme is diversity, inspired by the poem Beautifully Different, Wonderfully The Same by Joseph Coelho which you can read here. 

I think the theme of Diversity is such a great idea as it is so important children learn about this from a young age. Premier League say "Writing Stars teaching resource focus on an exploration of what it means to respect and understand our differences and similarities. We are asking children to write a poem on this theme." 

Children are asked to think about 

• How are you different and special? 

• Why are differences so important?

• Can our differences bring us together to be part of the same team? 

The Premier League Writing Stars website is full of resources which are all inspired by football and to help teaching staff to inspire children to get creative with their poems. It is open to all primary schools in England and Wales and is supported by the National Literacy Trust. To take part in the competition teachers need to go and register their school and entries must be submitted by the 21st December 2018, so make sure you get those entries in quick!

The poems will then be judged by Former Premier League footballer Rio Ferdinand, Singer Olly Murs, Poet Joseph Coelho and Waterstones Laureate Lauren Child. 

Some of the prizes for the winning poems include 

• A Premier League Trophy Visit to your school. 

• A visit to your school by a children's author or poet to lead a poetry workshop. 

• Winning poems read aloud by the star judges. 

• Poems published in an official Premier League Writing Stars book.

• An invitation to a national celebration event and the chance to meet special guests.

• Poetry book bags for all the winning schools. 

We were sent a lovely bag full of poetry books and while some of the books are more for key stage two pupils (mine are in key stage one) they adore one of the poetry books we were sent 'Oi Cat'. 

You can find out more details and nominate your child's school to take part at www.plprimarystars.com .