Deadline: June 30, 2021 23:59 BST
The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools, established in 1883. With thousands of young people taking part every year, it is an important way to recognise achievement, elevate youth voices and develop key skills through creative writing.
With the global spread of COVID-19, we’ve seen the lives of many Commonwealth citizens affected.
However through adversity, societies came together and stories of growth, community and hope continue to emerge.
Awards:
- One winner and runner-up will be chosen from each category.Winners and runners-up will be brought to London for a week of educational and cultural events, culminating in a special Awards Ceremony.
- A number of Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be given in both the Senior and Junior categories, rewarding excellence in writing.
- All successful entries will receive a Certificate of Participation. Certificates will only be issued once judging is complete in September 2021.
Categories:
Note:
- Students may only submit one essay each, which means that you have to choose one of the four topics in your relevant category.
- The maximum word counts are 1,500 words for Senior entries and 750 words for Junior There is no minimum word count. These word limits apply to all topics and all formats (essay, poem, letter, etc). Exceeding the word count will result in automatic disqualification. References and foot notes are not included in the word count.
SENIOR CATEGORY:
Born between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2007 (14-18 years of age)1.
Discuss [any of] the following:
(1. “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King
(2. Keeping connected through COVID-19.
(3. It’s been 30 years since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, what does the world look like
(4. Imagine you are the Head of a Commonwealth nation heavily affected by COVID-19 and giving a national address at the end of the pandemic. What would you say to your community?
JUNIOR CATEGORY:
Born on or after 1 July 2007 (under 14 years of age)
(1. The year is 2050 and you’ve been asked to write about the coronavirus pandemic for museum. What story would you tell?
(2. Tell a story of how you, or someone you know, helped others during the pandemic.
(3. ‘We will be with our friends again. We will be with our families again. We will meet again’ – HM Queen Elizabeth II After the pandemic, you are seeing a friend for the first time. What new hobbies would you share with them?
(4. What did you miss most during the pandemic?
Essay Writing Guidelines:
The following guidelines provide some useful insights from previous judges who have had experience recognising what makes a good piece of writing, and may help you get started on your submission:
- Choose to answer one of the topics, and you are encouraged to interpret this in any way you wish.
- Think carefully about the form of writing you use to answer the topic. There are a variety of forms and styles to play with.
- Make sure to use your own voice and your own words. Judges are very good at spotting work that is not original.
- We understand that English is a diverse language and there are different and innovative ways of using it around the Commonwealth. We encourage diversity and creativity of language in submissions.
- Ensure you take into account grammar and punctuation whilst writing your piece. Do not submit an entry without proof-reading.
- Presentation is important: think about the visual appearance of the entry as well as the quality of the content.
