500 Words is the UK’s largest story-writing competition for 5-11 year-olds run by the BBC
This year, entries open from Tuesday 29 September and will close at 9pm, Friday 6 November. The competition celebrates children’s creativity and imagination, encouraging children from across the UK to create an original story in 500 words or fewer. There are two age categories: 5-7 and 8-11 year-olds.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar are not marked – as has always been the case for 500 Words, it’s all about our writers’ brilliant creativity!
This year, the celebrity panel of judges include Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson, Francesca Simon, Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Rose Ayling-Ellis.
What are the prizes for 500 Words?
Bronze, silver and gold winners in each category will have their stories read by celebrities on the BBC in early March 2027.
They will also receive a framed illustration of their story, created by one of Britain’s best children’s illustrators. The illustrations, alongside the winning stories, will be published in a special 500 Words winners’ book.
Not only that, but winners will also take home a National Book Token to spend on books of their choice.
- Gold winners – £75 voucher
- Silver winners – £50 voucher
- Bronze winners – £25 voucher
The gold winners’ schools will also receive 500 books for their school library. The top 50 entrants (25 from each category) will have their story recorded and published on the 500 Words website.
As an added incentive for schools to enter, every story (excluding bronze, silver and gold winners) will be entered into a random draw. The winning entrant will receive a bundle of books for themselves, and their school will also receive 500 books and a literacy wall art.
For full details of the rules and how to submit a story, go to www.bbc.co.uk/teach/500-words
Good luck to all of our budding Camber authors!
Could YOU write a 500 Word Story?
Whilst we cannot offer a big competition, we can print a 500 word story in our newsletter!
If you would like to see your own short story in print and online, please send it to us at cambernews@hotmail.com.
No age restrictions!
