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Poetry Competition

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All young people (4-19 years old) engaged in compulsory education in Cambridgeshire are invited to enter our poetry competition, running as part of our environmental project ‘Communicating Hope’. We invite poems on the theme of ‘hope and the environment’, a theme which can be widely interpreted. We look forward to witnessing the creativity of young people across the county.

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Prizes include family tickets to climb to the top of Great St Mary's tower, and a selection of poems being exhibited in Michaelhouse in the centre of Cambridge. There will also be bookish prizes. 

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Andy Shepherd, author of 'The Boy Who Grew Dragons' series, and the new series 'The Wood Where Magic Grows' will help to judge shortlisted poems in the primary school categories. 

 

Full conditions of entry are below. Basic conditions and methods of entry are as follows:

 

The maximum length of poem accepted is 40 lines. There is no minimum length. Poems can be illustrated – there will be prizes for best illustrated poems – but we are very happy to receive poems without illustrations, as we are most interested in the poetry! We ask that AI is not used to aid in the writing or illustrating of poems.

 

Entries may reference God or religious belief, but this is not a requirement. One of the prizes involves poems being set to music as hymns – poems deemed suitable for setting to music in this way will be shortlisted separately, although this does not prevent them from winning in one of the main prize categories. As the competition is open to entrants of all faiths and none, please let us know if you would not like to be considered for this prize category.

 

Please include the following information with entries, ideally on the back of the entry if submitting on paper. Where entries are being submitted in bulk by schools via email, please place this information at the top or bottom of the document and we will anonymise for the judging process.

 

Pupil’s name:

 

Pupil’s age:

 

Year group:

 

School/college name (or status as ‘home educated’ or alternative):

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How to submit –

 

Email entries to: nataliel@gsm.cam.ac.uk with the subject title ‘Poetry Competition’

 

Post entries to: Poetry Competition, Great St Mary’s, Senate House Hill, Cambridge, CB2 3PQ.

 

You may also bring entries to Great St Mary’s in person, and leave at the front desk with a member of our Front of House team.

 

Closing date: Friday 20th February

Poetry Competition – Official Terms

 

  1. The competition is open to those aged 4-19 who are, during the entry period of the competition, attending school, further education colleges, or being home educated (as part of their compulsory education or training) in Cambridgeshire. 

  2. The competition is not open to those who are engaged in university-level study. 

  3. Entries are limited to one poem per individual.

  4. Poems should be on the theme of ‘hope and the environment’. The competition is open to all, regardless of belief. Individuals may choose to reference God or religious belief in their poem, but this is not a requirement.

  5. There is no minimum length for poems, but the maximum length is 40 lines. 

  6. Entries can be submitted through schools or by individuals.

  7. All entries should include the name, age, and class/year group of the child/young person. A contact email address or phone number for an entrant’s school or guardian should also be provided. Where entries are submitted on paper, please list this information on the back of the entry. 

  8. Entries can be handwritten or typed, and submitted in person at Great St Mary’s or via email at the following address: nataliel@gsm.cam.ac.uk. Please use the subject title ‘Poetry Competition’. 

  9. We will accept postal entries, which are to be sent to: Poetry Competition, c/o Natalie Lealand, Great St Mary’s, Senate House Hill, Cambridge, CB2 3PQ.

  10. Poems can be illustrated (although this is not a requirement). Illustrations can be hand-drawn or drawn on a device but we ask that you do not employ AI as part of your work. 

  11. The closing date for entries is Friday 20th February.

  12. Winners will be announced by 13th April 2026. 

  13. There will be at least one winner in each of the following categories: EYFS/KS1; KS2; KS3; KS4; College & Sixth Form Students (16-19); best illustrated poem (primary); best illustrated poem (secondary)

  14. Poems which contain religious themes and are deemed suitable for setting to music will also be shortlisted as part of a separate judging process. Three winning poems in this category will be used by music students in a further competition, as part of which music will be composed to accompany the texts. 

  15. Copyright remains with the creators of the poems/artwork.

  16. Entrants can withdraw from the competition at any point by emailing us at: nataliel@gsm.cam.ac.uk, or by writing to: Poetry Competition, Great St Mary’s, Senate House Hill, Cambridge, CB2 3PQ.

  17. Winning poems, and some shortlisted poems, may be displayed as part of an exhibition at Michaelhouse, Cambridge. Only first names or initials will be used in this public exhibition. 

  18. Prizes are not transferable and there is no cash alternative available. 

  19. Judges’ decisions regarding winners are final.

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