This exciting contest invites children aged 5–7 and 8–11 to unleash their imaginations and write a fictional story of 500 words or fewer. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are not judged — it’s all about creativity!

Parents must submit entries directly via the BBC 500 Words website https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/500-words . The deadline is Friday 7 November 2025 at 9 PM.

🏰 Finalists will be invited to a star-studded Grand Final at Windsor Castle in February 2026, hosted by Queen Camilla. Celebrity judges include Malorie Blackman, Sir Lenny Henry, Francesca Simon, and more.

🎁 Prizes include:

• Gold winners: The height of Sir Lenny Henry in books + 500 books for their school
• Silver winners: The height of The Queen in books
• Bronze winners: The average height of a 7- or 11-year-old in books
• All winning stories will be illustrated and published by Oxford University Press

📚 We’d love a copy! If your child enters, please also send a copy of their story to school. We’re creating a school anthology for our libraries so everyone can enjoy reading the wonderful stories written by our young authors.

Let’s celebrate storytelling and imagination — happy writing!