Note to teachers:
- The competition is open to school-age children in North Norfolk and North-West Norfolk
- Please make sure the poems you submit are no shorter than 7 lines and no longer than 27
- Entries will be judged in three categories: key stages 2 and 3
- Please submit only one poem per child – no shorter than 7 lines and no longer than 27 lines
- Illustrations are welcome and invited but not essential
- Please submit up to 10 entries per class for each key stage, plus 1 wild-card entry (if applicable). A wild-card entry is a poem whose spelling and punctuation may be challenging but which does something striking with imagery, sound, voice or ideas
- Please submit entries via email before the end of Friday 31 July 2026 to our email address info@literatureandlandscape.org, and type ‘schools’ poetry competition’ in the subject box’
- Please attach entries as pdfs, in the child’s handwriting where possible, and make sure each poem is clearly marked with the first name, class / school year and age of the child
- Schools will be notified about names of shortlisted poets in September. Children on the shortlist will be invited to Wells Maltings at 10am on Saturday 3 October 2026 along with parents or guardians, in order to read out their poems and hear the the winners announced.
- In your cover email please:
- list your school’s entries and
- confirm that all the poems are exclusively the work of the child whose name is on the poem
- Any questions? Please get in touch via info@literatureandlandscape.org
Any approach to the title theme may be taken.
Prizes will consist of certificates, signed books and / or book tokens.
The festival organisers reserve the right to publish selected poems on our website and elsewhere.
We will use first names only, school and class / year to identify the winning poets.
The judge’s decision is final.
Thank you for taking part!
Literature & Landscape 