Premier League Writing Stars winners announced!

In October 2018 we launched the second year of Premier League Writing Stars on the theme of Diversity.

The response was fantastic and we received over 25,000 poems, meaning that our judging panel had a difficult task in selecting the winners!

The panel included former Premier League footballer Rio Ferdinand, singer and songwriter Olly Murs, Waterstone’s Children’s Laureate Lauren Child, poet Joseph Coelho. Casia Wiliam, current Bardd Plant Cymru (Welsh-language Children’s Poet Laureate) was the guest judge for all Welsh-language entries. Judging was overseen by National Literacy Trust Director Jonathan Douglas.

We would like to congratulate everyone that entered as we thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every poem. Watch the film below to see what the judges had to say about what made the winners stand out:

We are pleased to announce the national and regional winners as follows:

Class 1, Deeping St James C.P. School, East of England, KS1
Evie, Ipswich High School, East of England, KS2
Charlie, St Thomas Catholic Voluntary Academy, East Midlands, KS1
Trafford, Barwell Church of England Academy, East Midlands, KS2
Adam, Oliver Goldsmith Primary School, London, KS1
Ava, Thomas's Clapham, London, KS2
Class, Harton Primary School, North East, KS1
Ella, Hunwick Primary School, North East, KS2
Nabila, Lary, Jacob, Amy, Benjamin, Thomas, Khadija, St Finbar's Catholic Primary School,
North West, KS1 - national winners
Ethan, Overton St Helen's Church of England Primary School, North West, KS2
Ava, Springfield Infant School and Nursery, South East, KS1
Ben, Parkside School, South East, KS2
Zach, Yealmpstone Farm Primary School, South West, KS1
Emily, Ramsbury Primary School, South West, KS2
Katie, Shirenewton Primary School, Wales, KS1
Sam, Fairfield, Wales, KS2
Cara, Ysgol Y Berllan Deg, Welsh language, KS2
Issac, Outwoods Primary School, West Midlands, KS1
Maariya, Heathfield Primary School, West Midlands, KS2 - national winner
Macie, All Saints CE Federation, Yorkshire & The Humber, KS1
Kitty, Otley All Saints CE Primary, Yorkshire and the Humber, KS2

The judges also selected a number of highly commended entries:

Cassie, Eben, Lily, Noah, Olivia, Sadie, Rhys, Raunds Park Infant School, East Midlands, KS1
Cohen, Hollygirt School, East Midlands, KS1
Henri, Westfield School, East of England, KS1
Olivia, Edward Francis Primary School, East of England, KS2
Minudi, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, London, KS1
Leelou, North Harringay Primary School, London, KS2
Iman, Hounslow Town Primary School, London, KS2
Kamilah, Oliver Goldsmith Primary School, London, KS2
Layla, Green Gates Primary School, North East, KS1
Thomas & Seb, St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School, North West, KS2
Sophia, Stockton Heath Primary School, North West, KS1
Lucas, Park Primary School, North West, KS2
Jack, Long Close School, South East, KS1
Kasper, Holy Trinity CE (A) School, South East, KS2
Chloe, Watermore Primary School, South West, KS1
Amelia, St Leonard's CE Primary School, West Midlands, KS2
Thomas, Dore Primary School, Yorkshire and the Humber, KS2
Amelia, Upperwood Academy, Yorkshire and the Humber, KS2

You can read the winning poems below:

Being Different

I cover up my hair but you shouldn’t stare at me.
I have lovely hair and I’m as proud as I can be.

I speak another language but you shouldn’t laugh at me.
I can be your good friend – come and play with me!

I find walking hard but you shouldn’t throw me out –
I will get stronger and then I can run about.  

I find spelling tricky but you shouldn’t huff and puff.
I will not give up even if it is tough.  

I sometimes get worried but you shouldn’t point at me.
If you help me, I’ll be the best that I can be!

By Nabila, Lary, Jacob, Amy, Benyamin, Thomas, Khadija
St Finbar's Catholic Primary School

An ordinary girl from Birmingham

I am nine and three quarters, living next door to a lady from Gibraltar,

I can go to the shop to buy noodles and rice, chapatti flour and spice,

I can say As-salamu alaykum and Hello, Kennichiua, and Hola.

My favourite dish is pie and chips, popadoms, pratha and fish,

My sister thinks she is Jamaican, her favourite food is jerk chicken.

My mum is from up north,

My dad is from down south,

Together they make my world.

This is me, this is who I am. An ordinary girl from Birmingham.

By Maariya, aged 9 and ¾
Heathfield Primary School