Registration is open for this year's Scottish Schools' Young Writer of the Year competition. To take part, please fill in our form below with the name of your school, contact name and position, and contact email. The deadline for registration is Wednesday 21 October 2026.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
The Scottish Schools' Young Writer of the Year competition is an annual event organised by the Young Programme charity. It is open to all pupils in Scottish schools who are between the ages of 15 and 18 on the closing date for entries.
Each entry must be a work of non-fiction. Pupils should imagine they are writing a feature or an opinion column for an intelligent magazine or serious newspaper. It could, for example, be a commentary about something in the news, thoughts about a cultural experience (a review of an exhibition or a theatrical production perhaps), an account of a personal experience of some kind (a trip, a meeting, an incident), a piece about a sports event (major or minor), a profile of, or an interview with, an individual. Around 1,000 words are required (no fewer than 900; no more than 1,300 – entries outside of these margins will not be considered). It is a condition of entry that work should be that of the author alone and unedited by a teacher (or anyone else).
A prize of £600 will be presented to the winning writer, and £300 each to two runners-up. All highly commended and commended writers will receive a book token. The top three award-winning entries will be published in a special report of the competition. The winning papers will be determined by a panel of distinguished judges.
2025/26: Olivia Burgess, Belmont Academy
2024/25: Chisangalo Makiyi, The Waid Academy
2023/24: Izzy Clarke, High School of Dundee
2022/23: May Bruce, Tynecastle High School
2021/22: Holly Helbert, Douglas Academy
2020/21: Amy Campbell, Hutchesons' Grammar School
2019/20: Changshi Tang, High School of Dundee
2018/19: Harriet Sweatman, The Royal High School
2017/18: Shannon Henderson, St Maurice's High School
2016/17: Jonathan Tevendale, Mallaig High School
2015/16: Gemma Grier, Our Lady's High School.
Young Programme
221 Liberator House
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Prestwick, KA9 2PT
enquiries@youngprogramme.org
+44 (0)1292 478510
Young Programme Charity:
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Young Programme Ltd:
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Young Programme Events Ltd:
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