Terms & Conditions

KIWANIS: “Croydon Young Writers’ Anthology Project”

Terms & Conditions, Submission Guidelines

1. Eligibility

  • Open to pupils aged 6–16 years.
  • Pupils must reside in the London Borough of Croydon and attend a Croydon school.
  • Only one entry per pupil is allowed.
  • Selected schools will be advertised on our website www.kcoc.co.uk

2. Originality

  • All submissions must be original and unpublished.
  • “Unpublished” means the work has not appeared in print (books, magazines, newspapers) or online (websites, competitions, public blogs or forums).

3. Submission Format

  • Gendre: Poetry or short stories (fiction and non-fiction)
  • Word limits:
    • Ages 6–9: Max 300 words
    • Ages 10–13: Max 500 words
    • Ages 14–16: Max 1000 words
  • Theme: The Wonder of Croydon. (prompts below)
  • All entries must be:
    • Typed in Times New Roman, 12pt, single spaced
    • Submitted as .doc, .docx, or .pdf files only
    • Or handwritten clearly
  • Each entry must include two separate documents:

Entry Form (with identifying information) – includes title, pupil’s name, age, address, and contact information.

Anonymous Entry (for judging) – contains the story/poem title and the piece only, with no identifying information.

4. Submission Process

All entries must be submitted digitally.

  • School Registration: Visit www.kcoc.co.uk to register. This grants full access to download entry forms, plus Terms & Conditions.
  • Application: School to distribute application form, plus terms and conditions to pupils and parent/guardian. Then collate entries (two per pupil) and forward to us.
  • Parental Consent: Consent to be obtained from the parent/guardian by the school.
  • Submission Methods: Schools to submit completed student entries (stories/poems) byemail in bulk to: secretary@kcoc.co.uk
  • Your school’s name must be clearly stated in the subject line.

Independent & Festival Entries (Open to all Croydon Pupils)

For children who do not attend one of our 40 selected schools but live/study in Croydon, entries must be submitted individually. Parental consent must be given directly on the Independent Application Form. These can be submitted individually via email to secretary@kcoc.co.uk by the parent/guardian.

To submit an independent entry, the parent or legal guardian must email the following two items together to

  1. The Creative Work: The child’s story or poem (maximum of two entries per pupil).
  2. The Signed Form: A scanned copy or clear photograph of the complete Independent Entry Form, with the parent/guardian consent section fully ticked and signed.

Note: Independent entries cannot be accepted without the accompanying parent/guardian signed form to verify consent.

5. Copyright and Usage Rights

  • Entrants retain full copyright of their work.
  • By submitting, pupils grant the Kiwanis Club of Croydon the non-exclusive right to:
    • Publish selected entries in a printed and/or digital anthology
    • Use excerpts or entries for promotional and educational purposes (e.g., social media, event displays)
    • Distribute copies to schools, libraries, and community spaces

6. Judging Criteria:

A panel of local educators, authors, and community leaders will judge the submissions. Entries will be evaluated anonymously using the following criteria (tailored by age category and form):

Poetry and Short Stories

  • Creativity and originality
  • Structure and flow
  • Use of language
  • Grammar, spelling and punctuation
  • Emotional impact
  • Adherence to the theme
  • Overall impression

7. Submission & Deadlines

  • Friday 11th September 2026 at 17:00 (BST) via email to: secretary@kcoc.co.uk
  • Late entries will not be accepted.

8. Notification of Winners

  • There will be one overall winner from each age category and genre.
  • Winners will be contacted via email or phone by Friday 25th September 2026.
  • Results will be announced on our website and social media channels shortly after.

Results Ceremony: Saturday, 3rd October 2026 for shortlisted students, their families, and friends.

Venue: To be hosted at a central Croydon academy hub (Final venue details and invitations will be confirmed with shortlisted schools in September).

“Need a head start? Try one of these ‘Wonder’ Prompts!”

(Ages 6–13)

  • The Magic Door: “I was walking through e.g., Lloyd Park when I found a tiny, glowing door at the base of an old oak tree. I whispered the word ‘Wonder,’ and…”
  • The Secret Garden: “If I could build a secret ‘Garden of Wonder’ right in the middle of Croydon, it would have…”
  • The Statue Comes to Life: “One evening, the statue in the Town Hall Square climbed down from its pedestal and asked me to show them the most wonderful thing in Croydon today. I took them to…”

(Ages 14–16)

  • The Concrete Jungle: “They call it a concrete jungle, but if you look closely at the skyline from the top of The 50p Building, the wonder starts to appear in the…”
  • The Time Capsule: “I am burying a ‘Wonder Capsule’ beneath the Croydon Clocktower. Inside, I’ve put three things that prove Croydon has a heart. They are…”
  • The Voice of the Streets: “Write a poem where the streets of Croydon are speaking. What do they ‘wonder’ about the thousands of people who walk on them every day?”