Private School News

Change is the Theme of the Day for Staines Competition Winners

Create & Wait, the free educational children’s web gallery, created by Staines Preparatory School teacher Claire Eastaugh, has announced the proud winners of its poetry competition, which was centred on the theme ‘Changes’.

The site’s sixth successful competition since its launch in 2007, drew entries from throughout the local area from budding young poets bursting with rhyme. It was judged by children’s author Timothy Knapman. Timothy is the author of the successful ‘Mungo’ books and lives in Weybridge.

Timothy, who set the creatively challenging theme, was impressed with all the children’s writing. “Narrowing the entries down was no easy task,” he said. “There were many wonderful flashes of brilliance and insight and I hope it will encourage them to keep writing poetry.”

Six talented winners were selected from Years 3-6. Each received a hand-written certificate signed by Timothy as their prize and their pieces of work are on display on the English Gallery at www.createandwait.com.

The winners from Staines were Daniel Fellows (age 10) and Madeleine Henson (age 10) from Year 6, Anushka Naidu (age 10) and Sophia Ali-Burdon (age 9) from Year 5. Year 4’s winner was Anthony Davies (age and the winner from Year 3 was Avi Tripathi (age 7).

The next Create & Wait competition is a unique challenge, calling for young inventors to get involved in an exciting design competition. Entrants are being asked to invent and design something around the theme ‘Fast and Furious’ – from fast cars to funky fashion. The competition will be judged by accomplished inventor, Trevor Baylis OBE. Entry is free to children in Years 3-6 from all schools. The closing date is February 12th 2010.

Entries from local primary schoolchildren are particularly welcome and instructions on how to enter may be found on the website.

Photo: Pictured with her signed certificate is Year 5 winner of the Create & Wait online children’s poetry competition, Sophia Ali-Burdon (age 9).