Imagination Unleashed: Story Competition Sparks Creativity
Excitement filled Cricklade Manor Prep as children from Reception to Year 6 took part in a story competition set by our English lead, Miss Blissett.
The Challenge?
To use their imagination and creativity to write a captivating story opener in 200 words or less.
The competition coincided with celebrating the visit of the Scholastic Travelling Book Fair, giving children the chance to explore, read, and buy books. Cricklade Manor Prep is passionate about making English accessible to all pupils, and this event was a fantastic way to inspire young minds to embark on creative adventures.
The entries were truly outstanding, showcasing a wonderful range of ideas and storytelling skills. Take a read of the runner-up’s stories below:
RUNNER-UP – by Lucy S
“Once upon a time, there lived a little girl called Ruby. She was a foster child and had been adopted by 2 very nice adults who were unable to have children themselves. These very nice adults were called Lily Evans and Josh Evans. One day, Ruby opened her favourite book called Fairy Treasures and saw something moving on page 59. “What is that?!” she exclaimed in shock whilst absentmindedly swapping it for another book on her bookshelf. This new book was called The Secret Life of Pets. It wasn’t her favourite book but it was better than Fairy Treasures as she was afraid that she was having hallucinations. Later that day, Ruby’s parents came into her room to check on her. “Why aren’t you reading Fairy Treasures, I thought it was your favourite book?” questioned Lily awkwardly. “I thought it would be good for a change.” replied Ruby equally as awkwardly secretly hoping that her parents would leave her alone. Thankfully, her parents did leave her alone. The next day, she opened Fairy Treasures again and saw something on page 59 again. She leaned closer… and closer… and closer to look at the page. Abruptly, she got sucked in!”
RUNNER-UP – by Taran H
“Jeff Stinger was the name on everyone’s lips in the world of cricket. Known for his effortless agility and powerful batting, he had achieved the status of a living legend, someone whose performances could turn the tide of a match within a matter of minutes. His journey from a small-town prodigy to an internationally renowned cricket star was nothing short of extraordinary. Born into a family with no particular love for the sport, Jeff’s early years were spent practicing in the dusty fields of his local village, where the crack of his bat against the ball was as familiar as the sound of birds in the morning.
Yet, despite the humble beginnings, it wasn’t long before scouts started to take notice. By the time he was twenty, Jeff had secured a place on the national team. His rise was meteoric, and with it came the pressure of expectation. Every game felt like a stage, every move scrutinized by the millions who followed his career. But despite the pressure, Jeff remained grounded. He played for the love of the game, for the thrill of the chase, and for the camaraderie that only cricket could offer.
But beneath the polished exterior of the champion athlete, Jeff struggled with a side of himself that few knew about. His inner demons had always been there, simmering beneath the surface, threatening to derail the career that had once seemed destined for greatness. Now, as his reputation and personal life were tested by the weight of his success, Jeff would have to decide if he could keep his balance or if the game he loved would be the one thing to tear him apart.”
After much deliberation, the winning entry was Caitlyn R, whose story was praised for
“…embracing originality and engagement”
A huge congratulations to our talented winner and read her winning entry below:
WINNER: The Clock Struck Murder O’Clock by Caitlyn R
“I didn’t mean to hurt her (kill her),” she whispered. She lied of course, we didn’t believe her. All eyes turned to the murderer… well, suspect (our main one though). Wait. I’m starting this story at the end – oops! I’m Alice, the secretary of our detective society, which is called the Crimson Fox Investigators (CFI) – I came up with the name, obviously – and my bestie Harper is the founder. We are both eleven, but Harper is about a month older than me.
It was a crisp, clear morning about 5:00am on Friday 12th October 1966, and my whole class were going on the biggest trip of the year, to Snowdonia. Me, Harper and our other friends Chloe, Ella, May and Molly (all CFI members) go to a boarding school for girls called Raven High. We’re in Year 7, and our dorm room is next to another dorm who we don’t like much, consisting of Emma, Maria and Maia (the twins), Olivia, Susan and Ada, the leader and meanest one of the group. We play pranks on them and the play pranks back at us – it’s really fun! (There are also other dorms, of course, but they aren’t that important.)“
We are incredibly proud of all the children who took part. Keep writing, keep imagining, and who knows? The next great author could be sitting in one of our classrooms!
