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Schools and Home-Ed Writing Competition for Kids

We've teamed up with Waggy Tails Rescue Centre to create a dog-themed short story and poetry competition to inspire children to write.

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The writing competition is open to Schools and Home-Educated Children in Dorset, with FREE educator resources to help you along.

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Get your entries in before Sunday 15th March 2026!

Prizes

To encourage the children to write, we've got some incredible prizes for the winners:

  • Special guest at a Waggy Tails dog show

  • Publication in the charity’s publication

  • Goody bag

  • A celebration event on Saturday 25th April at Patch (1st floor of Bobbys) during the Bournemouth Writing Festival

  • Certificates for all winners

  • Stories/poems displayed at Bournemouth Library

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Free Educator / Teacher Resources

Download your FREE resource kit, including Powerpoint slides, an Information Sheet with everything you need to know and a special video from the Waggy Tails Rescue team to introduce the competition to the children.

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Three age categories for Primary and Secondary School children:

  • Key Stage 1: 5 to 6 year olds

  • Key Stage 2: 7 to 10 year olds

  • Key Stage 3: 11 to 14 year olds

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Once again, the lovely writers' group at Hengistbury Head will be reading and judging the entries.

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Waggy Tails Rescue

Waggy Tails Rescue Centre is a registered charity based in Dorset dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs in need across East Dorset and West Hampshire.  Thousands of unwanted and abandoned dogs have been re-homed into new, loving family environments. Waggy Tails also runs an advice service which deals with pet problems and can direct enquiries to the best available help if they cannot help themselves. They have also found new homes for cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats, hamsters, mice, budgies, one-legged cockatiels, battery chickens, 3 horses, 2 goats, 1 duck and lots of parrots.

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Visit the Waggy Tails website here.

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Hengistbury Head Writers' Group

The Hengistbury Head Writers' Group have been meeting at the Visitor Centre on the first Tuesday of every month from 2pm to 4pm for over ten years.

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Welcoming all writers - from complete beginners to published authors, fiction to poetry - the free group encourages and supports each other with their writing journey.

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You can meet the Hengistbury Head Writers (led by Jane Skellett) at the Russell Cotes Museum on Saturday 25th April from 10am to 12pm as part of the Writing Festival, where they will be holding a free drop-in session for those looking to get started with their writing.

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To find out more, contact the group at hengistbury.head@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

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Inspiring kids to write

Children's Writing Activities

We have several creative writing sessions for children during the Writing Festival in April, including children's author-led workshops and free drop-in sessions at Patch (1st Floor of Bobbys) and a free Poetry Marquee for all ages at Horseshoe Common.

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