Creative Writing Competition

The first ever Inspired by Nature creative writing competition took place in the summer term of 2021. The competition was run by the Natural Curriculum and the Educational Recording Agency, with the support of NAPE. Pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 were asked to produce a piece of creative writing in response to a short video clip from the award-winning Natural Curriculum website (naturalcurriculum.co.uk).

The competition received over 1,700 pieces of written work. The entries were incredibly inventive and creative – one pupil even wrote a short story from the perspective of a rhino sanctuary fence! We are delighted to present a small selection of pupils’ work here.

The winning classes, who each won £500 for their school to spend on information technology, were: Ocklynge Junior School, Eastbourne – The Swamp Class (Year 3); St. Peter’s C.E. Primary School, Ardingly – Robin Class (Year 4); William Ransom Primary School, Hitchin – Chestnut Class (Year 5); and St. John’s CoE Primary School in Lacey Green – NM/TT Class (Year 6). Congratulations to the winning classes and very well done to everyone who took part! If you would like to read all the winning work for each year group, you can do so at https://www. naturalcurriculum.co.uk/about/news/updates/.

The Natural Curriculum is home to almost two hundred inspiring grammar lessons for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. This year, the resource has won two awards at the Education Resources Awards (for ‘Primary Resource or Equipment – ICT’ and ‘Free Educational Resources’) and the 4* Teach Primary award for free resources. The grammar lessons, all based on captivating natural history clips from the BBC, contain word challenges, clear explanations of the grammar that is being learned, whiteboard challenges, writing ideas and a downloadable worksheet. The website also has Home Learning resources for Years 1-6, and has also just launched climate change playlists and a pilot of new maths resources.

Here are the entries from St Peter’s C. E. Primary School, Ardingly.

The golden eagle shall catch its prey,

Is it a hare that it will slay?

Light and fast she soars in the sky,

Lean and mean she squawks a war cry.

Yet she never, ever gives in,

Vole or hare she’ll get her din.

She has got the hare in her sight,

Hare though will give a good fight.

Agile and fast the hare will run,

Run until the race is done.

Eagle and hare are they a good match?

Soar Tilly, the hare you can snatch!

Tilly was a big bird

With the loudest screech ever heard

She chased a Robo Bunny

When it was nice and sunny Now isn’t that just absurd

The mist laid thickly over the moor like a blanket,

The hare on nimble foot, bounced from rocky outcrop to rolling heather,

The eagle’s wings cut through the cool autumn breeze as he effortlessly circled in the sky,

He soared through the air, the race was on,

The thick mist was not enough to hide the eagle’s prey,

As the mist began to clear, the hare leaped over the damp grass, the dew glistened in the early morning sun,

The eagle soared in the air and swooped down,

He grabbed the hare with his talons, the race was won.

Tilly the eagle and her owner are taking a trip to Scotland. Tilly takes off locked onto her prey Robo Hare. The. Race. Is. On. “I’m coming little hare,” Tilly warned.

“Ha, you think you can catch me eagle!” Robo hare said airily. “You’ll never be able to catch me, I’m motorised!” yawned Robo Hare.

“You think I’m not going to catch you! I’m an eagle one of the fastest birds on Earth.” Tilly answered surely.

“Here I come hare almost got you!” Tilly says irritatingly.

As Tilly swooped down with her talons facing forwards, Tilly exclaims, “Gotcha!”

“Nooo” Robo Hare cries sadly.

Come on, I’ve got to get the Robo-rabbit,

It’s my training for the wild,

It’s my one and only favourite task,

To kill that scamp and beat him up,

To show him who’s boss here

We’ve just finished preparation time,

Now my aerodynamics come in use,

The flying time is here.

The wind rushes past my face,

My wings spread out wide,

I’m gaining, I’m gaining on him… …

He’s changed direction now,

Come on, focus,

My eyes trace his tail.

I stretch my legs …

… I’ve reached him now.

The satisfaction of my claws sinking into soft and bloody fur coat,

I’ve got him, he can’t get away.

My owner calls me back with my kill,

He says, “Well done you, you deserve this.”

He gives me some birdie treats and a little flesh to eat.