POETRY
COMPETITION
Following the success of our first poetry competition in 2025, which received over 80 thoughtful and creative entries and recognised 12 prize winners from Key Stages 1–4, the competition returns for Inter Faith Week 2026. We look forward to giving even more young people the opportunity to explore this year’s theme and share their perspectives through poetry.
About
The Inter Faith Week National Pupil Poetry Competition returns in 2026 and is open, free of charge, to all UK schools. This year’s theme is “Lighting the Way for a Shared Future.”
Pupils are invited to explore the theme through poetry, considering questions such as:
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What gives us hope for the future?
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How can people of different faiths and beliefs light the way for one another?
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What can we do together to create a more connected future?
Prizes will be awarded to pupils and schools across four key stages
All poems must be the pupil’s own work, written in English and submitted through their school.
Resources and inspiration
Our Inter Faith Week learning journey resources include activities and reflection prompts to inspire pupils’ writing.
Any poetic form is welcome, including acrostics, free verse and lyrics. Pupils might explore:
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Sources of light, hope and guidance within different faiths and beliefs.
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Family traditions and community practices.
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How people with different worldviews can work together.
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Actions that can help create a fairer, more connected future.
Reflection prompts include:
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What lights the way for me?
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What do I hope our shared future will look like?
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How can I help others feel hopeful and included?
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What can different communities achieve together?
How to enter
You can enter the competition by filling out the google form linked below. Please check the guidance material for further detail about the competition.Please note, a school can only submit one poetry per Key Stage to the competition.
We have also created special poetry resources to help teachers and students start thinking about this year's theme in creative ways.
This year we're delighted to have Lisa O'Hara join the panel of judges.
Lisa O’Hara is a self-published author (@lisa_ohara2023). Her work focuses on exploring the role of creativity in processing trauma. Her debut novel in 2023, When Night Falls, explores finding light and faith in the wake of personal tragedy. It follows the protagonist, Grace, as she goes on a pilgrimage up Kilimanjaro.
She has been a UKLA teacher judge, for the shortlisting and longlisting for 11-14+ and on the final panel, over the past 5 years.
Her short writings can be located on Substack (Lisa O’Hara @emotionallandscapes) – this creative work shares short stories, and poetry, about real life experiences.
If you have any questions, please email info@faithbeliefforum.org