Quondam Writing Competition

All current Francis Holland pupils are invited to enter either a poem, essay or a piece of creative writing with a maximum word count of 1000 words. The theme this year is Against All Odds.

Consideration will be given not only to creativity and style, but also to grammatical accuracy. All entries must be a new piece of work, written especially for this competition; please note that no homework or coursework will be accepted.

The Quondam Committee will judge all entries and award a book token of £50 to the winners of the Junior and Senior categories:

  • The Junior Prize is open to III, LIV and UIV forms
  • The Senior Prize is open to LV, UV, LVI and UVI forms

HOW TO APPLY
Pupils should hand their entry to their English teacher by Tuesday 29 April 2025.

The following information MUST BE INCLUDED with your entry:

  • Full name and date
  • Form
  • Whether you are entering the Junior or Senior category
  • Title of essay or poem
  • Word count

Any entry received later than the deadline date or not meeting the above requirements will be disqualified. An acknowledgement on receipt of the entry will be sent to the applicant by email.

This year’s theme was ‘Be Bold!’.

Congratulations to our two winners: Amara Anderson, IIIJ, who came first in the Junior Category with her story, ā€˜Two for Joy’, and Hana Preston, LVIBS, who took first place in the Senior Category with her story ā€˜The Bloodied Flesh of Adam.’ The winners were announced during an assembly at the end of the Summer Term by Chair of Quondam, Susanne Nedas. Both pupils were awarded a Ā£50 book token at the Prize Giving Ceremony.

This year’s theme was Clearing Out

CongratulationsĀ to the winners of this year’s Quondam Writing Competition: Sonal Korlipara, (LVC) who came first in the senior category with her story, titled ā€˜Clearing Out’, and Freya Sabharwal (IIIH), who won the Junior Category with her essay, also titled ā€˜Clearing Out.’

Both girls were awarded a £50.00 book token at the Prize-Giving ceremony, held at the end of the Summer Term.

This year’s theme was Pandemic Positives

Senior:

1st Robin Laurenson-Clark (VIDW) with her essay, ‘Pandemic Positives’

2nd Helen McDonnell (LVIRA) with her essay, ‘Pandemic Positives’

Click here to read Robin’s winning entry

Junior:

1st Meg Ingham (IIIM) with her essay, ‘Half-full’

2nd Ayesha Amin (UIVC) with her poem, ‘Pandemic Positives’

3rd Madeleine Ingham (UIVS) with her essay, ‘Pandemic Positives – The Glimpse of a Change’

Click here to read Meg’s winning entry

This year’s theme was Covid-19

Senior: 1stĀ Deia Leykind, 2ndĀ Cara Bossom, 3rdĀ Sophie Hudson

Click here to read Deia’s winning entry

Junior: 1stĀ Poppy Brewster, 2ndĀ Saiiba Shamnath, 3rdĀ Clare Hodges

Click here to read Poppy’s winning entry

This year’s theme was AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Senior: 1stĀ Jessica Flood, 2ndĀ Luise Schottelius, 3rd Sophie Hudson

Click here to read Jessica’s winning entry

Junior: 1stĀ Amaya Collier-Wright, 2ndĀ Olivia Gearson, 3rdĀ Amber Hill

Click here to read Amaya’s winning entry

Senior: 1st Theodora Shillito, 2nd Gayatri Bhatt, 3rd Ellie Du Bois

Click here to read Theodora’s winning entry

Junior: 1st Amaya Collier-Wright, 2nd Vivienne Acton, 3rd Marta Monticelli

Click here to read Amaya’s winning entry

Senior: 1st Alice Ward, 2nd Yasmin Morrell, 3rd Yasmeen Louis

Click here to read Alice’s winning entry

Junior: 1st Larissa Isaacs, 2nd Harriet Wellock, 3rd Amaya Collier-Wright

Click here to read Larissa’s winning entry

Senior: 1st Helena McBurney,Ā 2nd Nadia Muccio, 3rd Courtney McNeil.

Click here to read Helena’s entry

Junior: 1st Rose McGowan, 2nd Isabella Fisher Turner, 3rd Mya Shah.

Click here to read Rose’s entry

Junior – Amy Hobson

Senior – Caitlin Issacs

Junior – Sara di Giorgio UIV (Prize Winner), Jordana Belaiche UIV (Runner Up)

Senior – Hannah Davidson LVI (Prize Winner)Ā and Naomi Hayman UVIĀ (Prize Winner)

Get in Touch

Latest School News