Harrogate Ladies’ College Launch Annual Essay Competition For International Women’s Day
Harrogate Ladies’ College is delighted to announce the launch of the 2025 ‘Inspirational Woman Essay Competition’, ahead of International Women’s Day (Saturday 8th March). The aim of the competition is to recognise and celebrate the incredible achievements of inspirational women, which are often overlooked.
Harrogate Ladies’ College Head of English, Mrs Melissa Naylor (right) and students celebrating the launch of the Inspirational Woman Essay Competition. Credit: Sam Atkins.
The writing competition is open to primary and prep school children in Year 3, 4 and 5 from schools across Harrogate and surrounding areas.
Entries are subject to word limits (500 words for Year 3 and 4, 750 for Year 5), and must be written about a female that has inspired the pupils, such as a sportsperson, artist, author, historical figure, or even a grandmother or mother.
Finalists will then be invited to a special luncheon at Harrogate Ladies’ College, where the winners will be announced and presented with their prizes. Guests will also hear the winning essays, which will be read by local inspirational women on the day.
Head of English at Harrogate Ladies’ College, Mrs Melissa Naylor, is excited to judge the essay competition and says,
“We are thrilled to provide this platform for young writers to hone their craft. The competition's focus on developing writing and reading comprehension skills directly supports the Key Stage 2 curriculum and lays strong foundations for future learning.”
The Key Stage 2 (KS2) Enrichment Programme introduced by Harrogate Ladies’ College in 2023, has been designed to provide learning and development opportunities for KS2 aged pupils beyond their standard curriculum.
“Activities like these are crucial elements of our Key Stage 2 Enrichment Programme and the luncheon is always a special event here at College,” Naylor added.
Last year’s winners were Layla Atkinson from Bramhope Primary, Samantha Lusted of Oatlands Junior School, and Ngozi Chikere from Harewood CofE Primary School. Layla, Samantha and Ngozi all received individual book tokens, as well as book tokens for their schools.
Entries for the 2025 essay competition will close on Friday 4th April, with finalists announced on Wednesday 16th April. The finalists’ luncheon will then take place on Wednesday 7 May.
For more information on how to enter, prizes and more, click here
