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07 March 2026

Posted by Frankie

Young & Junior Writers Week 7: Gold, gold & gold

We’re already seven weeks into the first term, and this week we focused on golden poetry, descriptive writing about golden places, and treasure maps that didn’t always lead to gold.

Using a photo featuring several golden objects, each group chose one and wrote a poem about it.

Among the pieces created were a golden mask, faded and dull after being left buried in boxes; a set of golden dice that could transport you to different worlds depending on the numbers rolled; and an oak tree that grew gold, though it struggled under the weight of its own treasure. In one darker piece, a pure gold heart had been carved from someone’s chest and stolen.

Next, we explored places made of gold. We visited a room filled with golden chapters waiting to unfold, with characters hung in golden frames. Elsewhere, a pixie spoke about the unexpected drawbacks of living in a country made entirely of gold.

Finally, we created treasure maps that revealed treacherous islands where the reward didn’t always seem worth the effort, or the danger.

One island appeared to be specifically designed to kill you, featuring hazards such as the Acid Lake. The treasure waiting at the end? Simply a boat to escape in - if you could get past the sharks. Another island used alliterative locations, including the flesh-eating Red Ant Army. "The Arena" turned out to be an island with no treasure at all.

And to end on a lighter note, one map featured the wonderfully strange “Pork Shed atop the Sleeping Pig Rock.”

- Frankie :)


Ages 7–11: What is Gold? - The Royal Mint Museum Short Story Competition

www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/learning/short-story-competition

Ages 14–18: BBC Young Writers Award 2026
bbc.co.uk/ywa

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