News | 02 March 2026
IES Skellefteå International School student reaches top 100 in UK’s prestigious ‘500 Words’ competition
We are incredibly proud to announce that Aaira Arif, a student at IES Skellefteå International School, has achieved a remarkable feat in the UK’s largest story-writing competition, BBC 500 Words.
The scale of this achievement cannot be overstated: BBC 500 Words receives tens of thousands of entries (44,000 in 2024/25), and only around 5,000 progress to the second round of judging. The competition is judged on characterisation, plot, originality, language and enjoyment. Aaira’s imaginative tale, "The Toaster Chef", not only cleared that hurdle but stood out among those thousands to reach the top 100 young writers.
"I wanted to write something that would be fun, creative, and something different for young children to read," Aaira explained. "I wanted them to be excited and inspired to love books, as they bring so much to the world. You don’t read stories about kitchen appliances every day!"
For Aaira, the process was about more than just a competition. "I loved writing my short story, and I thought it was really fun – a great way to express my creativity with a bigger purpose," she added.
Ms Wendy Lidman, CAIE English Teacher at the school, highlighted the importance of these creative challenges:
"The students love creative tasks, so we thought the BBC 500 Words competition would be a perfect way to foster their creativity while also extending their writing skills. We all know our students are talented, but to be in the top 100 in a competition against thousands of children really says something! We are beyond proud of the stories all the children wrote and submitted, and a huge well done to Aaira for this amazing achievement."
The 2025/26 competition will conclude this February with a star-studded grand final, hosted by Her Majesty Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, England. While Aaira’s journey concludes at the top 100 stage, being part of such an elite group of young writers is an inspiration to our entire school community. We are delighted to share Aaira’s imaginative and successful entry with you below. Grab a cup of tea, settle in, and enjoy the story that captured the judges' attention.
