Competition to run in Schools

[compuclean]

Alrighty There People!!!

Just want your input on a sideline idea of mine, with regard to my joke book.

I want to run a competition in schools, whereby kids submit a joke to me, best joke wins a signed copy of my book. Simple.

The link to the poster for the comp is below. Can you just check it over, let me know what the general opinion is? Especially with regards to dates - do you think I should do this now, or wait until the new term starts in September? Anyway, suggestions, comments, criticisms (kind though, please!), thoughts - post below. Thanks.

http://www.computervaleting.co.uk/Winthelaughterfile.pdf

[theMBA]

Compuclean,
Anything involving school children must be carefully handled, these days, for safeguarding reasons. I'd suggest you contact your local Council (Children's Services section) regarding their policies on private sector services offered to schools. There might be hoops to jump through before they are happy with what you propose. You might even have to go through some form of vetting. It varies from Council to Council.

[compuclean]

Thanks theMBA,

I actually know people in the local LEA, I've put the idea to them and they are going to get back to me about it....

[Sandy]

As an ex deputy, I used to get approached frequently with different competitions. There were so many, I used to pick and choose the best ones to promote (either setting it to do as a task in school or encouraging them to take it home and enter individually).
Deciding factors for me were:
Would the school get any recognition if one of their pupils won?
Was there a prize for the school?
Was it good for the children to be involved? (either fun, thought provoking or educational)
Was it easy to administer?

I am not aware of any restrictions on schools accepting to take part in competitions because there would be no contact with the children. Most competitions involving children up to the age of 16 usually require the school or a parent to sign a form giving their permission.

Definitely do it for September. This term is always manic. It might be worth getting it out at the end of this term so that it could be introduced at the start of term when there is a lull, but there again, schools are notorious for losing things.

I wonder why you are limiting it to secondary. I was in a Primary school and this kind of thing would have appealed to the 7 to 11 year olds more so than older children.

Good luck with it ( its a good idea)

[compuclean]

I wonder why you are limiting it to secondary. I was in a Primary school and this kind of thing would have appealed to the 7 to 11 year olds more so than older children.

Good luck with it ( its a good idea)

The content of the joke book dictates it. There are no rude or dirty jokes in it, however the humour is best suited to those in their teen/adolescent years.

Thanks for the advice.