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To think my DD's primary school should not give out her address for competitions

5 replies

MikeStand · 15/09/2008 12:26

I'll try to keep it brief but I have received a letter from YoungWriters telling me my DD has "won" a competition to have a story published. After my initial delight I read the piece she had written (she is normally an imaginative writer but this looked like she had just dashed something off)and felt it was not the most inspired piece of writing. This triggered my curiosity and I found this thread mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2408&threadid=500872#10132528

Basically they are offering a paperback for £15 and relying on parental pride to make me cough up. If she had won a genuine competition I would be delighted but I feel this is a bit of a scam. I have not filled in a consent form to give full name, age and address to third parties so should I mention my disquiet to school? Am I overreacting and should I just go along with it and shell out the cash?

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ja9 · 15/09/2008 12:29

This is out of order. Let the school know about it. My school were involved in something similar although letters came to school not to children's homes. It is a complete scam - your school may be unaware.

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butterflymum · 15/09/2008 12:37

We had this happen a few years ago and complained in no uncertain terms to the school. Initial complaint met with lack of understanding re issue, but we did not let it go. Proceedure was eventually changed and addresses no longer given out for this or anything similar.

I am very strongly against methods used by the company in question and do not believe schools should support the methods. I do not believe that there is competition as such, merely a marketing ploy that seems to take many schools in. Trouble is, they have been doing it for years and have seemingly strong support from schools.

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MikeStand · 15/09/2008 12:50

Looking at the website www.youngwriters.co.uk/ I can see how school have been sucked in with promises of £1000 for best school etc.
I have put the letter away and will see what happens at school.
Apparently it is an "Enjoy and Achieve outcome." At £15 a pop it certainly is for Forward Press ltd , the parent company of youngwriters.

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BitOfFun · 15/09/2008 13:22

Another clue that his is a bit of a swizz is that when the parents get the letter to ask permission for inclusion, they are asked to "proof-read it carefully"...To me, this implies that they just whack out whatever they are given: another sign that they are not "editing" the compilation in any meaningful way, or encouraging quality in the children's writing at all.

It's a scam to make money out of parent's and kids' pride in their work - I don't buy these books, in the same way I don't buy school photos if I could have taken a better photo myself. I resent the implication that these companies trade on: if you don't buy, then you don't love them or feel proud of them!