G came home from school with an envelope today…

I’ve just written a letter to school.

I’m Gracie Richards’ Dad.

As you’ll no doubt know, she was sent home with a Young Writers certificate of merit for her Jungle Tale.

I was delighted, but delight turned to suspicion at the price of the books. A considerable sum.

In fact, the closer I looked at the business model, the more suspicious I became.

Here are some articles from the media on the Young Writers business model. I’d love to hear your comments on it.

To précis it – the words of Elaine Millard, chair of professional body the National Association for the Teaching of English, says:

“I would disaprove of this. It appears to be a money-making business with little educational merit. Looking at the website at youngwriters.co.uk, there isn’t any advice on how to write well – this is left to the school – and no apparent feedback for the children. The book on offer is also very expensive and, coupled with parents’ desire not to let their children feel left out, puts pressure on parents to buy at a time when many are having to count every penny. Parents would be better off spending their money on the many lovely children’s books available for half the price in bookshops to read with their children.”

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-1354015/The-Peoples-Publisher-went-bust-let-thousands-children–back.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/mar/21/young-writers-competition

http://www.bitterwallet.com/emotional-blackmail-young-writers-competition-where-youve-got-a-good-chance-of-winning-and-forking-out-16/49456

I’d also be fascinated to hear your answers to these questions for me:-

1) What share of those cover prices do the school get?
2) What fee has been paid by Young Writers to allow this promotion?
3) How many children from those entered by school are to be included in the book?
4) What lesson was displaced from the school day to dedicate to this literacy task?
5) How long did the children spend on this task?

—
brant

I’m sure this sort of thing is doing the rounds. One piece of press I read suggested involvement at over 31,000 schools.

I’m quite cross.

Anyone else seen this coming home in book bags?

To my certain knowledge this sort of ‘scam’ has been going on in schools for the past 25 years or so! It started with my daughters and continues with my grandchildren!

My son has had a couple of these over the years.

I threatened to write to the school but never got round to it so fair play to you for putting the effort in.

Are you a girl?

Get round the school and smash it up.

I can understand your outrage at people selling utter pap purely on the basis of marketting strength 😉

Seriously I will save this thread and do the same if I receive any of the stuff in the school bag.

another forum link

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2304875

I can understand your outrage at people selling utter pap purely on the basis of marketting strength
Seriously I will save this thread and do the same if I receive any of the stuff in the school bag.

There’s a bit of me wishing I has the audacity and forethought to have come up with it!

Al’s right.

A real man would bitch-whip the head, big style…

Was her Jungle Tale any good?

Make sure the STW spellin-an-grammar checker has been fully utilised on your letter before it hits the head teachers table! 🙂

Oh, and yes, seems like another bloody ripoff.

We got one, I’d be happier to give the school £15 rather than a 2 bit company and the school gets 50p ??

I suspect the people at the school who afford this company a platform to (mis)sell their wares are either too stupid to realise it’s a scam or don’t care. good on the OP.

We get these all the time, wait till secondary school and they start asking for the yearly “voluntary” contribution to the school funds! Ive had 5 children go through the same school and had at least three letters a year demanding their money with menaces!

Although the latest scam is the school year book! We picked up my youngests book to see what his comments about what you would be in ten years time was, he had said “older” Why the fu k didn’t they explain to him little about future aspirations and that they were talking of what he would like to be doing?

Anyway it is pretty funny I’m sure he knew exactly what they were talking about really! 😉

Forgot to mention… Check out the very bottom left hand corner of this webpage.
Bizarre.

http://www.youngwriters.co.uk/my-first-story-competition.php

Hmmmnnn. They’re based about a 5 minute ride from my house (and about the same from the school I work at).

Anyone got a spare pair of Bombers they don’t mind getting mangled?

slainte 😆 rob

Lol

brant – Member
Forgot to mention… Check out the very bottom left hand corner of this webpage.
Bizarre.

Did you click on the link?

http://www.youngwriters.co.uk/scam.php

Forgot to mention… Check out the very bottom left hand corner of this webpage.
Bizarre.
http://www.youngwriters.co.uk/my-first-story-competition.php

Interesting SEO strategy!

http://www.youngwriters.co.uk/scam.php

If you think we are a scam call our number where we will tell you we are not!

Forgot to mention… Check out the very bottom left hand corner of this webpage.

Pretty clever really.

Anyone who thinks to Google “young writers scam” to find out whether it’s a con or not will find the Young Writers own web page explaining that it isn’t, on the fifth link down.

Get there defence in first 🙄

Read the comment on the left from an employee of Young Writers

Here you go, more naughtiness from big people who should know better: UK kids’ art project is ‘biggest copyright blag ever’ – photographer, same thing as Brandts reporting up top but this time with images and they’re claiming intellectual rights. Send them to the naughty step at once.

I guess that if we keep using the phrase “Young Writers Scam” on this thread, then anyone googling “Young Writers Scam” might find this near the top of their searches?

To be honest, I’d prefer to type up my childs stories, then have them properly bound into a real book. Might be a little more expensive, but nicer and without other kids rubbish!

Look out for the one that will occur a few years later when they bring home a form about the school skiing trip. That’s when you’ll get properly fleeced.

That’s when you’ll get properly fleeced.

I think most parents see school trips like that as a ‘cheap at half the price and sod the educational value’ way to get rid of their offspring for a week.

I just wish the local schools would all co-ordinate their trips at the same time so I can get rid of both my kids at once 😉

Read the comment on the left from an employee of Young Writers

“so every child has the opportunity to see there work in print.”

Sigh…

Sounds like a logical extension to the school photo thing to me. Parents have been had like this in various ways for decades.

no one masters the art of the fleece like the PTA.
It’s like death by a thousand cuts.

They ought to have a 50p per day protection money racket going instead, it would be easier than having to remember to “bring a cake for the easter fair tombola, Tuesday”, “bring a donation to wear a hat on Thursday”, “£2 and you can piss in the sand pit at lunchtime, Friday” etc etc.
Im glad Mrs S keeps detailed notes on the fridge otherwise Id be lost.

Sounds like a logical extension to the school photo thing to me. Parents have been had like this in various ways for decades.

Yep, the price of school photo’s is hilarious, even more so considering there’s no film involved any more. I’d be happy to be sent the pictures on an e-mail then get them printed myself for a fraction of the price.

It’s a scam, (I am a teacher)

School ski trips – most of these seem to cost more for a child to travel by coach to stay in a YHA at a resort you’ve never heard of than for a week for an adult in Val D’Isere.

And I thought it was an issue taking kids out of school in term time for holidays? Oh, the teachers get to accompany them for free? Thats ok then.

The firm that does our school pics charges you as much to receive an electronic copy as they do to print them.

My two have just trundled into the playground with a little tub of Easter chocolates each for the school fair. Later they will spend cash buying back similar chocolates to bring home…

Make sure the STW spellin-an-grammar checker has been fully utilised on your letter before it hits the head teachers table!

“head teachers table”? Where’s the apostrophe, young man?

No reply from the head.

I won’t be advertising in the school magazine.

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!

Just a follow-up to this. I’ve a mate with three young kids, so forwarded him the link to this thread as being relevant to his interests back when it was first posted.

I’ve just got an email from him,

Guess what we got tonight?

(/flexes typing fingers)

So, just to say thanks for the PSA, it’s just helped someone else.