The Big Question Award | Picture News Blog

The Big Question Award: Inspiring Pupils to Think, Act and Make a Difference Click here to request your application pack The Big Question Award is a brand-new opportunity for schools to celebrate pupil voice, critical thinking and meaningful action. Designed to inspire children to engage deeply with the world around them, the award encourages classes and whole schools to ask powerful questions and explore how those questions can lead to real change. Every Picture News session begins with a thought-provoking question and now it’s your pupils’ turn to create their own. Schools are invited to enter as an individual, group, class or whole school by developing a “big question”, explaining its importance and showcasing the impact it has had. To enter, schools complete the entry form template which will include a big question, pupil comments and evidence of action taken. Below, we explore each award category in more detail to help you decide which might best showcase your pupils’ work. Local Change Maker Award Do you have a pupil or class who has made a real difference in their local area? The Local Change Maker Award celebrates children who have been inspired by their Big Question to take meaningful action within their community. This category is all about turning thoughtful discussion into positive, real-world impact. For this category we are looking for: A child or class inspired by their Big Question to take action Clear evidence of what they did Demonstrable impact on the local community This might include community projects, local campaigns, environmental initiatives or awareness-raising activities. The key is showing how pupil thinking led to genuine change beyond the classroom. When completing the entry template, remember to tick the box in the top right for the Local Change Maker Award . Best Whole-School Impact Award Has your whole school been inspired to take action from a big question? The Best Whole-School Impact Award recognises schools where pupil thinking has sparked wider change across the school community. It celebrates collaborative efforts that involve multiple year groups, staff and the wider school culture. For this category, judges will be looking for: Clear details of the impact the Big Question has had across the school Evidence of positive action taken school-wide Signs that pupil voice helped drive the change Successful entries will show how an initial classroom discussion grew into assemblies, school initiatives, policy changes or ongoing campaigns. Tick the box for Best Whole-School Impact Award on your application form. Most Thought-Provoking Question Award Sometimes the most powerful change begins with simply asking the right question. The Most Thought-Provoking Question Award celebrates questions that truly make people stop and think - the kind that spark rich discussion, debate and reflection about important world issues. Strong entries will include: A question that inspires deep thinking and debate Exploration of an important or meaningful issue Evidence of discussions or debates that followed Clear explanation of how the question was chosen and why it matters Judges particularly want to see pupil reasoning. How did the children identify the need for this question? Why do they believe it could make a difference? Tick the box for Most Thought-Provoking Question Award before submitting. Most Creative Presentation Award If your pupils love to think outside the box, this category is for you. The Most Creative Presentation Award celebrates imaginative and engaging ways of presenting a Big Question and its potential impact. Creativity and clarity go hand in hand here - judges want to see originality alongside strong pupil thinking. Entries should demonstrate: An imaginative or eye-catching format Clear communication of the Big Question Strong pupil voice and originality Thoughtful explanation of potential impact Alongside the completed application form, schools may wish to include: 🎬 A video (informative or dramatic) 📊 A PowerPoint presentation 🖼️ A large poster or display 🎤 A way to showcase multiple pupil voices ✨ Any other creative format Tick the box for Most Creative Presentation Award on the template. Key Dates and How to Enter Entry deadline: Monday 30th March 2026 🏆 Winners announced: Friday 1st May 2026 Submit entries to: help@picture-news.co.uk Click here to request your application pack Entries should be pupil-led where possible and clearly show both the thinking behind the question and the action that followed