What sounds do you like? What sounds don’t you like? UK primary schools' competition

This year we are once again running an exciting competition for Primary Schools in the UK on sounds.  We were delighted to see so many entries come in for last year's competition, and we look forward to receiving your entries in 2025.  

Background

There are many sounds around us: natural sounds (such as birdsong or a rushing stream), sounds made by people (such as talking or making music), sounds from machines (such as cars, aircraft or lawnmowers) or a combination of all of these.  Some of these sounds we want to hear but others we don’t. The sound we don’t want to hear is called noise.

We can encounter noise every day, such as the sound from cars and aircraft or even the sound from other people in your school or playground shouting when your class is being quiet. 

The Competition

There are two age categories for the competition: Category 1 is for children aged 7 to 9 and Category 2 is for children aged 10 or 11. 

Children can work individually or in groups of up to four children.

We would like you to produce a hand-made drawing, picture, patchwork, collage or similar to illustrate some of the sounds you like to hear and some the sounds (noise) you don’t like to hear.

Suggested method

Step 1: think about what sounds you like and make a list of them. Do the same for the sounds you don’t like hearing and make a list of them; 

Step 2: think about how the different sounds make you feel (happy, unhappy, excited) – both for the sounds you like and don’t like;

Step 3: create a physical piece of art (drawing, picture, patchwork, collage or similar) showing some of the sounds you like and some of sounds you don’t like, and include descriptions of the sounds and how they sounds make you feel. 

Equipment

To do this activity you can use whatever you like! For example:

The Prize

The winning entrant(s) will each receive a prize of £25 plus a prize of £500 for their school or education group.  The winning school or education group will also receive an engraved crystal trophy. 

For each age category, the winner plus one friend or winning group, one teacher and one parent/guardian per child will also be invited to visit their nearest science centre, e.g. Winchester Science Centre, Glasgow Science Centre or the University of Salford. Reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be available.

In addition, the winning school or education group will be given the opportunity for a STEM Ambassador who is a member of the Institute of Acoustics to visit them to present the award and speak a little about what it is like to work in acoustics.

How to Submit your entry

Please take photographs of your artwork, including one photograph of the complete piece and additional photographs focussing in on detailed elements. Send your photographs of the artwork to primaryioa [dot] org [dot] uk (primary[at]ioa[dot]org[dot]uk) with the email subject title 

‘IOA Competition for Primary School Aged Children Category [1 or 2 depending on age of pupil(s)] Entry from [Pupil Name(s)], [School or education group Name]’. 

Please include the name and age of the participating pupils as well as name and contact details of the school or education group for each competition entry.

Please do not send us the physical item.

The Deadline

The deadline for entries will be 31st July 2025. Entries will be judged by a panel of experts. The decision of the judging panel will be final.

Health and Safety

Participation in this competition must comply with the relevant health and safety requirements that apply to this type of activity at your school or education group.

Please check the attached document for details on our terms and conditions.