The Starpack Schools competition has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2006 and we are delighted to launch the 2025 edition.
Starpack Schools is a competition for learners aged 11 to 17 that has been designed to:
- encourage young people to consider the important role played by packaging and materials
- promote careers in the packaging industry as exciting, challenging and rewarding.
The 2025 Starpack Schools Competition has separate categories for years 7 & 8, 9 & 10 and year 12 and the submission requirements vary for each category to differentiate between the learning level of the students.
The 2025 Starpack Schools Competition has been designed to link closely to the Design & Technology curriculum and give learners an opportunity to develop their research and design skills, and knowledge of materials.
Schools must register to access the brief and accompanying support material. Click below to get started!
Entry Guidelines
- Registration for 2025 competition closes
23:59 BST on 2 May 2025 - Entry portal opens
13 January 2025 - Deadline for entries
23:59 BST on 25 July 2025 - Schools contacted with results
10 October 2025 - Awards ceremony
December 2025
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Entry is free for all schools
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All pupils must be in full-time education for the academic year 2024-25 at your school/college.
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Schools must register to gain access to the competition brief and support material.
- Complete entries must be submitted to the entry portal by the deadline.
- Entries must be uploaded individually by a member of staff as a single PDF document including three, four or five A3 boards, depending on the age category.
- All entries must comply with the submission requirements for the relevant age category.
- Submissions must not show the learner's name or school/college.
- Entries cannot be amended once submitted. Names submitted at the time of entry will be printed as typed, if there are any errors and certificates/trophies need replacing, then the school will be liable for these costs.
- If you are not able to attend the ceremony in person or the ceremony becomes virtual, prizes will be delivered directly to the school address listed in the registration. We will be unable to issue replacements for prizes sent to wrong addresses.
Judges will be looking for the following:
Does the entry address the requirements of the brief?
- Entry explores all of the requirements of the brief.
- Entry covers what is required by the submission (correct number of boards/pages).
- Entry covers the relevant number of project stages (research, design, material choices, final design with reasoning and evaluation, photo or 3D rendering of final design).
Does the entry address the concept?
- Entry explores all the aspects outlined in the 'Things to consider' section of the project brief.
Are the boards concise with clear presentation?
- Quality of presentation - note this is not dependent on whether they have been hand-written or created on the computer.
- Layout of the boards and storytelling.
- Correct use of technical terminology.
- Spelling, puncutation & grammar.
Prior to entering, you will need to register and create a free IOM3 web account if you don't already have one.
Teachers need to enter their pupils individually under the correct age category (year 7 & 8, year 9 & 10 or year 12) and ensure the correct number of boards (3, 4 or 5 respectively) covering the required topics are present.
Entries falling outside of the submission requirements may not be judged.