To help you get started with you entry, we’ve got some top tips for creating a great essay, or making an engaging video, from some top Teach First teachers.

Good Luck!

If you’re struggling with how to structure your essay, a good frame work to use is to make sure that every paragraph has:

A statement. Try and make a point at the start of the paragraph / essay. This will mean that your reader will know what you want to talk about.
Evidence. Make sure you can back up your statement with some form of proof. Using a quote, research or experience will make sure that your reader is more likely to trust your statement.
An explanation. Use this part to make sure that you describe how your evidence relates to the statement you made, and how it helps to enforce your argument.
If you’re looking to make your essay stand out you should give it a unique viewpoint, follow a clear line of argument, research the problem and solution to give it extra credibility and always makes sure you are answering the question.
Get someone else to proof read your essay. They can give you a few tips and pointers on what it’s like to read and how you could improve it.

Plan. Before you start filming, make sure that you have planned how you want your video to look and how it will be structured. Planning out all your shots and clips will help you figure out the best way to tell your story.
Write a script. How you get your point across will be crucial to the success of your video. Read what you want to say out loud a few times to make sure it sounds natural
Get someone to help you. Whether it be someone to hold the camera, or an expert to help you with your planning, an extra pair of hands is always useful.
Interviews can provide insight into the actual people involved. Consider interviewing a few subjects to help your argument.
Edit. Even a small amount of editing and touching up will help keep your video flowing and make it look more polished. Simple video editing software is very easy to use.

Sound will make up 50% of your video, so make sure you consider it. If you are not using a separate microphone, make sure that you don’t film in a noisy area as it will be harder to hear the subject of your video.
Make sure that you film in a well-lit environment. Try and avoid standing in front of bright lights, like a window, so your subject isn’t in the shadows. Use a few well positioned lamps if some parts of your shot are a bit dark.
Use a tripod or stable surface to put your camera on to makes sure that the video is nice and steady.
Make sure you don’t include any copyrighted material without permission.