Every year, the Robert Burns World Federation holds National Schools Competitions for Primary and Secondary Schools pupils in the categories of Verse Speaking, Singing, Instrumental and Bagpiping.

Competitors for the National Competitions are drawn from the District Schools Competitions organised by the District Burns Associations. The District winners and runners-up in each discipline from the different age groups (Primary 1 - 3, Primary 4 - 5, Primary 6 - 7, Secondary 1- 2, Secondary 3 - 4 and Secondary 5 - 6) compete in the National Schools Competition against candidates from all over the country.

Judges will decide on an overall winner in each discipline and the four overall winners will then compete against each other to win the title of Young Burnsian. As well as individual awards, team and district awards are also presented.

Further competitions in Art, Choral and Writing are also held.

Details of how the schools competitions are organised can be found in the attached links. Photographs of this year’s competition and some past competitions are also attached.