On the final week of term, our five Poetry by Heart finalists, whittled down from a large number of pupils who took part in our mandatory poetry reading competition, read to our panel of judges. In the end, it was one of our international pupils, Bim Bim, who won the grand prize for her reading. The five finalists were Jake (Year 11, Rendlesham), Edgar (Year 10, Garrett), Mimi (Year 10, Victoria) and Nadja (Year 12, Moreau). But in the end Bim Bim’s confident delivery style and eloquence earned her the winning spot, with Edgar coming in as runner up.
Programme director, Leo Goldsmith, said: “We take Poetry by Heart seriously here because it brings pupils a lot closer to the nuts and bolts of language. Sometimes with the pace of school life, it can be hugely beneficial to sit down and learn a poem. The pupils who really enjoy it and get very good at it appreciate learning something really well. Not having a script or notes makes the real difference, I think. With poetry, you are capturing someone else’s idea and then adding your own flare and inflection into the way you deliver it, which is something judges look for.”
