Oldham students Lucy and Ellise launch the national Poetry By Heart competition on stage in London

After receiving a record-breaking number of entries in 2023, the 2024 Poetry By Heart competition launched with a special live event at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London on National Poetry Day last week.

And Lucy and Ellise, year 8 students at the Brian Clarke Church of England Academy in Oldham, impressed the competition judges so much with their delivery of favourite poems in the competition that they were invited to perform poems onstage and by heart at the launch event.

Lucy recited The Sky is Black Tonight by Berlie Doherty and Ellise recited John Clare’s classic I Am!.

Poet Coral Rumble also performed her poems while the Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, was a special guest in the audience, watching Lucy and Ellise.

Asked how she learned her poem by heart, Ellise said: "I balanced it on my bed and went over and over it.

"I will remember it all my life now."

Lucy said: "I didn’t used to like English before we took part in Poetry By Heart, but I like it now and am better at reading and writing poems."

Dr Julie Blake of Poetry By Heart said: "We were delighted that Lucy and Ellise joined us to launch Poetry By Heart 2024 and they gave wonderful performances, lifting the poems off the page.

"They should be incredibly proud of themselves; learning and performing a poem by heart is something most adults can’t do."

Founded ten years ago by then Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion and current co-director Dr Julie Blake, Poetry By Heart is open to all schools and colleges in England.

It invites young people to choose poems they love, learn them by heart and perform them in a school or college performance event.

School staff then select students to enter the national round of the competition.

Poetry By Heart continues to grow in popularity and the 2023 competition received the highest number of entries to date: 2,000 video entries of poetry performances; 90,000 young people involved; a staggering 39,000 poems learned by heart.

Dr Blake hopes for even larger numbers to take part in 2024.

She said: "Taking part in Poetry By Heart is all about developing confidence with poetry in an enjoyable, accessible and engaging way.

"We know – and teachers tell us – that participation supports reading, literacy and oracy skills, and curriculum development; that it boosts student wellbeing and confidence; that it helps with concentration.  

"More than that though, as all the poets we work with agree, to have a poem in the memory, learnt by heart, is a treasure that can be drawn on throughout life."

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