Twenty pupils from Year 9-13 got through to the Junior or Senior finals, choosing to either recite their own poem or one by another author. Mr Hazlewood, Mrs O’Brien and Mr Stromberg, who assisted Mrs Sharrock with the judging, were all blown away by the quality of the entrants and the maturity with which they delivered their poem to the audiences in the Auden theatre. Many thanks to the senior school pupils, parents, staff and Year 7 Prep pupils who attended and supported this event. From the finalists shown below, prizes were awarded to:

Alissa M – Junior Champion

Sam H – Highly commended (Junior Competition)

Miriam G – Highly Commended (Junior Competition)

Zinnia-Claire B – Senior Champion

Beowulf O – Highly Commended (Senior Competition)

Heidi W – Highly Commended (Senior Competition)

All six pupils received a signed and personalised copy of Harry Baker’s poetry anthology ‘The Sunshine Kid’ as well as an Amazon voucher. The Champions will also be presented with the Poetry Recital Cup at Final Assembly this term.

Junior Finalists 

Adeola A (9) I am Mixed by Adeola A

Miriam G (9) If I Could Tell You by W H Auden 

Alex H (9) Vitai Lampada by Sir Henry Newbolt 

Johnnie O (9) Inauthentic by Anonymous 

Scarlett H (10) The Writer’s World by Rachel Huckel 

Sam H (10) The Pheasant at My Window by Sam H

Joey M (9) Dinglebank by Edward Lear 

Daniel M (10) Adlestrop by Edward Thomas 

Alissa M (10) 21 by Patrick Roche 

Alex P (10) The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost 

Pullo W (10) High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Junior 

Senior Finalists

Zinnia-Claire B (11) Dear Brain by Zinnia-Claire B

Cerys D (11) My November Guest by Robert Frost 

Beowulf O (13) The Ruin by Anonymous 

Ruby P (11) In Flanders Field by John McRae 

Tomas R (11) The Tyger by William Blake  

Harry S (11) A Last Request by Anonymous 

Mia W (11) Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost 

Heidi W (11) The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll 

Andre W (11) Half-past Two by U A Fanthorpe