Pool-in-Wharfedale school’s verse-class performance ensures they win battle of words (From Wharfedale Observer)
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Pool-in-Wharfedale school’s verse-class performance ensures they win battle of words
9:00am Monday 8th October 2012 in Local news
Year Five pupils from Pool-in-Wharfedale Primary School, who won a poetry slam contest organised by The Grammar School at Leeds, with (from left) Sally Fox from Pool Primary, Jenny Webb from the grammar school, poet Simon Murray and Helen Chadwick
Young poets from Pool-in-Wharfedale are celebrating winning a battle of words.
Year Five pupils from Pool C of E Primary School emerged victorious from a poetry slam competition, where they collaborated with Leeds poets before writing and performing their own work.
The Speak Up! contest involved six junior schools and was organised by The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL), which has now been nominated for a national award on the back of it.
The project was the brainchild of GSAL English teacher Jenny Webb and her cousin, Adam Lowe, who is a writer and publisher.
Mr Lowe said: “This project is different to programmes elsewhere in the country because it actively fosters collab-oration and skills-sharing between schools.
“Poetry is about expression of ideas, and Speak Up! brings pupils from all backgrounds together to share their experiences and build bridges through creative words.”
The competition saw all participating pupils, who were visited by poets during workshops, write prose based on their own experiences and then perform them at a ‘poetry slam’ held at GSAL.
Joining Pool in the competition were Oakwood Primary School, St Mary’s C of E Primary School, Boston Spa, St Augustine’s RC Primary School, Harehills, Little London Primary School and GSAL’s own Junior School.
