Earlier this term, the First Form were set the challenging task of finding a poem they enjoyed and learning it by heart. The best performances from each English class were put forward to perform at the final showcase during House assembly. Mr Walwyn, Mr Howells and pupil judge Evie (Fifth Form, Swift) then had the unenviable task of deciding which three would be entered into the national Poetry by Heart competition.
The competition is open to all schools and colleges in England and invites children to choose a poem, learn it by heart and perform it out loud. The pupils selected to enter the national competition submit entries via video upload with the finalists chosen from this invited to perform live at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in the Grand Finale.
Huge congratulations to the winners: Noah (First Form, Queen Anne), Jolyon (First Form, Gascoigne) and Lucy (First Form, Swift). Noah gave a defiant performance of Invictus by William Ernest Henley, Jolyon’s performance was a rousing rendition of The Soldier by Rupert Brooke and Lucy’s confident execution of the poem Thumbprint by Eve Merriam was impressive.
