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How to use the CLiPPA 2025 shortlist in your classroom, with judge and teacher Saira Bano

June 4th 2025

Excitement is building towards the winner announcement of the 2025 CLiPPA, CLPE Children's Poetry Award, on Friday 20 June. There's still time to excite your pupils with poetry and explore the wonderful books on the CLiPPA shortlist!

We're joined on the blog by primary school teacher and 2025 CLiPPA judge Saira Bano. Saira introduces this year’s shortlist, and suggests classroom poetry activities based on each shortlisted poetry collection.

Saira Bano | Primary school teacher and CLiPPA judge

Saira Bano is an English lead and Year 4 teacher at Thomas Buxton Primary school in Tower Hamlets. She has worked hard on developing reading for pleasure, oracy and vocabulary in her school and worked with the Tower Hamlets Oracy Hub to develop oracy within the whole borough. Saira worked with the CLPE and Michael Rosen on ‘Another Year of Poetry’ where she developed children’s engagement with poetry and researched ways to create a poetry friendly classroom. Saira is a published poet having successfully been included in two poetry collections at the age of 9 and 10.

Why is poetry important for primary schools?

I have been a class teacher and English lead at Thomas Buxton Primary School for eight years. We are situated in Whitechapel, a diverse and vibrant area within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Due to our context, much of our focus for teaching and learning is on building literacy and communication skills and we have a strong focus on enrichment to support personal development.

My experience with CLPE has taught me that poetry is incredibly important in the primary classroom, not just as a literary form, but as a powerful tool for language development; emotional expression; fostering empathy and creativity; and helping children - and adults - make sense of the world and their place in it. The rich and often playful language found in poetry introduces young readers to new vocabulary and figurative expressions in a memorable and enjoyable way.

Poetry also plays a vital role in building oracy skills. Performing poems teaches children to speak with expression, pace, and clarity. These experiences build confidence and help children become more articulate speakers, which benefits them in all areas of learning and life.

Becoming a judge for CLPE's poetry award

For these reasons, I was so excited to be a judge on the panel this year, a role that has been incredibly rewarding and challenging.

We were highly impressed with all the collections we read, and we are incredibly excited to see how the shortlist will be embraced by teachers and children. We know that the collections will appeal to a range of interests and ages and can be used in so many ways.

How to use the CLiPPA shortlist in your classroom

Big Red Dragon by Jane Newberry

We chose Big Red Dragon because we were impressed with how carefully crafted it was to be both fun and accessible for the very youngest children. It is ideal for reading aloud and performing in the classroom or at home. Jane Newberry's use of language is playful and engaging, with vibrant pictures and relatable themes that young readers will love. It is a fantastic introduction to the playfulness of poetry and rhyming poetry, and it includes some lovely suggestions about how children and even babies can join in.

The many animal poems could inspire children to create their own animal-themed artwork or write their own poems about their favourite creatures. It also offers some wonderful opportunities to introduce children to various celebrations and traditions, encouraging them to share their own experiences.

Let Sleeping Cats Lie by Brian Bilston

We were thrilled by Brian Bilston’s Let Sleeping Cats Lie. The book made us laugh out loud and we know it will have the same effect on children. From a haiku composed by the poet’s dog to an experimental poem written by his cat, the collection will amuse all readers.

Bilston perfectly inspires children to write poems about, or even as, their own (real or imagined) pets. I can imagine my class finding hilarity in creating their own version of 'Ten Reasons' about their own chosen animal. The possibilities are endless!

Colossal Words for Kids by Colette Hiller

We thought Colossal Words for Kids by Colette Hiller was indisputably original and ambitious, and a great way to introduce the meanings of 75 tremendous words. The clever rhymes shout out to be read aloud.

We know that children and (adults!) will love it and I look forward to using it in my classroom to inspire our own ‘word’ poetry.

Wise up! Wise down! by John Agard and JonArno Lawson

Wise up! Wise down! will prompt lots of interesting conversation as the poems pose questions and offer unusual perspectives. The poems vary in style and tone, allowing teachers to use them to explore a wide range of poetic forms and devices. It’s a great resource for helping children understand that poetry doesn’t have to follow one ‘rule’.

Many of the poems lend themselves to being read aloud, and children can be encouraged to perform them, experimenting with tone and emphasis. The poems can also inspire children to write from a new point of view, personify everyday objects, or invent their own philosophical riddles.

We are Family by Oliver Sykes

The poems in We Are Family by Oliver Sykes explores mature themes that lend themselves to important discussions that could be had about identity and belonging and different types of family as part of PSHE.

Many of the poems could also prompt role play and freeze framing, where children can explore the emotions presented therein to build empathy.

Why should schools get involved with the CLiPPA?

I would encourage all teachers to take part in the CLiPPA. While giving your children an unforgettable opportunity, it’s a great way to deepen your own engagement with children’s poetry.

One of the most exciting things about the CLiPPA is how it celebrates performance. Encouraging children to learn and perform poems aloud brings the words to life. When I have incorporated poetry performing in the classroom, I’ve seen children grow in confidence, develop a deeper understanding of language, and find a real joy in expression. Even the most reluctant speakers often find a voice through poetry performance.

Through the CLiPPA, children will be exposed to rich, imaginative poetry, naturally leading to increased engagement in creative writing opportunities. The impact will be instant and enduring.

How to get involved with the CLiPPA

Inspire your pupils with poetry! The CLiPPA shadowing scheme allows teachers to access free teaching plans and video resources related to each shortlisted poetry collection, encouraging children to explore the shortlist and perform their favourite poems.