Shine a light on poetry this spring term with our team's recommended poetry texts

January 3rd 2023

Why poetry should maintain a place in your ever-packed curriculum

Often the estranged sibling on every school’s English curriculum, poetry may stand in the shadows – with teachers often fearing the time taken away from ‘real writing’ or alarmed at losing a lesson to an ‘out loud’ performance; but, given a chance, poetry can shine a light into corners of your classroom previously unencountered.

In its simplest form, poetry is about rhythm and rhyme, song and speech, and celebrating the pleasure that language can bring. It can make a huge difference at word level, increasing awareness of a wider range of vocabulary, and with primary school teachers reporting that nearly 50% of Year 1 pupils' learning is affected by their limited vocab, making time for poetry is one meaningful way in which we can seek to improve this.

Along with introducing new words, poetry can positively impact pupils’ learning in a variety of other ways:

• Poems can be learnt by heart, providing access to pupils who are disenfranchised by more conventional forms of text
• It helps to build pride – the shorter nature of both reading and writing in verse naturally encourages pupils to build stamina and thrive on the sense of accomplishment that comes with completion
• Gives pupils chance to express their opinions on both every day and important events, and provides them with the opportunity for real freedom of expression
• Broadens vocabulary and introducing words that can then be applied to all text types – offers the chance to hear, read, chant, embedding words and their meanings through repeated playful use
• Provides a method of making sense of our ever-changing world

These are all reasons for protecting poetry as an integral part of your English curriculum.

Recommended poetry texts for Key Stages 1 and 2

For schools wishing to explore the magic of poetry this term, our qualified teacher team have chosen a selection of recommended poetry texts for spring for Key Stages 1 and 2. Within each list, they’ve included a classic, one diverse text, one that will help build pupils’ empathy and one text focusing specifically on form and structure:

• Their Key Stage 1 choices are Walter de la Mare's classic poem Silver, and comic Roald Dahl favourite Revolting Rhymes. Poems Aloud is a collection of performance poems by Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho, to help inspire children's own creative writing, while Shirley Hughes's Out and About features illustrated poems on the seasons and weather.
• For Key Stage 2, our team have selected Alfred Noyes's Kate Greenaway-winning The Highwayman, and People Need People by Benjamin Zephaniah, along with rich illustrated collection The Lost Words, from Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris, and Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.

Key Stage 1

Key Stage 2

Inspire pupils’ poetry writing

We’ve also got suggestions to help inspire your pupils with their own poetry writing, including prompts from Joseph Coelho, the newest Waterstones Children’s Laureate, and a poetry speaking competition from Poetry By Heart.

Poetry By Heart Poetry by Heart is a national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges in England. It’s also a website for teaching and learning about poetry – by heart and out loud, and with plenty of choice for young people to explore poems and find the ones they love. If you haven’t already, why not get involved this year and inspire your class to love learning poetry and performing aloud? Entries are being accepted until 31st March 2023. VISIT POETRY BY HEART website

Waterstones Children’s Laureate Poetry Prompts Many of you will have been following the progress of new Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho with interest and may have already been using his poetry prompts throughout the autumn term. The latest prompt – ‘Write a Letter to Your Future Self’ – looks ahead to the new year, focusing on ‘hopes, dreams and the adventures that might lie ahead,’ and includes tips to help pupils draft a poem of their own. view children's Laureate poetry prompts

Useful links

https://clpe.org.uk/poetry

https://clpe.org.uk/news/get-involved-clippa-shadowing-scheme-2022

https://poetrysociety.org.uk/

More poetry recommendations

Browse more poetry texts for primary schools