On the 24th January, Years 10 and 11 embarked on a trip to The New Theatre, Oxford, to listen to poets discuss their poems and the intentions behind them. We listened to Simon Armitage (Poet Laureate), John Agard, Carol Ann Duffy (first female Poet Laureate), Imtiaz Dharker, Daljit Nagra and Owen Sheers.

 

This was an incredibly enriching trip as it allowed us to learn about the backstories and purposes of different poems. Each poet explained the reason they wrote each poem, be it inspiration from parents, loved-ones, losses or the need to inform the world about an issue they feel strongly about.

 

After their readings, they answered questions from students, giving us an understanding as to why and how these talented people became poets.

We learned how to approach unseen poetry, both how to think about it in a logical manner and how to write for the best possible result. As well as learning about unseen poetry, we were also taught how to compare poems, whether they were ones we had already studied or were unseen, and how to write most effectively in either situation.

 

 - Daisy Gray, Year 10