Poetry by Heart

Poetry by Heart - School wide celebration of poetry
We are keen to celebrate poetry, oracy and performance as part of our school-wide Poetry event! This year, we are partnering with our local cluster of schools to celebrate poetry together!
Each child is asked to choose a poem, learn it by heart, and perform it out loud!  Children will perform their poem in class after half term.  Two children from each class will be selected to perform to their phase group as part of a celebration of poetry. We will also choose some children to represent the school at an event with other schools in the Pinner area.
Here are the key dates:

Friday 6 Feb
Homework task for all children to learn a poem by heart.  We have created a collection of poems for the children to choose from, but children can also select their own choice of poem if they wish.  The homework task will be for two weeks  - the last week of the half term and half term week itself.  There are a good range of poems - something for all ages and abilities.  We're asking the children to be aspirational and ambitious in their choice!

Monday 23 - Friday 27 February
During the week, each child will perform to their class. 
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From Monday 30 February
Phase celebrations to take place.   Children will be selected to perform to a larger group in school.

Wednesday 25 March
​Pinner Schools Poetry by Heart celebration! A small number of children will represent the school at an event hosted by Pinner High School.

Poetry Collection 2026
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Top Tips

Your child’s challenge is simple (but powerful): choose a poem, learn it by heart, and get ready to share it aloud.
Here are some top tips to help you support them along the way.

🌟 1. Help them choose a poem they enjoy
The most important thing is that your child connects with the poem. Encourage them to explore the school’s poetry collection and choose one they love—or at least one they’re curious about.
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They can choose:

• A poem from the school collection
• A different poem of their own choice
• A poem they’ve written themselves
• A poem in English or in their home language

A little challenge is a good thing, so it’s worth encouraging them not to pick the very shortest or easiest poem straight away.


If you’d like to explore poems together, these websites are great places to browse:

• Poetry by Heart (Click on 'Poetry Collections')
• The Poetry Archive
• The Children's Poetry Archive
• Poetry Foundation

🧠 2. Support them to learn it by heart
There’s no shortcut to learning a poem—it takes time and repetition. Little and often works best.

You can help by encouraging them to:

• Read the poem aloud regularly
• Say it to different people (or pets!)
• Write out lines and stick them somewhere visible, like the fridge
• Draw pictures to help remember different parts
• Think of the poem as a series of scenes or “rooms” to move through
• Recite lines while walking, tidying up, or in the shower

Testing each other can really help, and gentle encouragement goes a long way. Repetition is the key—and confidence will build with practice.


🎤 3. Encourage confident sharing aloud
Once your child knows the poem, it’s time to think about how to perform it.

Useful reminders:

• Slow right down—most people rush when they recite poetry
• Use punctuation and line breaks as clues for pauses
• Take a moment before starting so the audience is ready to listen
• Let the words do the work—there’s no need for lots of extra actions
• Pause briefly at the very end to let the final words sink in

Practising in different places can really help: at home, on the way to school, or in the park. Performing to a friend or family member (in person, on the phone, or by video call) is great preparation. Some children also enjoy recording a video—but please remember that parental permission is always needed before sharing anything.