A collection of teaching resources for primary and secondary schools, for bringing poetry to life in the classroom.
These teaching resources could be used to celebrate World Poetry Day on 21 March or .
What is National Poetry Day?
National Poetry Day was founded in 1994 by the charity Forward Arts Foundation and encourages people to make, experience and share poetry.
When is National Poetry Day 2024?
It is held on the first Thursday of October. This year, National Poetry Day is on Thursday 3 October 2024.
Primary resources
This content for Primary schools includes Talking Poetry - a collection of audio programmes with six leading poets, including Michael Rosen and Jackie Kay, introducing and reading some of their best-known poetry for children. There are two additional selections of classic poems read by Maxine Peake and Julian Rhind-Tutt. And this short film looks at the famous war poem, 鈥業n Flanders Fields鈥, written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian field surgeon who served on the Western Front. Deliver a powerful assembly for your Primary students with this assembly framework for National Poetry Day that includes a film featuring the poet Kate Wakeling.
KS2 assembly framework for National Poetry Day. document
This assembly framework for KS2 classrooms includes a video featuring poet Kate Wakeling, who helps two pupils to find inspiration for their own poems.
Understanding Poetry with Joseph Coelho. collection
A series of short films for primary schools with poet Joseph Coelho, in which he explains how poetry is relatable, fun, and achievable, and can open up new ways of understanding and expressing your emotions.
Primary Poetry. collection
A collection of poems to explore with your class. Together you can read, discuss and appreciate the poems, and maybe even learn some by heart to perform as individuals or as a class.
In these audio clips for 7-11 year-olds, six leading poets introduce and read some of their best-known poetry for children. There are also two additional selections of classic poems read by Maxine Peake and Julian Rhind-Tutt.
Write a poem. video
In this short film for primary schools, Naomi Wilkinson and a group of children are challenged to write a poem for someone they know.
Robert Burns. video
This animated film explores the life of Robert Burns, a poet renowned for his celebration of his Scottish identity.
National Poetry Day 2022 鈥 Live Lesson. video
Come with us on a Live Lessons virtual school trip to Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire for National Poetry Day 2022.
Watch again: Writing and Performance Poetry - Live Lesson. video
Catch up with this interactive lesson first broadcast to celebrate National Poetry Day in 2018. The programme is presented by 91热爆 Radio 1's Katie Thistleton and features award-winning performance poet, author and National Poetry Day ambassador Joseph Coelho and a special guest appearance from poet and author Tony Walsh.
'In Flanders Fields' by John McCrae. video
This short film for primary pupils uses newsreel, photographs and commentary to introduce the Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who wrote the famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.
鈥楴ew Beginnings鈥 by Tony Walsh. video
A performance of the poem, 鈥楴ew Beginnings鈥, by Tony Walsh, on the set of a recent poetry-themed 91热爆 Teach Live Lesson.
Secondary resources
Our poetry resources for Secondary include Poets in Person - a series featuring well-known contempary poets - such as John Agard - discussing their work. In the series Between the Lines, hip-hop artist and author Akala looks at classic romantic poetry and also discusses the work of contemporary poets such as Andrew Forster and Gillian Clarke. And Simon Armitage goes behind the scenes of some of his most famous poems in a collection of short films.
Inside the Writer's Mind. collection
Created in partnership with First Story, these short films for secondary schools offer insights into the ideation and creative writing processes of contemporary writers working across a number of genres. From playwrights to poets via children's authors and graphic novelists, each short film follows a real writer's journey 鈥 from how they find their inspiration and work with a stimulus, to how they edit and perform a written piece.
Poets in Person. collection
A selection of short films that explore six well-known contemporary poems.
Simon Armitage - Writing Poems. collection
Over the course of six short films for teaching secondary students, Simon Armitage goes behind the scenes of some of his most famous poems.
Poetry: Between the Lines. collection
In these short films hip-hop star Akala talks to contemporary poets, including Jackie Kay, Gillian Clarke and Ciaran Carson, about some of their best-loved poems.
Contains Strong Language. collection
This series of short films brings some of Britain's best loved poets - including Imtiaz Dharker and Daljit Nagra - directly into your classroom as they perform a variety of poems.
Could you be a poet? document
In this interactive article poet and broadcaster Benjamin Zephaniah discusses the prose and poetry of Dylan Thomas, and sees how a person's background influences their work.
Why is Robert Burns' work still so popular today? document
In this interactive article Ricky Ross explores the reasons why Robert Burns' work is still so popular over 200 years after his death.
