GCSE Poetry Live 2022

Posted at 12:38 pm on 17th March, 2022

Inspiring English Literature Revision

In February, Year 11 students visited Bridgewater Hall for the GCSE Poetry Live event, featuring performances and insights from well-known poets.  

The annual event welcomed back Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, one of Britain’s best poets, with a superb ear for language alongside Carol Ann Duffy, another of the most read, studied and loved of today’s poets. 

They were also joined by Imtiaz Dharker, Daljit Nagra and Grace Nichols.

All poets took to the stage with Simon Armitage performing works from his anthology, and Carol Ann Duffy reading some of her poems which are sharp, funny and contemporary, and also full of a literary past, whether from mythology, or Shakespeare.

John Agard gave an exciting performance in contemporary poetry, not only in the way he delivered his poems, but also in how he talked about them, combining historical awareness, cultural insight and extraordinary humour.

Students were able to ask the poets questions about their work, and they discussed how poems connect to and influence other poems.

In special examiner sessions, experienced Chief Examiner Tony Childs focused on two skills vital for success in the GCSE English Literature examinations.  The first session looked at how students might deal with unseen poems in the exam, both how to think about them and how to write for the best possible results.  The second session looked at comparing poems, whether they are studied poems or unseen, and how to write most effectively in either situation.

Miss Flowers, Leader of KS4 English said:

“These sessions are invaluable to students’ thinking! The Chief AQA Examiner and the poets provided really useful tips for our students’  Literature exam, which some have already put into use in their poetry revision and essays.” 

Mrs Sharrock, Principal, added:

“It was really lovely for Year 11 students to attend an event we have always supported in person this year.  I’m sure they learned a lot from the experience.“

Taylor, Year 11, said::

“ It was great to hear the background of the poems from the actual poets themselves and the reasons why they wrote it.”