GCSE Poetry Live! is now in its eleventh year and is firmly established as an integral event in the school year for many English departments. Thanks to you and your pupils there has never been anything like it. Good poetry is supposed to be read to tiny audiences in dark basement bars (and there’s nothing the matter with that) but it also works on a large scale. Over these years well over half a million GCSE pupils have seen and heard some of Britain's best poets. The key is the first-hand experience.

Many pupils 'don't like poetry' (although they often have a great interest in song lyrics). After a Poetry Live! Day they are often surprised. Many leave at 3.00 pm with a very different view of poetry to the one they arrived with. Given the sheer hassle of organising trips like this, no teacher would bring groups year after year if the events really didn't help as a foundation for teaching poetry in an exciting and stimulating way.

Of course there are many things that can’t be done on one of these days. There is no point in pretending that they are workshops where everyone can have their say – although the wonderful questions that pupils ask go some way towards this. We believe that poems ought to be heard as well as read – and they need to be interesting on both levels. All the poets who take part in Poetry Live! read in different ways. We are always impressed that pupils choose their favourites from all the poets. They are not just impressed with the ‘performers’.

Another interesting development is that in the last few years there has been a noticeable increase in the sophistication of audiences. When you are up on that stage – and all the poets agree with this – you can tell whether people are engaged and listening. It is amazing that such a large audience can connect at such an attentive level. I put this down to two things. First I think that English teachers do a wonderful job preparing their pupils for the day. When I am chairing I make the point that a poem is a highly condensed piece of language and that you need a short, sharp burst of concentrated listening to get the most out of it. This seems to happen. Secondly I think the poets have got better and better at tuning in to this audience – and this also makes a big difference to the clarity and quality of the day.

I hope I'm going to meet you in the autumn or early spring. In the meantime, if we can help in any way, do phone our Denbigh office 01745 814 214

Best wishes.
Simon (Powell)