Thursday 18 April 2013 Children from a city primary school have earned the accolade of ‘Best Overall Performance’ for their heartfelt rendition of original poetry inspired by a theme of pride and prejudice. The Year 5 pupils from Little London Community Primary School spent a day at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) working with professional poets to write and rehearse their own poetry, which they performed to their families and peers at a poetry slam-style event in the evening. Also attending the day were pupils from St Augustine’s, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Harewood and Oakwood Primary Schools and GSAL Junior School. In wide-ranging and imaginative performances they spoke of pride in their schools and diverse communities, as well as in their individual identities, and tackled difficult issues of bullying and hatred. Jill Wood, head teacher at Little London Community Primary School, said: “It’s been an inspirational day. To see the cooperation of young people from different schools has brought the theme together. It’s been a superb day with lots of pride and passion and we feel privileged to come.” Members of the judging panel (pictured above with the winning team from Little London) were Mr Alan Clayton, formerly of Education Leeds, GSAL Upper Sixth student and experienced poetry slam performer Quentin Scobie, and GSAL’s head of English Jenny Bolton. Mrs Bolton said: “It’s amazing to see how well the young students have done and for them to hear their own poems performed and those of their peers. Some of their lines wouldn’t be out of place in one of our professional poets’ collections!” The event was part of GSAL’s ‘Speak Up!’ poetry project introduced in 2012 in partnership with Leeds Young Authors This year the local poets who worked with the pupils were Khadijah Ibrahim, Jamal Gerald, Adam Lowe, Barnaby Callaby, Tom Jenkins and Zodwa Nyoni. Khadijah Ibrahim, Artistic Director of Leeds Young Authors, said: “GSAL has embraced the importance of poetry as a way of empowering young people to go into any environment and speak up for themselves. It’s amazing that we can share performance and the spoken word with schools in this way.” General Primary News
