National Poetry Day takes place on Thursday 2nd October. This year the theme is play and we are proud to be included in their official bank of resources, alongside Poetry By Heart, First Story, The Poetry Society and more excellent organisations.
Poetry has the power to spark imagination, support literacy, and help students find their voice. We believe it should be a vibrant part of school life not only on National Poetry Day but throughout the entire year.
If you are planning celebrations in school, here are some ideas to get started:
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Hold a poetry assembly – bring the whole school together to share poems, and consider inviting a poet to perform or lead a workshop.
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Run a lunchtime poetry writing club – try out Joseph Coelho’s excellent prompts here.
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Explore The Children’s Poetry Archive – listen to a wide range of poems and encourage students to find and share their favourites: childrens.poetryarchive.org.
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Pair poetry with art projects – use artworks to inspire poems, and poems to inspire creativity in art.
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Make use of free National Poetry Day resources – including posters, lesson plans and more: forwardartsfoundation.org/national-poetry-day.
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Access additional resources on School Library Network – SLN members can explore recommended poetry titles, whole-school plans, and advice here.
By weaving poetry into school life, we can help students discover new ways to express themselves, build confidence, and engage with language in a meaningful way.