Over 2500 entries for the Schools Literacy Network’s RSPCA-supported ‘Animals Matter’ 2024 poetry competition.
33 children from primary schools across Somerset, Bristol and Dorset have enjoyed seeing their animal-inspired poems put together into a book, which can also be read online.
The School Literacy Network’s annual primary schools’ poetry competition was this year run in conjunction with the RSPCA under the heading ‘Animals Matter’.
Children aged between four and 11 were invited to let their creativity run wild and write poems showing their understanding of animals’ needs and feelings in line with the RSPCA’s mission to facilitate a world where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion.
Over 2500 entries were considered by a team of judges including poet Annie Fisher and head judge Alice Litchfield from RSPCA West Hatch near Taunton. Winners in each category were chosen from a shortlist of 32 highly commended works. The winners were from Key Stage 1, Lower and Upper Key Stage 2.
The winners were from the following schools: West Pennard Church of England School, Wellsprings School in Taunton, Upton Noble, Trull Church of England Primary School, St. Joseph and St. Teresa Catholic School in Wells, St. Cuthbert’s Church of England Junior Scholl in Wells, South Petherton Junior School, Milborne Port Primary School in Dorset, Oaklands Community Primary School in Yeovil, Long Sutton Primary School in Langport, Huish Primary School in Yeovil, High Ham Primary School in Langport, Dundry Primary School in Bristol, Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School in Taunton, and Batheaston Primary School in Bath.
A book was then created featuring a selection of the entries, with copies being presented to the contributors and their schools, as well as being stocked at the RSPCA West Hatch near Taunton.
SLN Manager Dora Allen said: “The response was overwhelming! The poems covered a wide range of animals, from bats to blobfish and whales to warthogs, displaying some incredible emotion and understanding around the lives of domestic and wild animals. The quality this year was exceptionally high and made the judging process extremely difficult.
“The School Literacy Network would like to extend its thanks to the RSPCA for being a part of this project, Toyota (GB) who funded the production of the book and the poet Annie Fisher who put her literary weight behind the materials that the pupils used. We are already planning next year’s theme, which will be Nonsense Poetry, so watch this space!”