The Wroxham children bring poetry to life

Around 200 pupils from The Wroxham Primary School took to the stage for their first ever Poetry Slam.

Children from age four to eleven proudly performed their favourite poems in front of a captive audience at the Wyllyotts Theatre in Potters Bar. They were joined by special guest, poet and author Tomos Roberts, known by his stage name Tomfoolery, who praised the children on their performances and performed two of his own poems.

Tomos rose to fame after his rhyming video The Great Realisation, written in response to the covid pandemic, was viewed over 60 million times. It has since been turned into an illustrated children’s book and translated into over 20 languages.

The Poetry Slam celebrated both classic and contemporary poetry while encouraging pupils to develop their oracy skills. Each class memorised a well-known poem and focused on key elements of performance – body language, gestures, and facial expressions – to enhance their delivery. Vocal techniques such as articulation, projection, intonation, pitch, and pace were also refined to bring the verses to life.

Philippa Moore, Executive Headteacher at The Wroxham, says: “The impact of this competition has been felt throughout the school. Beyond being great fun, the children have discovered a genuine love for poetry and performance. They’ve learned how to convey meaning and emotion through spoken word, and our older pupils have deepened their reading comprehension in a meaningful, purposeful context.”