Counting Achievement Through Poetry – National Poetry Day 2024

The world can sometimes seem a grim place to children and young people, with bad news seemingly everywhere. Counting Achievement Through Poetry is designed to go some way towards redressing the balance, though – by using poetry to celebrate the remarkable achievements of some remarkable people.

Counting Achievement Through Poetry: Primary Schools

Counting Achievement Through Poetry can accommodate the whole of up to a two-form entry school in a single day: an assembly at which a member of our team shares a favourite poem, workshops culminating in collaborative poems and, if time allows, a second assembly, too – in which classes share and celebrate their poems.

In the workshops, children are introduced to three people whose achievements should be counted – and collectively choose one. They are then introduced to the poetic form of the List Poem, creating celebratory, collaborative poems focusing on: Counting the Achievements of Spacefarers (EYFS – Year 2/P1 – P3) … Counting the Achievements of Inventors (Years 3 & 4/P4 & P5) … Counting the Achievements of Scientists (Years 5 & 6/P6 & P7).

We will send you designed and illustrated versions of all the collaborative poems.

“The girls at Glendower LOVED the workshops! - they enjoyed the workshops immensely and thought the facilitator was fantastic! - they gained confidence around poetry, in addition to understanding the freedom attached to the concept of creating their own poem. We can’t wait to have you back!" Glendower Prep School

“I wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for your incredible delivery of National Poetry Day workshops. Your passion for poetry was clear, and every single one of the teachers spoke highly of you and your sessions. Similarly, the children were buzzing with excitement- I have received messages from parents about pupils’ enjoyment as well. It was a great day, and I look forward to your next visit." Thomson House School

Counting Achievement Through Poetry: Secondary Schools

Counting Achievement Through Poetry can accommodate up to 30 KS3/4 students at a time, in workshops lasting from a single lesson, allowing a member of our team to work with a large number of students in just one day. It’s also possible, too, to deliver longer, more in depth workshops to fewer groups. Workshops introduce the students to three ordinary people who have made extraordinary achievements in terms of advancing justice, fairness and equality - and participants collectively choose one to focus on. They are then introduced to the poetic form of the List Poem, creating celebratory, collaborative poems focusing on their selected individual’s life, achievements and legacy.  

We will send you designed and illustrated versions of all the collaborative poems.