P is for Poetry

John Donne Primary

"Naomi enriches our school, thank you"

“P is for Poetry” is Naomi’s poetry programme, which teaches children about the power of words and expression through poetry. It works alongside the Literacy curriculum, encouraging all pupils to engage with words and express ideas confidently.

The programme is currently present in three schools in Southwark, where she delivers in-class poetry sessions every week to classes from Nursery and Early Years to Key Stages 1 and 2. She uses both classic and contemporary poems from around the world as the framework for her classes, encouraging pupils to speak clearly, convey ideas and develop their vocabulary, while gaining confidence with reading and sharing out loud. Their work culminates with an end-of-term poetry assembly, enabling all participants to recite and perform the class poems Naomi has chosen for them.

Her work has been recognised by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), winning the National CLiPPA Poetry Award, and she continues to participate in the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) accredited exams programme of Speaking Verse and Prose, with her pupils all passing with merits or distinctions.

                                                         

"[Naomi's poetry programme] has been inspirational throughout the school. Poetry is now held in high regard, pupils have a repertoire of poems they know by heart and the increased confidence in speaking and using complex language is very evident in pupils' own use of language. Seeing boys from Year 6 having the courage to stand in front of their peers individually and recite a poem which moves us all is a powerful event. Naomi has taken the idea and run with it so that it exceeds our expectations and enriches the whole school."
Evelyn Holdsworth - CEO, Communitas Education Trust (formerly Headteacher, John Donne Primary School)