Poetry Matters & Beyond

Introduction

Poetry has never been this good!
Year 10 pupil, Westbourne Sports College, Ipswich

Between 2004 and 2008, with substantial support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The Poetry Trust devised and delivered an innovative and exemplary four-year ‘poetry in education’ programme in the Eastern Region.

Poetry Matters and Beyond Poetry Matters enabled the Trust to employ its first part-time Learning & Outreach Worker and the projects included:

• termly creative writing workshops for teachers across Suffolk, South Norfolk & North Essex
• annual schools tour - 3 poets giving 12 performances over 5 days to 2,500 teenage pupils
• ‘poetry focus’ schools - sustained residencies in three Suffolk schools

A ‘toolkit’ for teachers designed to share best practice and tried-and-tested exercises for generating creativity in the classroom is available as a free download.