Poetry is one of the most democratic art forms we can offer children and young people. It requires no specialist equipment, no perfect spelling and no single “right” answer. Instead, it invites pupils to speak in their own rhythms, in their own languages and from the truths they carry. When we frame poetry through social justice, it becomes a space where identity is affir...

For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of visiting schools over the last thirty years or so has been working with teachers, helping them to teach using poetry more effectively. As I’m sure both poets and teachers agree, there are many primary school teachers who are nervous about teaching poetry, think they don’t understand it and feel intimidated by the whole subject....

This week and next week we have two blogs for teachers, the first from Jon Biddle, showcasing how he has used poetry to create and inspire a rich reading culture in his school, and the second by Roger Stevens, with ideas for teachers to effectively help their students write poems.

Although the profile of poetry in the primary classroom has rise...

As a poet writing for children, I think it’s important that we include them in the creative process. This can happen in many ways, but in my experience, it almost always leads to better poems — and a more rewarding experience for both young readers and the author.

Like many poets, I often take rough drafts of new poems with me on school visits. Sometimes I’ll sn...