The University has paired up with Staffordshire’s Poet Laureate to give students a creative outlet during lockdown.
The Poetry Project invites entries from pupils in years 7 - 13
“The intention is for young people to be creative in their approach and free from restrictions which means there are no rules on length or whether or not it rhymes. We just ask that it comes from the heart – that way the finished anthology will act as a legacy of how it really feels to be a young person living through a pandemic.”
The Poetry Project has been launched by the University’s Education department and is open to all secondary school pupils in Staffordshire, giving them opportunity to express themselves in these strange and unprecedented times.
The initiative is supported by Stafford-based author and poet Mel Wardle Woodend who has recorded a special video with tips about how to get started.
Pupils are asked to create a poem based on one of three current themes; lockdown, relationships or charity, and all entries will be included in an electronic anthology which will be sent to the young poets and their schools by the end of term. Each student will also receive a digital certificate of participation.
PGCE English Course Leader Rebecca Sherratt, is coordinating the project. She said: “We have just launched this with the schools and teachers we work closely with and have been really impressed with the quality of entries we’ve received so far.
“The intention is for young people to be creative in their approach and free from restrictions which means there are no rules on length or whether or not it rhymes. We just ask that it comes from the heart – that way the finished anthology will act as a legacy of how it really feels to be a young person living through a pandemic.”
While the entries will not be marked, staff and student teachers at the University will pick out their favourites which will have star positioning at the beginning of each section.
Mel Woodend added: “This is a fab project and I'm very pleased to be involved. These are strange times and because we’ve been in lockdown people may think they have nothing to write about. However, my short video aims to help young people get started in writing about everyday observations and how it can be really simple. “
Entries are invited from pupils in years 7-13 and should be emailed to poetry@staffs.ac.uk by Friday June 12th 2020 including name, school, age and chosen theme. More information is available on the PGCE Staffordshire University Facebook page.