Well versed for poetry slam

Bedford High hosted its annual Poetry Slam which saw young rhymers from its family of primary schools take to the stage. They battle it out to find who’s got the best lyrical flow and performance skills.

In the run-up, the young scribes had been put through their paces by Liverpool-based performance poet, MC and actor Curtis Watt.

And individuals and teams from eight schools converged on Bedford for the grand finale.

School literacy leader Rebecca Sargent, who organised the event, said: “The Poetry Slam gives the children a chance to recite their own original works in front of an audience. Each entry is judged on the quality of poetry and also on the performance.

“It is a great art form for children. They can express themselves and use words in new and interesting ways. It’s also really relevant to young people because all the lyrics to their favourite songs are just poems set to music.

“The theme for this year’s slam was achievement. We gave the children just one word to base their poem around and the rest was up to them.

“When we judge the entries, we are not just looking for the best poems, but also the best performances. We want the children to really bring their words to life.”

The subjects for this year’s final ranged from football glory, to a shark attack.