Pupils at Vanguard School in Lambeth marked National Poetry Day with a special visit from acclaimed poet and author Patience Agbabi.
Vanguard is a specialist school for autistic children and young people and is part of Liberty Academy Trust. Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 took part in performances and Q&A sessions with Patience, hearing about her work and having the opportunity to ask questions about poetry, writing and her creative process.
Patience shared work from across her four poetry collections, as well as writing from her new novel, Wonderland. Her novel fit perfectly, with this year’s National Poetry Day theme being Wonder.
The visit gave pupils the opportunity to speak directly to a professional writer and experience poetry through live performance, while exploring ideas and themes beyond the classroom.
Steve Carroll, Head of English at Vanguard School, said:
“Having Patience Agbabi visit the school was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils. Poetry is an important part of English, and hearing a poet perform their own work and then being able to ask questions gives pupils a much better sense of how writing is created. It was a brilliant way to celebrate National Poetry Day and to show our pupils the creativity and possibilities that poetry can offer.”
Rachael Clements, Principal at Vanguard School, said:
“We want our pupils to have exciting experiences that open up new interests and broaden their horizons. Having Patience visit the school gave our pupils the chance to meet and engage with an established author and poet, and it was wonderful to see their enthusiasm during the sessions. Opportunities like this are an important part of school life and help our pupils build confidence, discover new interests and see what they can achieve.”
The visit formed part of Vanguard School’s National Poetry Day celebrations, giving pupils the opportunity to explore the theme of Wonder through poetry, performance and literature.
