Talented students at Durham Sixth Form Centre have been taking part in an inspiring competition designed to encourage pupils in England to choose a poem, learn it by heart and perform it out loud. We are delighted to announce that Year 13 Millie Swainson, who won the competition at Durham Sixth Form Centre, has been successful in gaining a place in the national finals. The 2024 Poetry by Heart Grand Finale event will take place on 1st July at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.

Our event took place on Valentine’s Day with a wonderful evening of invited guests and 25 students performing from both year groups. Our winner, Millie recited Peter Porters 1962 poem, Your Attention Please. Porter’s searingly ironic indictment of the arms race begins with the chilling announcement that a nuclear strike has been launched against ‘our major cities’. Millie delivered the poem with such passion and power, everyone was incredibly moved.

Poetry by Heart is the national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges in England. It’s also a website for teaching and learning about poetry – by heart and out loud, and with plenty of choice for young people to explore poems and find the ones they love. 

The competition is open to all schools and colleges in England and invites young people aged from 7 – 18 to choose two poems they love, learn them by heart and perform them in a school or college performance event. School staff then select students to enter the national round, submitting entries via video upload. Finalists are invited to perform live at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre at the Grand Finale.

In 2023, its tenth anniversary year, a record 90,000 young people took part in Poetry By Heart. 37,000 learned a poem by heart and schools submitted 2,000 performances to the judges.

Taking part in Poetry By Heart is all about developing confidence with poetry in an enjoyable, accessible and engaging way, with registration, participation and competition entry free for schools and colleges in England. 

The former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion, who set up Poetry By Heart with co-founder Dr Julie Blake in 2013, says, “In ten years, Poetry By Heart has grown from strength to strength: since 2013 thousands of students have not only learned great poems for life but they have also shared them with friends and families in the inspiring and moving performances that are at the heart of every competition. I am constantly surprised and delighted by the quality of the students’ achievements.”

Daljit Nagra, Poetry By Heart Advisor and Judge, says, “I am always stunned by our children and their ability to stand before an audience of strangers to deliver a poem with an intimacy and intellectual authority that gives the poem fresh meaning while bringing it utterly alive.” 

We wish Millie all the very best of luck for her performance at The Globe.

Poetry By Heart is funded with the support of the Department for Education. For more information visit poetrybyheart.org.uk