Poetry by Heart 2025

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 our winner this year was Year 13 Charlie Liddell. The runners up were Lee Brown, Emily Sweet and Ilham Kayira. They have all been entered into the national competition and if they are successful will be attending the 2025 Poetry by Heart Grand Finale event, in July at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.

Our event took place in December with a Christmas theme. We enjoyed a wonderful evening of invited guests and 25 students performing poetry from both year groups. Our winner, Charlie, recited Geoffrey Chaucer 1380 poem ‘The Wife of Bath’. Charlie performed this in middle English, maintaining the nuances of the poem and delivering it flawlessly. The audience was not only impressed with his accent but they were also incredibly moved.

Poetry by Heart is the national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges in England. 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.

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.”

Here at Durham Sixth Form Centre we certainly agree with Daljit Nagra, our evening of poetry was filled with passion, commitment and enthusiasm from all of our performing students. Thanks to all who took part in performing, filming, photographing and helping to set up the event.

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