Poetry by Heart

I am delighted to share some wonderful news with you all. Our school’s representatives at the recent Poetry by Heart competition have achieved exceptional success and have made us immensely proud. Their brilliance and talent have shone through, leading them to be selected for the highly anticipated national finals.

I cannot express enough how impressed I am with Ethan’s performance and also the performance of Mr Davies who has also been selected as a finalist. . They have demonstrated dedication, passion, and an unwavering commitment to the art of poetry. Their hard work and countless hours of practice have paid off, resulting in this remarkable achievement.

It is a testament to the incredible talent we have within our school community. Our students have not only showcased their exceptional poetic skills but have also represented our school with grace, professionalism, and integrity. Reaching the national finals of Poetry by Heart is a significant accomplishment. It signifies that our students have surpassed numerous competitors from across the country, demonstrating their ability to captivate audiences with their recitations and interpretations of beautiful literary works. Their success is a reflection of their dedication, creativity, and the supportive environment fostered by our teachers and staff.

I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every student who participated in the competition. Your talent and hard work have not gone unnoticed. Your passion for poetry has touched the hearts and minds of many, and we are truly grateful for your outstanding contributions.

I would also like to acknowledge the immense effort put forth by our dedicated teachers and staff members who have nurtured and guided our students throughout this journey. Your guidance, encouragement, and expertise have played a vital role in their success. Thank you for your unwavering support.

As we prepare for the national finals, I urge everyone in our school community to rally behind our talented representatives. Let us offer them our encouragement, cheers, and unwavering support. They have already achieved great things, but with our support, they can soar to even greater heights.

Once again, congratulations to our students on their remarkable achievements in the Poetry by Heart competition. We are immensely proud of you all, and we cannot wait to see your continued success in the national finals.

Results

The first stage of the Poetry by Heart competition began earlier this year in school, where the judging process was harder than ever because the standard of the competitors was so high. Each student had to learn and perform two poems: one written before 1914 and one written after. Then, they had to recite each poem in front of the audience and the judges, paying careful attention to accuracy, voice, understanding and performance.

After a great deal of consideration by the judges, the results were as follows:

KS3:

1) Sophie M

2) Edmund D

KS4:

1) Martha D

2) Holly P S

KS5:

1) Ethan S

2) Polly D

The full list of contestants across all three key stages were: Edmund D, Millie P, Sophie M, Seth C, Holly P S, Martha D, Christopher D, Joel M, Daniel W, Isaac C, Polly D, Harry W, Ethan S. Well done to you all.

Carl Davies

I just wanted to share with you what a phenomenal day we had watching both Ethan S and Carl Davies perform at the 10th Annual National Poetry By Heart Finals.

I cannot express or put into words how proud I was to take our students and represent Shaftesbury School, along with Philippa Greening, to see them perform on the Globe stage; they were both brilliant, magnificent and awe-inspiring. It was an absolute privilege to watch.

Also, if the day couldn’t get any better Ethan was announced as the KS5 National Final winner and the ‘Shaftesbury School Crowd’ went mad. This is truly something remarkable and very special and the standard of the competition was immense The days was one of those magical occasions that reminds us we why we teach and what makes our job so special.

Rachel Sammons

Extract from the ‘Poetry by Heart’ website.

Their winner though is Ethan of Shaftesbury School, Dorset for his performance of ‘The Beast in the Space’ by W.S. Graham. ‘We found this performance a complete delight’, said the judges. ‘It captured the surrealism and playfulness of the poem, was gripping and nuanced, well-paced and pitch perfect in delivery.’

Early on Thursday 23 March, 23 students, along with Miss Brown, Mrs Barret and Mr Collis, boarded a bus to Heathrow Airport, final destination Iceland! After a long morning of traveling and the excitement of the airport and the first ever flight for some of us, we headed to the Bridge Between Continents, where we celebrated our arrival with a snowball fight. We then explored the snowy coastline and Gunnuhuver, where we marvelled at boiling mud pools and geothermal vents. Home for the next three nights was the incredible Hotel Kvika, with hot tubs, tasty food and plenty of communal areas.

Day two started with a once in a lifetime opportunity to hike on the Solheimajokull glacier. We were fully kitted out with ice axes and crampons before ascending the glacier and witnessing how climate change is affecting it. We then headed to Reynisfjara black sand beach and the impressive waterfalls at Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Although the water was flowing, there was a significant amount of ice around each waterfall which was amazing to see.

Day three was definitely the busiest day of the trip, beginning with a visit to Kerid Crater lake followed by a swim in the Secret Lagoon, a naturally heated hot pool which was like floating in a giant bath. Next we headed to the Fridheimar geothermal greenhouses and stables, which was a trip highlight for many of us. We met the unique Icelandic horses and witnessed tomatoes being grown in geothermal greenhouses; definitely the best tomatoes we have ever eaten! Our next stop was gulfoss waterfall and Geysir, which sprays a jet of water high into the air every 12 minutes. A quick ice cream break at Efsitdalur was followed by a trip to Thingvellir, where we witnessed geography in action by crossing from the Mid Atlantic to the North American plate.

Our final day dawned with fresh snowfall and the promise of a city fix in Reykjavik, aka the Big R. We enjoyed some free time visiting the most famous bakery in Iceland (the cakes were incredible), souvenir shopping and exploring the city. We had an absolutely incredible time exploring a different country, culture and landscape and will remember our experience for the rest of our lives.

Year 7 trip to the University of Bath

On 26 May, 60 year 7 students headed to the University of Bath for a Powering Transformation workshop delivered by The Talent Foundry. Students had to use technology to solve a social or environmental problem. Congratulations to Ryan who won with his invention of a solar powered road roller. We enjoyed a tour of the amazing facilities at the University of Bath with the Olympic swimming pool being the highlight! Shaftesbury Students asked the University of Bath student ambassadors multiple questions about studying and student life, and our students left feeling inspired to apply to university in the future.

RAF careers presentation

35 year 10 students attended a presentation on the RAF, where they were given an insight into different roles available, daily life in the RAF and entry routes to various careers. Following this, students were able to attend detailed presentations on particular roles in the RAF. So far students have found out more about becoming a pilot and other flying roles, with advice on routes into IT and firefighting careers to follow soon. This has been an inspiring opportunity for our students, some of whom are now considering RAF careers in the future.

Year 8 Employer Speed Dating

Shaftesbury School were very lucky that 22 local employers volunteered to give up their time to speak to our students in a speed dating style event. Employers spoke to small groups of students for ten minutes each. During that time, students had five minutes to ask employers questions to guess their job, and then five minutes to find out more about each role. This gave students the chance to gain an insight into different career areas and start to think about which career is right for them.

Kingston Maurward Visit

A small group of year 10 and 11 students headed to Kingston Maurward to find out more about post 16 courses and visit different subject areas including their milking parlour, stables and small animal care studios. This was a great opportunity to learn about different courses on offer and link work we are currently doing in school to potential careers.