School pupils enjoy poetry workshop
Cockshut Hill School, part of the Summit Learning Trust, was thrilled to welcome back poet SPOZ (Esposito Giovanni) for an inspiring and energetic workshop with Year 8 learners this month.
The session, which was made possible thanks to sponsorship by Pantene, brought poetry to life, full of live performances, interactive activities, and creative exploration. The theme of the session was the power of hair, and the group were encouraged to experiment with words, rhythms, and imagery.
Working in teams, learners wrote and performed their own poems, showcasing not only their literacy skills but also remarkable confidence and resilience. SPOZ’s dynamic presence and guidance ensured a fun and memorable experience, leaving students motivated and inspired.
A local ‘Brummie Poet,’ SPOZ is an award-winning performance poet, singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and playwright, and he also served as poet-in-residence at Birmingham City FC. He previously held the title of Birmingham’s Poet Laureate and was one of six ‘Bards of Brum’ featured in the 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Learner feedback highlighted the impact of the workshop:
“I really enjoyed the workshop – it couldn’t be better!”
“Entertaining and very enjoyable, I loved the battle of the rhymes and winning. I learnt new vocabulary.”
“I enjoyed performing, reading out loud my own poem to the class, built my confidence.”
These sessions are provided by the Ideas Foundation, an organisation dedicated to nurturing the next generation of creative talent. By providing young people with high-quality creative learning experiences, the foundation helps unlock unrealised potential and supports social mobility, ensuring that all learners, regardless of background, have the opportunity to thrive and improve their life chances.
At Cockshut Hill School, learners enjoy a wide range of enriching opportunities to bring literature and language to life. The school encourages partaking in literary competitions, with learners winning national prizes such as the University of Birmingham/National Literacy Trust’s Water Stories contest and being published in Young Writers anthologies.
SPOZ praised the students, saying: “What a great bunch of Year 8 students, the best I’ve come across lately. It was wonderful to see their journey from shy and reserved at first to oozing confidence throughout the day. Great tenacity and resilience. It will be a pleasure to come back – some great students here!”
Jody Clarke, principal at Cockshut Hill said: “SPOZ set the tone of the day right from the start. To see learners go from unsure to confident by the end was truly commendable. I am really proud of the way our learners conducted themselves, and it was brilliant to see those students who first lacked confidence shine.”
