National Poetry Day 2024 - 3rd October 

We had a wonderful sunny day to celebrate poetry in so many different ways today.  We were all greeted with a poem at the gate, thanks to our special Year 6 poeteers.  Then, in a special NPD worship, we were delighted by poems read by all the Class Teachers: there were some fabulous poems chosen to share. 

At playtime, everyone could visit a ‘Poetry Stop’ to ask politely for a poem from its resident poeteer: some children went around to every one of the 4 stops! 

During the day, each class tackled writing poems.  Every class had a different style to work with.  

And finally, lots of children worked really hard at home, committing a poem to memory to then be brave and stand up in front of their class to recite it.  We were all very impressed with these recitals and I’m sure the children who took part will still be able to recite these when they are adults.  Most of the children who did this, collected sponsors to support their efforts and all monies raised will be used to buy brand new books for each of the class libraries throughout the year.  In fact, to help celebrate NPD, each class received a brand new poetry-based book as this term’s book gift for their class to enjoy. 

Please peruse our attached photo gallery below, to see some of the fun we had today. 

Just in case you missed the poem that was sent home to all parents and carers to celebrate NPD, here it is! 

This is by George Eliot - which was a pseudonym for Mary Ann Evans: she also wrote Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch, amongst many other classic books. 

Count That Day Lost 

 

If you sit down at set of sun 

And count the acts that you have done, 

And, counting, find 

One self-denying deed, one word 

That eased the heart of him who heard, 

One glance most kind 

That fell like sunshine where it went - 

Then you may count that day well spent. 

But if, through all the livelong day, 

You've cheered no heart, by yea or nay - 

If, through it all 

You've nothing done that you can trace 

That brought the sunshine to one face - 

No act most small 

That helped some soul and nothing cost - 

Then count that day as worse than lost.