Through a visit to an iconic London venue, such as the Tower of London, the Barbican, or St Paul’s Cathedral, Young City Poets helps to inspire pupils to write poetry of their own.

Following the visit to a cultural venue schools taking part in the project host a workshop with a professional poet or spoken word artist to help the pupils shape and develop their own poems inspired by their visit. Students are then offered opportunities to perform and publish their work. In 2018-2019, an anthology was produced and published featuring pupils' work.

The project starts with a free full day of CPD with participating teachers on how to use cultural venues to inspire writing. Teachers also receive a year’s membership to the National Literacy Trust website.

2019-2020 is the fifth year of the Young City Poets programme, with forty-five schools and nine cultural venues across London taking part.

‍Find out more about the programme.

‍Read an account of a poet taking part in the 2018-2019 project.

Evaluation of the project in 2018-2019 found:

• Students are better at writing poetry and have a more positive attitude towards it as a result of taking part in Young City Poets
• Almost three times as many students think poetry is 'brilliant' or 'fun' at the end of the project than did before
• Students have improved attitudes towards writing in general as a result of taking part in Young City Poets
• Sixteen out of seventeen teachers surveyed said that the project helped their students think more creatively
•        50% of students told their family and friends about the visit when they got home and many thought that the visit strengthened their sense of place and belonging

If you are interested in taking part next year please fill out the expression of interest form.