Poetic pupils play their part in world record attempt

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Pupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy have been putting their poetry skills to the test as part of an ambitious world record attempt.

To celebrate National Poetry Day, poet and author Laura Mucha has led an attempt to set the Guinness World Record for giving the world’s largest poetry lesson (multi-venue).

More than 200,000 pupils aged 7-12 from 1,200 schools across the UK and beyond signed up to play their part in the world record attempt, including 128 pupils from Years 3-6 at High Crags Primary Leadership Academy in Shipley, West Yorkshire.

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The lesson took place virtually, with schools tuning in at 10am on Thursday 3 October, as Laura Mucha shared her poetry expertise via video link before giving the assembled pupils the chance to collaborate through an online vote to craft a new poem that will be displayed on billboards across the country.

Pupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy taking part in the world record attemptPupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy taking part in the world record attempt
Pupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy taking part in the world record attempt

The school’s Principal, Helen Ray, was tasked with keeping a diligent record of the event and the number of pupils in attendance, including video and photographic evidence, so that the attempt can be officially verified by Guinness World Records. Pupils and staff involved in the world record attempt will have to wait for four weeks to find out if they have been successful while their efforts are certified.

The ambitious attempt to break the world record for the largest poetry lesson (multi-venue) involved a collaboration between five literacy charities - Forward Arts Foundation, The Poetry Archive, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, The Poetry Society and the National Literacy Trust – and was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

High Crags Primary Leadership Academy has been identified as a ‘Beacon School’ for the National Literacy Trust which has seen the school work alongside the trust to assist with conducting research and organising events such as this exciting attempt to earn a place in the record books.

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Speaking about her school’s part to play in the world attempt, Principal at High Crags Primary Leadership Academy, Helen Ray, said:

Pupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy taking part in the world record attemptPupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy taking part in the world record attempt
Pupils from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy taking part in the world record attempt

“I am incredibly proud of our pupils for their participation in such an exciting opportunity. The children thoroughly enjoyed how interactive the lesson was and we are all looking forward to hearing whether we – and the other participating schools – have been successful in setting a new world record.”

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