Poetry Declamation Competition 2026
3 March 2026 - Academic
On Thursday 15 January, the English Department were delighted to host the final of their annual Poetry Declamation competition. All pupils from UIII – UIV participated in the class rounds before Christmas, memorising and reciting a poem of their choice in front of their English classes. The winners from each class were then invited to the final. It was a special evening, and all the entries were of an exceptionally high standard – well done to everyone involved!
For UIII, highly commended are Alice, Paris, Vaani and Claudia. The winning recitation came from Iris, who performed ‘The Witch’ by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge with perfect diction, vivid emotion and captivating expression.
The LIV highly commended are Layla, Julia, Heather and Remi. The winning recitation came from Adhya, who performed Gabrielle Calvocoressi’s ‘Stacking Cistern My Bones On Top Of Your Bones’ with impressive clarity and sensitivity.
The UIV highly commended are Lucy, Serena, Ella, Charlotte and Neeva. The UIV winner, Alice, thrilled the audience with her powerfully dramatic rendition of ‘The Clattering Train’ by Edwin J. Milliken.
It was lovely to spend an evening hearing young people bring powerful words to life through poetry. Thank you to the English Department for facilitating the event, and a final well done to all the girls who took part at every stage of the competition – your enthusiasm, courage and creativity made it truly special.
Miss Marie Millwood
Teacher of English
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