Pupils encouraged to write by visit from poet

Pupils were invited to bring pen and paper and write poems of their own during the session

A poet has encouraged children to write regularly as part of a visit to a primary school for the national Young Poet Laureate programme.

Sharena Lee Satti, a poet based in Bradford, visited Iveson Primary School in Leeds as part of an initiative by the National Literacy Trust and the National Poetry Centre.

The project aimed to boost young people's writing habits after research by the charity found that only one in 10 pupils write in their free time.

Catherine Fawcett, lead for writing at the school, said the session "had a huge impact" on students and they had been writing during their breaks and lunchtimes since the visit.

"It just generated so much enthusiasm and ideas with the children, they're still coming up to me afterwards saying 'Look at this, I've been writing this'," Ms Fawcett said.

"For children to have their voices heard and talk about things that are important to them or worrying them, it is really powerful."

Sharene Lee Satti has published several volumes of poetry

Ms Satti said the sessions aimed to give children a platform to "just be free about the things that they're really passionate about".

"These young people have so much to say and there's not always a space for them to do that.

"And that could be just them expressing something about their identity, it could be something that they're feeling in the day, it could be something that's really making them feel super happy, but they don't have anyone to share it with."

She said she hoped the session would encourage pupils to think about their futures and she believed poetry could help boost children's confidence and broaden their horizons.

The Young Poet Laureate programme was launched following a successful pilot in West Yorkshire, which started in 2023.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.