National Poetry Day 2024

In celebration of National Poetry Day, Whitgift welcomed Matt Abbott (poet, educator and spoken word performer) on Thursday 3 October 2024. The theme for this year's event was 'Counting,' a concept that resonated throughout the day’s activities. Matt shared how poetry, much like counting, captures moments, emotions, and experiences through rhythm and rhyme. 

The day began with an engaging assembly for the Third Form, where Matt spoke about his journey into poetry, highlighting how it became his passion, despite not being his original dream. This was followed by a session with Lower First and First Form students where Matt discussed his book A Hurricane in My Head, a collection of poems that explore themes such as friendship, bullying, and technology—topics that often involve counting the moments and experiences that shape us. 

Students had the opportunity to participate in creative writing workshops, crafting their own poems under Matt's guidance, and later attended a book signing in the Junior Library. Reflecting on the day, Matt said "It was a privilege to be able to visit such a prestigious school, and the pupils' appetite to learn has been invigorating." 

Aaryav (Lower First Form) commented "The poems are catchy and captivating" while Zebulon (First Form) expressed his enthusiasm "I was really excited about the wonderful opportunities and how exciting the book was." 

Mrs Bauer (Head Librarian) concluded "It was delightful to see how engaged students were in this morning’s assembly, asking such insightful questions. It’s wonderful to witness students taking such an interest in poetry." 

National Poetry Day 2024 at Whitgift not only introduced students to the world of poetry but also reflected the year's theme of 'Counting,' reminding everyone of the ways we count and measure the experiences in our lives—whether through words, emotions, or connections formed through the poetry.