Poet laureate visits Thatcham school

Carol-Ann Duffy, shared her love of poetry with pupils on a visit to Kennet School

THE poet laureate Carol-Ann Duffy visited Kennet School, Thatcham, on Tuesday for a workshop with Year 10 and sixth-form pupils.

The Scottish poet was invited by the former head of English Dave Cath.

Pupils from Trinity School, Newbury, were also invited along.

During the afternoon, she read some of her poems from the World's Wife and Rapture and then answered pupils' questions.

She said that she tried to visit a couple of schools each month and that during her 10 years as the Poet Laureate she was aiming to start a programme of workshops to help pupils with English literature.

She said: “It makes a huge difference to hear the poet read it out; there's clarity to hear that poetry is the music of the human voice. “I got into poetry from studying it at school.

Ted Hughes was the living poet I studied, but there was no such things as poets in schools.”

Headteacher Paul Dick said: “She was very complimentary of the school, of the pupils and their thirst for knowledge.

“It gave them a fantastic insight into the meaning of her poetry; it is a unique advantage.

“For many, it was a life-changing experience meeting the Poet Laureate, one they will never forget.”

For an interview with Carol-Ann Duffy, see next week's N2