Oulton Academy Takes the Stage in Leeds Poetry Slam 2025

Oulton Academy has officially entered the Leeds Poetry Slam 2025, and students have mark with powerful verses and creative expression. To kickstart their journey, acclaimed poet Maria Ferguson visited the academy to deliver an inspiring poetry workshop.

The session began with Maria performing some of her own thought-provoking poetry before guiding students through the different forms they could explore—including limericks, odes, sonnets, rap, blank verse, and haiku. Armed with this knowledge, students were challenged to craft their own original pieces based on the competition’s theme: Counting.

Each Year 7 group worked collaboratively to create a unique poem, bringing their ideas to life through spoken word. After a series of impressive performances, the judges faced a tough decision, but in the end, there could only be one winner.

A huge congratulations to Joseph, Neve, Phoebe, and Sadie, whose poem, What Makes it Count, stood out for its creativity, rhythm, and emotional impact. The talented group will now represent Oulton Academy in the Leeds Poetry Slam finals at the Carriageworks Theatre in May 2025.

We wish them the best of luck as they take their poetry to the next stage!