School/college staff log in
Register
Choose poems
Find a poem to learn from any of our timeline and showcase collections
Learn poems by heart
With tips on how to memorise poems and how to polish them for performance
Perform poems out loud
Share your poems aloud in a class, club or event of any shape or size, at school or college
Enter the competition
Do it your way - either the 1- poem Freestyle celebration or the 2-poem Classic championship
Come to the Grand Finale
at Shakespeare's Globe, London - as a finalist or join the audience for a spectacular day of poetry and young people
Everything you need is here
Videos of past finalists, hundreds of classic and contemporary poems, and pupil and teacher competition guides
The competition
Poetry by Heart is a poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges, open to pupils aged 7-18 and all school staff. Taking part in Poetry By Heart is all about developing confidence with poetry in an enjoyable, accessible and engaging way. Registration, participation and competition entry are free for schools and colleges in England. Schools in other parts of the world are very welcome to take part too but fees apply. Contact us for more information.
Ways to get started
Experience Poetry By Heart
