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 national competition
Do it your way - either the 1- poem Freestyle celebration or the 2-poem Classic championship
Come to the Grand Finale
Classic finalists and the best Freestylers perform on stage at Shakespeare’s Globe, London – with guest tickets for schools taking part
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 national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges, open to all pupils in key stages 2 to 5. 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.
Ways to get started
Experience Poetry By Heart
