December 15th 2025
Head Student Team Blog: Stella on her EPQ podcast
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December 15th 2025
Poetry By Heart: A Celebration of Expression and Eloquence
Poetry By Heart at the Senior School
In November, seven talented finalists from Years 7 and 8 took centre stage in our annual Blackheath High School Poetry By Heart Competition. Representing Year 7 were Bethany, Olivia, and Paige, while Tamsin, Florence, Xanthe, and Bea showcased their skills from Year 8.
The atmosphere was electric as each finalist delivered challenging poems with confidence, poise, and artistry, captivating the audience from start to finish. The judges faced an incredibly tough decision, reflecting the exceptional standard of performances.
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Winner: Florence (Year 8) for her animated, enthralling delivery of Roald Dahl’s Mike Teavee
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Runner-up: Bethany (Year 7) for her powerful and emotionally charged interpretation of Maya Angelou’s Alone.
A huge congratulations to all our finalists (below) and to every Year 7 and 8 student who embraced the challenge of learning and performing poetry this term. Your creativity and courage made this event unforgettable!
Year 7
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Bethany - ‘Alone’
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Olivia - ‘Mike Teavee’
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Paige - ‘Warning’
Year 8
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Xanthe - ‘Flannan Isle’
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Tamsin - ‘Night Mail’
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Bea - ‘Alone’
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Florence ‘ Mike Teavee’
SIXTH FORM'S EMC Poems of the Decade Conference
On 9 December, Year 12 and 13 English A Level students attended the EMC Poetry of the Decades Conference at Friends House, Euston - a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from poets whose work features on our course. Patience Agbabi, Daljit Nagra and Julia Copus read from their collections and offered fascinating insights into their creative processes and the technical craft behind their writing.
Students were then invited to “think like undergraduates” during a wide-ranging lecture on violence in poetry, delivered by UCL Professor Mark Ford. The final session, led by poetry critic Sarah Crown, explored effective strategies for analysing and comparing unseen poems.
The conference was an engaging and enriching experience for all, encouraging students to approach poetry with fresh curiosity and deeper critical understanding.
