Our pupils have been showing their creative talents in two poetry competitions.

The English Department ran a poetry competition in school, the Priory Poetry Prize, where pupils were asked to write a poem on justice, nature, peace or history.

All pupils had a poetry masterclass and there was a winner chosen from each class before the English teachers selected a winner from each Year Group.

The final winners were Year 7 Lila, Year 8 Alegria and Year 9 Esme.

English teacher Mrs Robinson-Ali said: “All the poems were of an extremely high standard and it was difficult to choose a winner from each class and then each year group.

“At the end we had ten and we had to choose three. It was very tricky.

“Hopefully this will encourage more of a love of English and I think some pupils didn’t realise they had a love of poetry until they took part in the competition. I think many surprised themselves!

“The winners all zoomed in on a particular topic, they were all abstract which we liked.”

Lila said: “My poem was about deforestation. It was difficult trying to get words to rhyme so it took a while but it was fun to do. I was surprised to win!”

Alegria’s poem was about justice. He said: “I like English and was surprised as I did not think I was capable of winning.”

Esme said: “My poem was about myself. I did it for fun!”

Year 7 Alba took it on herself to enter Runshaw College’s Sophie Scholl Awards and her poem was highly-commended.

It was part of Runshaw’s events to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

Sophie Scholl was 18 when the war started in 1939 and she actively resisted the Nazis, founding the White Rose, a non-violent resistance movement. Sophie and other members of the group were caught in 1943 and executed and, during her trial, remained steadfast against the power of the Nazi state.

Alba said: “Sophie was inspirational and she stood up for what was right, even if people disagreed. I hope my poem reflects this. I enjoy English.”

A Poem Inspired by Sophie Scholl

Beneath the smoke, the sky was torn, 
The night was split by a fires roar, 
Her hair blew in the bitter wind, 
unharmed by man but she felt within,
Let kindness grow where I have bled, 
that’s what shealways said,
She knew what she wanted to say, 
‘you’re wrong,’  ‘you’re wrong’ every day,
She bore no shield and held no sword,
Her battleground was a lecture hall
She spoke with a voice of clear youth,
As she shared her thoughts and fears and views 
She spoke the truth that streets denied,
Of silent graves, of justice tried,
Each match the truth, each flame a fear,
That fuelled the fire we call fear,
And the fire burned and burned and burned, 
And the world turned and turned,
But her memories live on forever, ever, ever,
Because it’s for the better.

By Alba P - Year 7