The Poetry by Heart Competition is a national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges in England. The competition is open to pupils in KS2 through to KS5 (ages 7-18).

To take part, young people choose poems they love, learn them by heart, and perform them in a school or college competition. Teachers then record and submit a video of the winning performances for review by a panel of expert judges.

There are two competition categories for young people:

• Classic: This National Championship is a solo competition where the young person must learn and perform two poems from the Poetry by Heart website – one published in or after 1914 and the other published before 1914. National Championship judging follows a formal set of criteria and focuses on voice, understanding, performance and accuracy.
• Freestyle: The Freestyle category is a celebration for solo, pair, small group and whole class performers. Young people learn and perform one poem of their choice from any time period and can include any combination of voice, movement, costume and music. Freestyle selection focuses on a compelling and original performance of the poem.

Schools can submit up to three entries per key stage for both the Classic and Freestyle categories. In addition, schools can enter up to three entries by members of staff or trainee teachers for the Freestyle category.

Finalists in the National Championship and selected participants in the Freestyle category are invited to perform at a Poetry by Heart Grand Finale event at Shakespeare’s Globe in London where the National Champions for each key stage are announced.

From October 2026, schools will need to sign up for a Poetry by Heart Sonnet membership to submit entries to the national competition. There are three membership levels, each with accompanying resources:

• Stanza: Everything required to run Poetry by Heart in your setting, including a Poetry by Heart kit box and guide, access to a members-only resource area and an online Poetry Forum.
• Sonnet: Everything included in a Stanza membership plus the opportunity to enter the national competition, the chance to get tickets to the Grand Finale and access to a brand new Poetry by Heart online CPD module.
• Epic: A tailored package for networks of schools or individual schools who want more, including expert guidance on how to customise Poetry by Heart for your setting, visits from poets and pupil workshops, in-person or online CPD with a member of the Poetry by Heart team and discounted rates for multiple schools.

Full details of all the membership packages are available on the website.

Timetable:

• The 2026/27 competition launches on 1 October 2026.
• The deadline for submitting competition entries is 25th March 2027.
• The Poetry by Heart Grand Finale event will take place on 28th July 2027 (tbc).

Cost: From £225 + VAT (£180 early bird discount until 31st October)

About Poetry by Heart: Poetry by Heart was founded in 2012 by former UK Poet Laureate (1999-2009) Andrew Motion and educator Julie Blake as a way to encourage young people to explore and engage with poetry. It is now a collaboration between The Full English; The Poetry Archive; The Poetry Society; Forward Arts Foundation/National Poetry Day; the English Association; the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education;  the National Association for the Teaching of English; Homerton College, University of Cambridge; Shakespeare’s Globe and Oxford English Dictionary.