Young Poet Laureate is a programme designed to champion the voices of young poets, develop young people’s creativity and confidence, and raise the profile of poetry in primary and secondary schools in England.

Open to pupils aged 7-14, the programme provides access to free poetry workshops and a supporting teacher toolkit to help schools explore poetry in all its forms over the course of Young Poets Week in November. Students will then have the opportunity to apply to become a Young Poet Laureate for their region.

Two young Poet Laureates will be chosen for each of the six regions in England – one aged 7-11 and one aged 11-14. The 12 Young Poet Laureates will receive mentoring from professional poets and have the opportunity to take part in a range of events as poetry ambassadors, championed by national Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.

Timetable:

• Young Poets Week (24th – 28th November 2025) – Kickstart the week with one of two free masterclasses with poet ambassadors Laura Mucha and Zohab Zee Khan (KS2) and Nikita Gill and Karl Nova (KS3). Download the accompanying teacher toolkit for ideas and resources to support pupils in exploring, writing and performing poetry through the week and beyond.
• 30th January 2026 – Extended deadline for Young Poet Laureate submissions.
• March 2026 – The shortlist of 120 young poets will be announced.
• June 2026 – Appointment of the 12 Young Poet Laureates.

Cost: Free.

About National Literacy Trust: NLT is an independent literacy charity working with schools and communities to give disadvantaged children the literacy skills to succeed in life. The charity runs literacy programmes, CPD training courses for teachers, and provides online resources and tools to its members. It also undertakes research into all aspects of literacy and campaigns to raise awareness of literacy issues.

About The National Poetry Centre: The National Poetry Centre will be a national headquarters for poetry, dedicated to celebrating and championing poetry in schools, healthcare settings and public spaces across the country. Based in Leeds, the Centre will include an auditorium for live performances, workshop and performance spaces, masterclasses and exhibitions as well as writing rooms and shared working for poetry and literacy organisations.