Friday 07 Dec 2007 @ 14:40
Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)
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Poetry teaching is found to be good or very good in around two thirds of schools according to an Ofsted report published today

However, the report also reveals that pupils often have a limited experience of classic poems and poems from other cultures and traditions.

Highlighting examples where schools have succeeded in enthusing and engaging pupils in poetry teaching, Ofsted’s report evaluates the strengths and shortcomings of poetry in schools.
 
The Poetry in schools: a survey of practice report found that poetry teaching is at least satisfactory in all 86 schools visited and good or very good in around two thirds. However, the report also revealed that poetry was weaker than the other aspects of English inspected, suggesting that poetry remains an area for development in many of the schools surveyed.
 
Although the quality of poetry teaching varied greatly in the schools visited, most pupils enjoyed poetry. Teachers’ good use of engaging approaches increased enjoyment and the quality of pupils’ responses to poetry. The best schools worked with poets and encouraged pupils to contribute to competitions, local festivals and school reading groups to extend good quality work. 
 
Good quality subject leadership was a significant factor in schools where poetry teaching was rated highly. They used poetry successfully across the curriculum.
 
But the report also found that many teachers, especially in primary schools, do not know enough about poetry. This was reflected in the limited range of poems studied and pupils’ limited experience of classic poems and poems from other cultures and traditions.
 
In secondary schools, the range of poems studied was more varied. Able pupils were often stimulated by the poetry element in GCSE, but in some schools the overly instructive teaching methods and the amount of poetry which pupils need to study had a negative impact on pupils’ interest towards poetry.
 
 
 
NOTES TO EDITORS
  1. Poetry in school: A survey of practice, 2006-7 can be found on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk
  2. This report draws on evidence from 86 English subject inspections between September 2006 and July 2007, evaluating the strengths and shortcomings of poetry teaching in schools, including examples of good practice. Primary and secondary schools of different sizes and settings, representing a range of social and economic contexts were surveyed. Poetry teaching was evaluated in all schools alongside other aspects of English, including the quality of teaching and learning.
  3. From 1 April 2007 a new single inspectorate for children and learners came into being. The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) has the responsibility for the inspection of adult learning and training – work formerly undertaken by the Adult Learning Inspectorate; the regulation and inspection of children’s social care – work formerly undertaken by the Commission for Social Care Inspection; the inspection of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service – work formerly undertaken by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Court Administration; and the existing regulatory and inspection activities of Ofsted.
  4. The Ofsted Press Office can be contacted on 08456 4040404 between 8am – 6pm Monday – Friday. During evenings and weekends we can be reached on 07919 057359.
 

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