Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services

Category: Events

  • Junior Poetry Slam 2020

    Junior Poetry Slam 2020

    With twelve schools taking part this year, we held two Junior Poetry Slams on Thursday 6th February at Rich Mix in Bethnal Green.

    Many thanks to Amal Fund of the Said Foundation and Samuel Butler Educational Foundation for making the whole event possible!

    Sign up now to take part next year!  Working in partnership with the Amal Fund, whose aim is to increase visibility of Muslim creativity in the community, we are seeking out and training Poet Coaches from the Muslim community to work with primary schools and give children in our schools role models they can identify with, as well as work with established artists such as Kat Francois and Steve Tasane.

    Our new coaches this year are Amina Jama,  Rakeya Fetuga, Abdullahi Muhammed, Muneera Williams and Shagufta Kiqbal.

     

    This year we have two sets of winners!

    Morning slam

    Best team : Hermitage School : Watch Hermitage School’s performance

    Best line : St Pauls  School (Group) : “I am the size of an ant but have dreams as big as an elephant” : Watch St Pauls School’s performance

    Best Poem : St Elizabeth School (Kuro) : Watch St Elizabeth School’s performance

    Best Solo Performance : St Saviours  School (Ibrahim) : Watch St Saviours School’s performace

    Best image created : Thomas Buxton School (Group): a wonderful range of different family images :

    Most Noise : Olga School : Watch Olga School’s performance

    Outstanding effort : Olga  School (Fatou)

    Afternoon Slam

    Best team : William Davis School : Watch William Davis School’s performance

    Best line : Arnhem Wharf School (Zayaan)  “We don’t have a mascot but what represents us is love” : Watch Arnhem Wharf School’s performance

    Best Poem : Woolmore School (Ibrahim) : Watch Woolmore School’s performance

    Best Solo Performance : Osmani School (Summeet) : Watch Osmani School’s performance

    Best image created : Lansbury Lawrence School (Group): “I am a leafless tree, swaying in the wind” : Watch Lansbury Lawrence School’s performance

    Most Noise : William Davis School

    Outstanding effort : Cayley School : the youngest class (year 4) : Watch Cayley School’s performance

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  • Primary School Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Award

    Primary School Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Award

    The next pupil library assistant awards will be in 2024. Contact the Schools Library Services to register your interest.

    About the Award

    The award will be presented to a pupil library assistant in a Tower Hamlets primary school who has been helping in their school library for at least one term and has shown responsibility and initiative in exercising their duties as well as gained knowledge of books and library routines and the skills of reading and library promotion.

    Nominate your library assistants

    Download and complete a nomination form if your school is taking part

    Aims of the Award

    • To enable children to be aspirational and develop specialist job skills
    • To enable children to develop a sense of responsibility, achievement and self-esteem
    • To give children a chance to be part of the everyday running of the library
    • To promote librarianship as a future career
    • To promote citizenship in pupils
    • To promote the development of communications skills

    Prizes!

    The Award ( book tokens, trophy and certificate, plus free books for the school library) will be presented at an awards ceremony

    Take part

    The next pupil library assistant awards will be in 2024. Contact the Schools Library Services to register your interest.

    Criteria

    Nominees should be primary school pupils who have been helping in the school library for at least one term.

    The Nomination Process

    The proposer (school librarian or teacher) is asked to describe the nominee in the following categories:

    • Personal qualities
    • Examples of particular contribution (e.g. helping other pupils, helping with library web pages, helping with displays, helping with new books etc.)
    • Being a role model for other pupils and supporting the goals and vision of the school library
    • Reading and library habits
    • Promotion of the library and of books to peers
    • Knowledge of library routines and tasks and ability to work with initiative and responsibility in the library

    The nominated pupil is asked to write a short piece (250 words maximum) on their contribution to the school library, and the headteacher asked to endorse the nomination

  • About the Secondary School Poetry Slam

    About the Secondary School Poetry Slam

    Slam is the competitive art of performance poetry, rapping or emceeing (with or without beatbox, but with no backing track), where artists slam it out over a hot microphone in front of a loud and lively audience – and a panel of judges made up of professionals in the field.

    “Before Slam I was getting excluded from school and was the BIGGEST underachiever in my year group. I was in all sorts of different types of trouble but you lot gave me a chance to excel and rise about that, and for that I thank you…… Since slam I have been doing all sorts of crazy things and have gone so far beyond my expectations and imagination.”

    Hussain Manawer, ex-SLAMbassadors UK participant, now Poetry Mentor

    Schools will receive

    The Tower Hamlets Poetry Slam consists of a 2 full-day workshops in your school led by a well-known poet or spoken word artist. The first day will feature a performance from the poet, look at poetic techniques, writing stimulus, beatbox, and writing a poem or rap piece around a common theme. The second day focuses on performance skills and rehearsals.

    The Slam finale is a half-day of performance on stage at a theatre with all participating school groups in attendance. Schools can each bring up to 30 students along to cheer on the performers!

    Why take part?

    The Slam is about more than exploring poetry, it’s about your students exploring identity, self-expression and self-confidence. Over the years Tower Hamets schools have produced performance poets of incredible talent who have gone on to national acclaim.

    I learned who I am.

    I learned that my voice can be heard.

    The most valuable aspect was learning how to express feelings that you may not know you have.

    Joelle was great and taught us loads also it really improved my self-esteem; and I found out that dyslexia doesn’t stop you from doing everything.

    I learned how to make my feelings heard.

    I have found me. I have learned that I can be proud of my work.

    Comments about the workshops from the students

    Register

    Sign up via your school’s SLA Online portal. Contact the Schools Library Services for more information about this event.

    • Tel : 020 7364 6428
    • email : schoolslibraryservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk