Poetry School @ Thornhill Primary

Associate Artist Paul Lyalls was poet-in-residence at Thornhill Primary School from 2010 -2022.

Paul worked with children as part of the schools Enrichment programme, to develop confidence and creativity in written and spoken word within the school community. Pupils performed annually in school for WORD festival alongside poets including Michael Rosen, John Hegley and Adisa, and at Cally Festival. The Primary Pupil Poets produced three Words are Birds anthologies, published by All Change and an annual Year 6 Leavers poetry film. A performance at Kings Place in March 2019 to launch 11 by 11 (Islington Council’s key strategic cultural engagement initiative for children and young people) and at the annual Cally Festival, continue the tradition of creating opportunities to share the children’s work with public audiences.

Paul continues to work with the school as a legacy of this pioneering partnership project.

Photo by Lauren Matthews