Schools to enter Queen's poetry competition

Budding writers were coached by six Scottish poets on a train trip to mark National Poetry Day today as schools were invited to use their pupils' creative skills and take part in the Queen's Golden Jubilee Poetry Competition.

In 2002 the Queen will be celebrating her Golden Jubilee and three of the best entries will receive prizes at a special awards ceremony in July.

A panel chaired by the Poet Laureate, Professor Andrew Motion, will judge entries. Poems may be written in English, Gaelic, Scots, Welsh, Irish or Ulster Scots.

Today Education Minister Jack McConnell visited a Gaelic-speaking class at Tollcross Primary School in Edinburgh to encourage them to enter the competition.

Endorsing all Scottish schools' participation, he said:

"Scotland has an international reputation for poetry, which future generations should try to emulate. This competition is an ideal opportunity for young people to try writing poetry and, will boost our efforts to raise the standards of literacy for all children.

"I particularly welcome the inclusion of Scots and Gaelic into the competition and hope that this encourages entries from all parts of Scotland.

"I am sure that every age group will provide us with outstanding examples of pupils' achievements and I urge all schools to take part and contribute to the success of the competition."

Arts, Culture and Sports Deputy Minister Allan Wilson witnessed the result of these creative skills. The Minister was presented with a poem written by 30 primary school children and six Scottish poets on the Edinburgh-Glasgow shuttle.

Speaking to the children when they arrived at Queen Street Station in Glasgow, Mr Wilson said:

"I am honoured to be the first to hear this excellent new poem read aloud and for inviting me here to meet you after such an exciting journey.

"In offering young people the opportunity to explore their creative potential, events like today's are central to what we are encouraging through our National Cultural Strategy.

"I would encourage all young people to further explore this talent and take part in the Queen's Golden Jubilee Poetry Competition being launched today."

Background

1. The Poet Laureate, Professor Andrew Motion has organised - with others from Buckingham Palace and the Poetry Society and Education Departments - a poetry competition for every school in the UK. It is customary for the Poet Laureate to write something to mark significant events in the Royal calendar

2. Professor Andrew Motion and Sir Michael Peat, keeper of the Privy Purse, are launching the competition at Buckingham Palace today, and a booklet explaining the competition and the rules is being produced and will be sent to all schools in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

3. The age categories are 7-11 (Primary 3-6), 11-14 (Primary 7 to Secondary 2), and 14-18 (Secondary 3 onwards). There are 2 versions of the booklet: one for the 7-11 age category and one for the older age categories.

4. The theme of the competition is The Queen's Golden Jubilee. It is expected that the poems will range in their choice of subject from being about The Queen herself, to considering some aspect of her time on the throne: a particular incident, a historical event, the changes and developments in our national identity - anything which summarises or illuminates the period.

5. The prizes for the best three entries in each of the three categories will be medals especially commissioned for the occasion. All participating schools will receive a free booklet containing the fifty best entries after the results of the competition have been announced.

6. 30 pupils from Preston Street Primary School, Edinburgh and six Scottish poets were present on the Scotrail train from Edinburgh to Glasgow. The poets were Aonghas MacNeacail, Magi Gibson, Mary McCabe, Catherine Orr, Jonathan Meres and Dilys Rose.