A RECORD-BREAKING year for a children’s poetry festival featuring local schools has been hailed a resounding success.
Over 78 classes and more than 2,000 primary school children – including from Saddleworth – took part in the annual Oldham Primary Schools Choral Speaking Festival – more than ever before.
The three-day festival, held this year at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, is organised by Rotary Oldham Metro and is now in its 38th year.
Children, from Reception through to Year 6, recited 160 poems on stage from memory with energy and enthusiasm.
The poems ranged from the traditional such as the ‘Witches Spell’ by William Shakespeare to humorous favourites such as ‘Gran can you Rap’ by Jack Ousby.
The renowned adjudicator Hilary Henderson thanked all the children, teachers, assistants and parents for what she described as “an outstanding standard” and she encouraged every school in Oldham to take part in future years.
Rotary Oldham Metro’s President, Michelle Greenwood, congratulated the children and thanked all the teachers, assistants and parents for their preparation and performances.
She also thanked all the sponsors of the event and everyone for their donations, which help Rotary to put on the event every year.
On the final day, Matt Bulmer, Oldham’s Director of Education, Early Years and Skills, added his congratulations about the festival – which is thought to be the largest of its type in Europe and the second largest in the world.
All the classes which took part will receive a Certificate of Participation and a grading of their performance, with suggested areas for improvement, by the adjudicator.
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