A group of year 11 students were given the chance to attend the AQA GCSE ‘Poetry Live!’ event in the magnificent surroundings of Birmingham Symphony Hall, on Friday 6th February. The event hosted several poets featured in this year’s GCSE Literature Anthology, as well as helpful hints and tips from the chief examiner.

There were performances and Q and A sessions with poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Armitage, Imtiaz Dharker and Gillian Clarke, but the clear favourite amongst the students was John Agard, who closed the event with a series of mesmerising readings.