REFERENCE BOOKS

A              Another Very First Poetry Book pub. Oxford

B             Puffin Fantastic Poems

C             Very First Poetry pub Oxford

D             I Like this Poem

E        Young Puffin Book of Verse

F             Is a Caterpillar Ticklish

G        Poems for 9 years and Under

H        Poems to Read out Loud

I          Read Me

J              The Works 4

K             Puffin Quintet of Poets

L              The Works 5

M            Nations Favourite Poems

 

Copies of all the set poems are available from the Secretary.

 

AGE TO ACCORD WITH THE RELEVANT SCHOOL YEAR

Book ref./Page                   Entry fee

Class 1A

Pre Reception Children

Test Piece : Own Choice of a traditional Nursery Rhyme                   £2.50

 

Class 1

Verse Speaking Reception Class

Test Piece:           Snow Problem by John Coldwell                                 A/89                      £3.00

 

Class 2

Verse Speaking Year 1 ( March– August Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  Be Impolite by Michael Duggan                            A/43                      £3.00

 

 

Class 3

Verse Speaking Year 1 ( September-February Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  Five Little Owls   Anon                                               B/11                      £3.00

 

 

Class 4

Verse Speaking Year 2 ( March-August Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece    Who’s In by Elizabeth Fleming                             B/89                      £3.00

 

 

Class 5

Verse Speaking Year 2 (September-February Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  My Roller Skates by Finda Akister                         C/22                      £3.00

 

 

 

Class 6

Verse Speaking Year 3 (March– August Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece:   My Grannies by June Cribben                              B/65                £3.00

 

 

Class 7

Verse Speaking Year 3 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  Mice by Rose Fyleman               D/27                       £3.00

 

 

Class 8

Verse Speaking Year 4 (March-August Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece:   Tea with Me by Alison Winn                                   E/161                  £3.00

 

 

Class 9

Verse Speaking Year 4 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece:  House by Leonard Clark                          F/24                       £3.00

 

 

Class 10

Verse Speaking Year 5 (March-August Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  Black Pebble by James Reeves                                                G/79                          £3.00

 

 

Class 11

Verse Speaking Year 5 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  The Moon by  Robert Louis Stevenson H/96/97                   £3.00

 

 

 

Class 12

Verse Speaking Year 6 (March-August Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece    From a Railway Carriage by Robert Louis Stevenson                   H/ 24                       £3.00

 

 

Class 13

Verse Speaking Year 6 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)

Test Piece  A Small Dragon by Brain Patten             I/25             £3.00

 

 

Class 14

Verse Speaking Year 7

Test Piece Day that Summer Died by Vernon Scannell     J/96            £3.00

 

 

Class 15

Verse Speaking Year 8

Test Piece:  Holidays at Home by Elizabeth Jennings           K/116     £3.00

 

 

Class 16

Verse Speaking Year 9

Test Piece    The Scarecrow by Walter de la Mare                                L/72/73                        £3.00

Test Piece: War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy                               F172                      £2.00

Copy available from the Secretary

 

 

Class 17                                                                                Book ref./page   Entry fee

Verse Speaking Year 10

Test Piece :          Road not Taken by Robert Frost                  M/77                    £.3.00

 

Class 18

Verse Speaking Year 11

Test Piece            High Flight ( An Airman’s Ecstacy) by John Gillespie Magee                                                                                                                                                M/72                 £3.00

 

Class 19

Verse Speaking Year 12 and over

Test Piece   Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney              M/176 £3.00

HUMOROUS VERSE

 

A Copy of Own Choice Poems to be submitted at time of entry please.

 

Class 20

Humorous Verse Speaking Year 2 and under

Test Piece: Own Choice                  Time Limit: 2 minutes                     £3.00

 

Class 21

Humorous Verse Speaking Years 3 and 4

Test Piece: Own Choice                  Time Limit : 2 minutes                    £3.00

 

Class 22

Humorous Verse Speaking Year 5

Test Piece: Own Choice                  Time Limit: 3 minutes                     £3.00

 

Class 23

Humorous Verse Speaking Year 6

Test Piece: Own Choice                  Time Limit: 3 minutes                     £3.00

 

Class 24

Humorous Verse Speaking Years 7 and 8

Test Piece : Own Choice                 Time Limit : 4 minutes                    £3.00

 

Class 25

Humorous Verse Speaking Years 9, 10 and 11

Test Piece : Own Choice                 Time Limit : 4 minutes                        £3.00

 

Class 26

Prose Speaking Years 6 and under
An extract from Gansta Granny by David Walliams .

Time Limit 11/12 minutes                                                                                £3.00

Class 27

Prose Speaking Years 7 and 8
An extract from Harry Potter and the Philosher’s Stone by J K Rowling
Time Limit 2 minutes                                                                                 £3.00

Class 28 Prose Speaking Years 9 to 11
An extract from All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Time Limit 3 minutes                                                                                    £3.00

 

Class 29

Prose Speaking 13 to 16 years                                     Time Limit : 3 minutes

An Extract from “Eragon” by Christopher Paolini

Or “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte                                                                                           £2.00

 

Class 30

Bible Reading  Year 6 and under (Primary)

Test Piece  St Mark  Chapter 4 verses 1-8                                    £3.00

Any version of the Bible may be used, but a copy must be provided

for the adjudicator

 

Class 31

Bible Reading Year 7 and over (Secondary)                                            £3.00

Test Piece  St Matthew  Chapter 5 verses 1 to 10

Any version of the Bible may be used, but a copy must be provided

for the adjudicator

 

Class 32

Religious Verse Year 6 and under                                                                               £3.00

Test Piecer  Own Choice   Time Limit  up to 3 minutes

 

 

Class 33

Religious Verse Year 7 and over

Test Piece: Own Choice  Time Limit 3 minutes                                      £3.00

 

ORIGINAL WRITING

 

The poem MUST be sent to the Secretary at the time of entry 20th

January 2024 For Classes 34 & 35 please include your date of birth.

 

Class 34

Original Verse  written by Primary School                 Students                                            £3.00

Test Piece : Performers are required to submit their own choice composition which may be either rhyming or free verse. The poem may be either spoken by the writer or another person chosen by the writer.

 

Class 35

Original Verse written by Secondary  School Students                                       £3.00

Test Piece : Performers are required to submit their own choice composition which may be either rhyming or free verse. The poem may be either spoken by the writer or another person chosen by the writer.

 

Class 36

Original Verse Adult                                                                                                                        £4.00

Test Piece : Performers are required to submit their own choice composition which may be either rhyming or free verse. The poem may be either spoken by the writer or another person chosen by the writer.

 

 

MIME CLASSES

 

IN ALL MIME CLASSES NO PROPS, OTHER THAN CHAIRS, MAY BE USED. IF POSSIBLE PERFORM IN BLACK CLOTHING.

 

Class 38

Solo Mime Primary

Test Piece:  The Surprise , Caught or Chocolates

Time Limit: 2 minutes                                                                                     £3.00

 

Class 39

Solo Mime Secondary

Test Piece:           The Box or The Library or My Alarm didn’t go Off

Time Limit: 3 minutes                                                                                     £3.00

Class 40

Duo Mime Primary          No Music

Test Piece The Artist  or The Interview or The Rescue

Time Limit : 3 minutes                                                                                                    £3.50

 

Class 41

Duo Mime Secondary                      No Music

Test Piece : Own Choice

Time Limit : 3 minutes                                                                                                                    £3.50

 

Class 42

Group Mime Primary (not less than 4 people)   No Music

Test Piece : The Burglary or The Beach

Time Limit : 5 minutes                                                                                                                    £6.00

 

Class 43

Group Mime Secondary (not less than 4 people)  No Music

Test Piece : Own Choice

Time Limit : 6 minutes                                                                                                                    £6.00

 

DRAMATIC CLASSES

 

Class 44

Solo Dramatic Primary

Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character

Time Limit : 3 minutes                                                                                                                    £3.50

 

Class 45

Solo Dramatic Years 7 and 8

Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character

Time Limit : 3 minutes                                                                                                                    £3.50

 

Class 46

Solo Dramatic Years 9, 10 and 11

Test Piece: Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character

Time Limit: 5 minutes                                                                                                                     £3.50

 

Class 47

Solo Dramatic 16 years and over

Test Piece: Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character

Time Limit: 5 minutes                                                                                                                     £4.00

 

DUOLOGUE CLASSES

Class 48
Primary Duologue
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit 5 minutes (including setting any props)                                                         £4.00

Class 49

Duologue Years 7 and 8

Test Piece : Own Choice

Time Limit : 6 minutes (including any prop setting)                                                            £4.00

 

Class 50

Duologue Years 9-12

Test Piece : Own Choice

Time Limit : 6 minutes (including any prop setting)                                                            £4.00

 

Class 51

Dramatic Quartet Years 1 and 2

Test Piece : “Holiday” or “The Strange Visit”

Time Limit : 3 minutes                                                                                                    £5.00

 

Class 52

Dramatic Quartet Years 3, 4, 5 and 6

Test Piece : “Where did that come From?” or “Oh, what a mess!”

Time Limit : 4 minutes                                                                                                                    £5.00

 

Class 53

Dramatic Quartet (Secondary)

Test Piece : “Shock Result” or “Eureka”

Time Limit : 4 minutes                                                                                                                    £5.00

 

Choral Speaking Choirs Are Not To Be Conducted

 

Class 54

Choral Speaking Years 1 and 2

Test Piece: Daddy Fell into the Pond by Alfred Noyes

Or Cats by Eleanor Farjeon  and  Own choice as last year

AND    Own Choice of one contrasting poem. Time limit : 4 minutes              £6.50

Class 55

Choral Speaking Years 3, 4, 5 and 6

Test Piece: JABBERWOCKY BY LEWIS CARROLL

Or Colonel Fazackerley by Charkes Causley

AND Own Choice of one contrasting poem. Time limit : 5 minutes                  £6.50

 

 

Class 56

Choral Speaking Secondary

Test Piece: JOURNEY OF THE Magi by T S Eliot

Or The Listeners by Walter de la Mare

Or Macavity :The Mystery Cat by T S Eliot

AND Own Choice of one contrasting poem

Time Limit: 8 minutes                        £6.50

 

Copies of these poems are available from the Secretary

 

 

Class 57

Choral Speaking (Adults)

Test Piece Either The Journey of the Magi by T S Eliot or

The Listeners by Walter de la Mare or Macivity the Mystery Cat by T S Eliot AND OwnChoice of one contrasting poem Time Limit 10 minutes  £6.00 Copies Poems available from the Secretary

Performers in Classes 58 to 60 must provide copies of Solo Verse, Prose and

Choral Speaking which they may be including in their performance.

 

Class 58

Junior Theme Class Years 6 and under (not less than 5 people)

Test Piece: A programme devised by the group illustrating one of the following :

i Summer             ii Danger                               iii Family Occasions

The theme must include at least three of the following skills:

  1. Solo Verse d. Recorded Music
  2. Prose e. Live Music
  3. Choral Speaking f. Mime and Movement

Time Limit: 8 minutes                                                                                                                     £6.00

 

Class 59

Intermediate Theme Class Years 7 and 8 (not less than 5 people)

Test Piece: A programme devised by the group illustrating one of the following :

i Winter                ii  Out and About                   iii Escape

The theme must include at least three of the skills listed above.

Time Limit: 10 minutes                                                                                                  £6.00

 

Class 60

Senior Theme Class Years 9 to 11 (not less than 5 people)

Test Piece: A programme devised by the group illustrating one of the following :

i Disguise             ii Phobias                             iii Happy Days

The theme must include at least three of the skills listed above.

Time Limit: 12 minutes                                                                                                  £6.00

 

 

Class 61

Shakespeare Character Study Years 6, 7 and 8                                                                      £2.50

The piece selected must be acted                                             Time Limit : 2 minutes

Test Piece : Own Choice of a speech from one of the following plays

  1. Much Ado About Nothing ii. Romeo & Juliet iii. Midsummer Night’s Dream

 

 

 

Class 62

Shakespeare Character Study Years 9, 10, and 11                                                £2.50

The piece selected must be acted.                                           Time limit : 4 minutes

Test Piece: Own Choice of a speech from any play by William Shakespeare

               

Diary Reading 11 to 14 years                                       Time Limit : 3 minutes

Test Piece: An extract from : The Diary of Anne Frank                                       £2.00

 

Class 63

Shakespeare Character Study Years 12 and 13

The piece selected must be acted                              Time Limit : 4 minutes                    £3.00

Test Piece : Own Choice of a speech from any play by William Shakespeare

 

 

Class 64

Shakespeare Character Study Adult                                                                                          £5.00

The piece selected must be acted                              Time Limit : 4 minutes

Test Piece : Own Choice of a speech from any play by William Shakespeare

 

 

Class 65

Diary Reading Years 7 and 8                                         Time Limit : 3 minutes

Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from thee Diary of Anne Frank                          £3.00

 

 

Class 66

Diary Reading Years 9, 10 and 11               Time Limit : 3 minutes

Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from

The Diary of an Edwardian Lady  by Edith Holden                                                               £3.00

 

 

Class 67

Verse Speaking Years 3 , 4, 5 and 6                                                                                            £3.00

Test Piece : Own Choice of any poem  from  Read Me  Series of Books

 

A copy must be provided for the adjudicator.

 

 

 

Class 68                                                                                                                               £3.00

Verse Speaking Years 7 — 12

Test Piece : The Nations Favourite Poems  except any poem already set for the Festival

 

 

 

Class 69                                                                                                                                £3.00

Sonnet Class (Secondary)

Test Piece : Own Choice of two contrasting sonnets

 

 

Class 70                                                                                                                                £3.00

Prepared Prose Reading Time Limit : 3 minutes

Test Piece : An extract from any novel by  any of the Bronte Sisters

 

 

Class 71

Musical Theatre Group (not less than 4 people)

Test Piece: To perform an extract from a Musical which must include spoken word

and 1 musical piece accompanied by either recorded or live music.

Time Limit: 15 minutes                                                                                                  £7.00

Please note: Should entries be received from both Primary and Secondary ages, this class will be divided.

 

 

Class 72

Radio News Reading Years 5 and 6

Test Piece: Performers should prepare a news script which they will read as a radio news bulletin of 2 minutes duration. The script, which should be in the performer’s own words, should comprise news items which have been reported on radio, television or in the newspapers during January and February 2024 The adjudicator will assess both content and presentation.                                                                                                                                                                                            £3.00

Class 73

Radio News Reading Years 7 and 8

Test Piece: As above, but a bulletin of  up to 3 minutes duration.                 £3.00

 

Class 74

Radio News Reading Years 9 and 10

Test Piece: As above, but a bulletin of up to 4 minutes duration                   £3.00

 

 

Class75

Radio News Reading Years 11 and 12

Test Piece : As above, but a bulletin of up to 5 minutes duration.                 £3.00

 

 

Class 76

Musical Theatre   Solo Open

Test Piece : To introduce a character from a musical and perform one song.

Time Limit : 4 minutes

Accompanist will be provided if necessary. CDs not allowed.

Music must be included with entry please.                                                                            £3.00

 

 

Class 77

Open Theme Class                                                                                                                           £6.00

Test Piece : A programme devised by the group illustrating any one of the options listed in Classes 58—60.

Time Limit : 12 minutes

 

 

 

Class 78                                                                                                                                £3.00

Duologue Open

Test Piece            Own Choice of a Piece written  for two  Characters  or an

Extract from a Book

Time Limit 8 Minutes including setting.

 

 

Class 79                                                                                                                                £3.00

Humorous Verse  Year 12 & 13

Own Choice  Time Limit 5 minutes

 

 

Class 80                                                                                                                                £3.00

Bible Reading  Year 12 & 13

Test Piece            St Luke Chapter 2 verses 1 to 20

 

 

Class 81

Solo Dramatic    Years 12 & 13

Test Piece Own Choice of a speech by a Character from either a Play or Novel

Time Limit 6 minutes                                                                                                                      £3.00