Somerset students are taking their poetry talents to the streets to encourage locals to learn and perform the craft.

Mr Herbert reciting Beowulf while gazing upon King Alfred.

The King Alfred School Academy students have persuaded an Elvis tribute act to recite poetry, the whole of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, and even lifeguards speaking out At The Seaside by Robert Louis Stevenson. Local Barbers, greengrocers and hairdressers, other shops and businesses are all signed up.

Now The Poetry Society are publishing a story about it in their next magazine, entitled ‘Your poetry 5-a-day: Nutrition for the heart and mind’.

Becky Dalziel, English Teacher, said: “It became obvious that our lifeguards should share with my students the pleasure of being At The Seaside by Robert Louis Stevenson. I haven't just stopped there. We have the entire Burnham and Highbridge Town Council reciting poetry. When one of my Year 11 GCSE English Lit students said: ‘Why would I want to learn a whole poem by heart?’ I did the obvious thing, I made a shopping list and I popped down to town for some inspiration. Poetry needs to be more than reading - you need to experience, linger and enjoy the whole poem. We are encouraging the whole area to get behind this scheme. If you learn a poem by heart then it’s in your head and heart forever, and you can take it anywhere with you.” Burnham is the home town of BOSFest and a beacon for arts and culture. Every Friday lunchtime students from all years meet up to take part in in The Poetry By Heart Competition. TKASA is one of the fastest improving schools in the south west.