Talented young writers from Newcastle-under-Lyme School have picked up prizes in a national poetry competition.

Kiera Hall and Richard Garner have had their work recognised in the Poetry Society’s Foyle Young Poets of the Year awards.

Year 9 pupil Kiera, aged 13, was named among the “top 15” poets of the year, while Richard’s work was commended.

More than 20,000 young people entered the competition with the Poetry Society awarding prizes to their “Top 15” winners and offering commendations to just 85 entrants.

Alison Keay, Head of English at the School, said: “Richard and Kiera’s poems were already commended in our own School Hulme/Wain poetry competition.  To go on to win recognition in such a prestigious national competition is excellent.”

Kiera, from Porthill, was recognised for her work First Shear, which tells the story of a sheep shivering in a field following the “first shear” of the winter.

Year 10 pupil Richard, 14, from Nantwich, wrote a romantic verse entitled “The Kiss.”

Kiera’s prize incudes mentoring from the Poetry Society and the visit of a “poet in residence” to Newcastle-under-Lyme School. She also receives one year’s free youth membership of the Poetry Society.

Richard also receives a year’s membership of the Society and both pupils have been invited to attend a prize giving ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on October 7. 2010.

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For further information contact Ian Cartwright on 01782 664270

Note to editors:

Newcastle-under-Lyme School is an independent day school catering for pupils from three to 18 years of age. A nursery, junior school, senior school and sixth form are all part of the school family. The School is able to commit over £700,000 a year from its own resources to support the education of children from lower income backgrounds.

The School poetry competition is named after two former pupils of the School who made their names in the world of literature.  T E Hulme, First World War writer and poet and Jon Wain, former Oxford Professor of Poetry and author.

The School’s website can be accessed at www.nuls.org.uk.

Newcastle-under-Lyme School

Mount Pleasant

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Staffordshire

ST5 1DB.