POETRY has been made cool for schoolchildren thanks to a local poet.

Giovanni Esposito - known as Spoz - visited Nunnery Wood High School to help year 11 pupils with the poems they are studying for their English Literature exam and to encourage them to write their own.

English teacher, Emma White said: “Many students see poetry as something that is boring and bland with no relevance to them whatsoever.

"Spoz makes it both interesting and relevant to them and, dare I say it, quite cool.”

During the two hour workshop, a variety of pupils put their heads together to create short poems on topics of their choice, in the style of some of our best known poets such as Carol Anne Duffy and Simon Armitage.

With Spoz's help, the students found their rhythm and rhyme, and the poems they wrote were used for a battle of the poets, or a Poetry Off, at the end of the day.

Wendy Woodman, head of English at the school, said: "For many students, poetry is inaccessible.

"The use of someone like Spoz as a resource to encourage and engage students is invaluable.”

Spoz will return to the Spetchley Road school to work with year 9 pupils in June in preparation for the annual Poetry Slam final.

The recent visit took place on Monday, March 31.