Chiswick’s First-Ever Poetry Recital Competition

The very first edition of Chiswick’s Poetry Recital Competition took place during the Year 8 assembly—and what a fantastic event it was! Eight contestants for French and eight for German showcased their skills in pronunciation, memorisation, and that special “star quality” that makes a performance unforgettable.

The pupils put in a tremendous amount of effort, and their hard work paid off as they recited their poems beautifully in front of a packed audience of their peers, form tutors, and two guest judges—Mr Hodgson and Miss Normand. Performing in a foreign language is no small achievement, and each participant showed incredible courage and confidence.

The French group—Taira A, Maisie C, Coralie T, Oliver T, Harrison T, George F, and Zai C—performed Chanson d’automne by Paul Verlaine.

The German group—Max G, Maia M, Hazel L, Annabelle S, Alisa A, and Teea N—performed Der Schneemann by Robert Reinick.

The poetry competition is part of a larger event organised by St Mary’s University, culminating in a grand finale on 18 June. After much deliberation, our judges selected the following four finalists to represent Chiswick:

• Maia M and Annabelle S for German
• George F and Taira A for French

Special mentions also go to Harrison T (French) and Alisa A (German), who delivered exceptional performances and impressed the judges with their flair and commitment.

We are incredibly proud of all our participants for their dedication and bravery. Best of luck to our finalists—we can’t wait to see you shine at the finale!