February 10th 2026 - 7pm to 9:30pm - Birmingham Old Rep
BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL SLAM
We’ve invited twelve local Primary Schools to bring a team of their best poets to this exciting competition hosted and facilitated by Brummie gem and VERVE Poetry Press poet Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito! But there’s more! Our judges will consist of two local poets well versed (get it!) in the art of poetry, who will both perform on the night.
Come and support the poetry stars of the future at their first ever poetry slam!
Early Bird Tickets available but limited. Once they're gone, they're gone!
VERVE POETRY
SCHOOL SLAM
VERVE Poetry School Slam is a live poetry event for year 6 students created to give young people a real experience of writing, performing, and being heard.
The Slam sits within VERVE’s wider commitment to developing writers at every stage, and offers young poets a chance to share original work in front of an audience, outside the pressures of assessment or classroom marking. Poems are written by the students themselves and performed live. Some are quiet. Some are funny. Some are angry or unsure. All of them count.
HOW SCHOOLS
TAKE PART
Schools take part through workshops and preparation sessions that focus on writing craft, confidence, and performance skills, without forcing a particular style or voice. Students are supported to explore language in ways that feel relevant to their own lives, whether that’s through storytelling, spoken word, or experimental forms.
The Slam element introduces structure and momentum rather than pressure. Poems are judged, but the emphasis is on participation, listening, and growth. Many students perform for the first time; others return with more confidence, stronger work, and a clearer sense of what their voice can do.
WHAT IT OFFERS
VERVE Poetry School Slam is not about producing “polished performers”. It’s about access, permission, and practice. It offers young people a public platform for creative expression, and treats their writing with the same seriousness and respect as adult work.
For some students, it’s a one-off experience. For others, it becomes a first step into ongoing writing, performance, or creative confidence. Either way, it meets young people where they are, and gives them space to speak in their own words.
