Rules

Copyright: Entrants do not have to seek copyright permission for any poetry, prose or solo dramatic items performed, to a time limit of 10 minutes. Duologues and group dramatic activity are not covered by this agreement, and copyright for these items should be sought by performers at the time of entry. Performing Rights: For “Own Choice” pieces, entrants must provide the Desk Steward with the following information for Performing Rights purposes: Title; Author; Publisher; ISBN number (if available). Solo dramatic items must be announced with title and author at the time of performance to qualify for copyright indemnity, and the performer must not change the words or gender of the character.

Solo Verse Classes

000 Solo Verse (REC)
“A Silver Birch” by Roger Stevens. – Off By Heart by Roger Stevens. Published by A & C Black.
or
“Fairy Dust” by Roger Stevens – I Wish I had a Pirate Hat by Roger Stevens. Edited by Francis Lincoln
Set piece “A Silver Birch” or “Fairy Dust”
Fee £4.50
Reception only

001 Solo Verse (Year 1)
“Isn’t it Amazing” by Max Fatchen. Read Me 2. A Poem for Every Day of the Year.
“Spooky House” by Penny Kent. The Works. Key Stage 1. Chosen by Pie Corbett
Set piece “Isn’t it Amazing” or “Spooky House”
Fee £4.50
Year 1 only

002 Solo Verse (Year 2)
“Like Grandad” by Joan Poulson – Off by Heart by Roger Stevens. Published by A & C Black
or
“Queue for the Zoo” by Clare Bevan. Poems to Perform. Chosen by J Donaldson.
Set piece “Like Grandad” or “Queue for the Zoo”
Fee £4.50
Year 2 only

003 Solo Verse (Year 3)
“The Sweet” by Tony Bradman. All Together Now! Puffin Books
or
“I asked the Little Boy Who Could not See” by Anon.
A Poem for Every Day of the Year
Set piece “The Sweet” or “I Asked the Little Boy Who Could not See”
Fee £4.50
Year 3 only

004 Solo Verse (Year 4)
“Listen and Look” by Patricia Leighton. A First Poetry Book by Pie Corbett and Gaby Morgan.
or
“True Confession” by Irene Rawnsley. The Works chosen by Paul Cookson.
Set piece “Listen and Look” or “True Confession”
Fee £4.50
Year 4 only

005 Solo Verse (Year 5)
“The Tiger” by Peter Niblett. The Young Dragon Book of Verse. Edited by M Harrison and C Stewart-Clark
or
“The Teacher Said” by Alex Wharton. Day Dreams and Jelly Beans. Poems to Read Aloud. Fire Fly Press
Set piece “The Tiger” or “The Teacher Said”
Fee £4.50
Year 5 only

006 Solo Verse (Year 6)
“Evacuation” by Roger Stevens. What are we Fighting For by B Moses & R Stevens. Macmillan Children’s Books.
or
“The Boy Who Dropped Litter” by Lindsay MacRae. Read Me a Poem Every Day of the Year.
Set piece “Evacuation” or ”The Boy Who Dropped Litter”
Fee £4.50
Year 6 only

007 Solo Verse (Year 7)
“Finishing Off” by Allan Ahlberg. Heard it in the Playground by Allan Ahlberg.
or
“The Shooting Stars” by James Carter. The Works 4. Chosen by Pie Corbett and Gaby Morgan.
Set piece “Finishing Off” or “The Shooting Stars”
Fee £4.50
Year 7 only

008 Solo Verse (Year 8)
“An Apple for Ash” by Jan Dean. A Penguin in Lost Property.
Published by Macmillan.
or
“Empty House” by Gareth Owen. Michael Rosen’s A – Z. The Best Children’s Poetry.
Set piece “An Apple for Ash” or “Empty House”
Fee £4.50
Year 8 only

009 Solo Verse (Years 9 to 11)
“Chocs” by Carol Ann Duffy. Read Me A Poem for Every Day of the Year. Chosen by Gaby Morgan.
or
“The Door” by Miroslav Holub. Translated and included in Poems for the Day 2.
or
“Abandoned Dog” by Brian Moses. What are we Fighting For by Brian Moses and Roger Stevens.
Macmillan’s Children’s Books.
Set piece “Chocs” or “The Door” or “Abandoned Dog”
Fee £4.50
Year 9 to Year 11

010 Sonnet Class (Year 6 and above)
Own Choice. Modern or Classical
A clean neat copy to be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £4.50
Year 6 to Year 11

New Class for 2024

011 New Class Humorous Verse NON COMPETITIVE
Own choice of a published humorous poem. To be recited from memory.
Open to all ages.
Fee £4.50

Paired, Shared and Group Performance Classes

Please note: In paired, shared or group performances pupils must be entered into the class that corresponds with the age of the eldest performer. Simple props and costume may be used.

012 Group Story Telling (Years 1 – 3) (3 to 12 performers)
Using acting, mime and narrating, tell a version of any simple short children’s story e.g. The
Enormous Turnip. Narration can be read or spoken from memory. Simple costume and props are
encouraged.
Time limit 4 mins.
Fee £11.00 per group
Group of 3 to 12 people
Year 1 to Year 3

013 Group Story Telling (Years 4 – 6) (3 -12 performers)
Using acting, mime and narrating, tell a version of any simple, short children’s story e.g. The Pied
Piper of Hamelin. Narration can be read or spoken from memory. Simple costume and props are
encouraged.
Time limit 5 minutes.
Fee £11.00 per group
Group of 3 to 12 people
Year 4 to Year 6

014 Shared Poetry (not acted) for 2/3 performers (Years 3 – 6)
Own choice.
Recited from memory
A copy must be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £3.00 per person
Group of 2 to 3 people
Year 3 to Year 6

015 Shared Poetry (acted) for 2/3 performers (Years 3- 6)
Own choice
Recited from memory.
A copy must be provided for the adjudicator
Fee £3.00 per person
Group of 2 to 3 people
Year 3 to Year 6

Writing and Speaking Classes

016 Write and Speak a Poem (Years 1 – 3)
The entrant to write a poem on a subject of their own choice which they will recite. A signature of a
parent or guardian is required to verify that it is the student’s unaided work which must be submitted
to the Section Secretary by Friday 29th March 2024
Fee £4.50
Year 1 to Year 3

017 Write and Speak a Poem (Years 4 – 6)
The entrant to write a poem on a subject of their own choice which they will recite. A signature of a
parent or guardian is required to verify that it is the student’s unaided work which must be submitted
to the Section Secretary by Friday 29th March 2024.
Fee £4.50
Year 4 to Year 6

018 Write and Speak a Poem (Years 7- 9)
The entrants to write a poem on a subject of their own choice which they will recite. A signature of a
parent or guardian is required to verify that it is the student’s unaided work, which must be submitted
to the Section Secretary by Friday 29th March 2024.
Fee £4.50
Year 7 to Year 9

019 Write & Read your own Story (Years 3 – 6)
The entrants to write a story on a subject of their own choice with a limit of 500 words. A copy to be
provided for the Adjudicator with an accurate word count.
Fee £4.50
Year 3 to Year 6

Prose Reading Classes

020 Prose Reading (Years 1 – 3)
Own choice. Must be read not learnt. Must be read from the book. Time limit 1 minute (this must be
strictly observed). A photocopy of the passage to be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £4.50
Year 1 to Year 3
Up to 1 min

021 Prose Reading (Years 3 – 4)
Own choice. Must be read not learnt. Must be read from the book. Time limit 2 minutes (this must be
strictly observed). A photocopy of the passage to be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £4.50
Year 3 to Year 4
Up to 2 mins

022 Prose Reading (Years 5 – 6)
Own choice. Must be read not learnt. Must be read from the book. Time limit 2 minutes (this must be
strictly observed). A photocopy of the passage to be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £4.50
Year 5 to Year 6
Up to 2 mins

023 Prose Reading (Years 7 – 9)
Own choice. Must be read not learnt. Must be read from the book. Time limit 2 minutes (this must be
strictly observed). A photocopy of the passage to be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £4.50
Year 7 to Year 9
Up to 2 mins

024 Bible or other Religious Text Reading (Years 3 – 6)
A prepared reading from the Bible or other religion’s Holy Book.
Time limit 2 minutes. Must be read from the book.
A photocopy of the passage to be provided for the adjudicator.
Fee £4.50
Year 3 to Year 6
Up to 2 mins

Solo, Duo and Group Drama Classes

Suitability of choice is taken into account. Material can be taken from modern or classical works. Simple costume and props are encouraged. A performer may appear only once in any section. Own choice material may be taken from GCSE/A level syllabuses & may therefore not be suitable for younger audiences. Copies of scripts to be provided for the adjudicator. See rules on copyright material.

025 Solo Drama (Years 3 and 4)
Own choice. A photocopy to be provided for the adjudicator.
Simple costume and props are encouraged.
Fee £4.50
Year 3 to Year 4
Up to 3 mins

026 Solo Drama (Years 5 and 6)
Own choice. A photocopy to be provided for the adjudicator.
Simple costumes and props are encouraged.
Fee £4.50
Year 5 to Year 6
Up to 4 mins

027 Solo Drama (Years 7 – 11)
Own choice. A photocopy to be provided for the adjudicator. Simple costumes and props are encouraged.
Fee £4.50
Year 7 to Year 11
Up to 4 mins

028 Shakespeare Solo Class (Years 6 – 11)
Own choice of speech from one of the plays.
Clean neat copy to be provided for the adjudicator.
Simple props and costumes may be used.
Fee £4.50
Year 6 to Year 11
Up to 4 mins

029 Duologues (Years 4 – 6)
Own choice. A photocopy to be provided for the adjudicator.
Simple costumes and props may be used.
Fee £8.50 per group
Group of 2 people
Year 4 to Year 6
Up to 4 mins

030 Duologues including Shakespeare (Years 7 – 11)
Own choice. A photocopy to be provided for the adjudicator.
Simple costumes and props may be used.
Fee £8.50 per group
Group of 2 people
Year 7 to Year 11
Up to 4 mins

031 Group Drama (Years 3 – 6) (Groups of 3 -10)
Own choice from published play. A copy or photocopy must be provided. Simple costumes and props may be used.
Time – Between 5 and 10 minutes
Fee £11.00 per group
Group of 3 to 10 people
Year 3 to Year 6
Up to 10 mins

032 Group Drama (Years 7 – 11) Groups 3 – 10)
Own choice from a published play. A clean copy or photocopy must be provided. Simple costumes and props may be used.
Time – Between 5 and 10 minutes.
Fee £11.00 per group
Group of 3 to 10 people
Year 7 to Year 11
Up to 10 mins

Television News Reader Classes

033 Paired Television News Readers (Not acted) (Years 5 and 6)
In pairs, competitors are to read from their own prepared news bulletin on 2 or more topics of their choice, from the past, present of future. e.g. local news, current affairs, sport celebrities etc. Time limit 2.5 minutes.
Fee £8.50 per group
Group of 2 people
Year 5 to Year 6
Up to 2.5 mins

034 Paired Television News Reader (Not acted) (Years 7- 9)
In pairs, competitors are to read from their own prepared news bulletin on 2 or more topics of their choice from the past, present or future e.g. local news, current affairs, sport, celebrities etc. Time limit 2½ minutes.
Fee £8.50 per group
Group of 2 people
Year 7 to Year 9
Up to 2.5 mins

Footnote
Cups may be awarded for some classes. A special cup for the best overall performer in the Speech and Drama Section will be presented at the festival concert.

Entries for the Festival close on 28 February 2024. Please ensure your entry is submitted in time!