Matt visited our school to deliver both poetry and boxing sessions to some of our disengaged year 9 students. We targeted disadvantaged learners who were underachieving in order to enthuse and inspire them into re-engaging with English. A fabulous role model, Matt provided valuable sessions which are still having an impact today.

Students were wowed during a whole school presentation – they were amazed when he used their names and ideas. The initial queries of: ‘Poetry Miss? Really?’, quickly turned to enthusiasm and positivity when Matt began to tell his story. Poetry sessions fostered creativity, providing a fun and engaging way to explore language. Boxing sessions were enjoyed by all learners, regardless of ability.

The combination of poetry and boxing is what made the success of the day long-lasting. Students who were initially hesitant about poetry, engaged fully with the boxing session. One such student transformed from reluctant and disengaged, to enthusiastic and motivated across the two sessions: he is still enthusiastic. A number of students who took part in the sessions have shown increased enthusiasm for English, and this has persisted over time.

A rewarding and beneficial set of workshops which students thoroughly enjoyed -we are very interested to see how these sessions evolve and would love to have Matt back in the future.