PUPILS at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham have received an inspirational visit from performance poet Ash Dickinson.

The year eight pupils got creative with their own poetry writing during a series of workshops with the multiple poetry slam winner.

The sessions, part of a war poetry unit being taught in English this term, provided them with the chance to broaden their knowledge of poetic techniques whilst strengthening their understanding of the subject.

Curriculum leader for English, Dan Skirrow, said: “The confidence that the pupils have shown in sharing their work and the brilliance they’ve produced in short bursts of writing has been wonderful to witness.”

Mr Dickinson encouraged the pupils to develop their own poetic skills by composing haikus, three-line poems of 17 syllables, and clerihews, four-line rhyming poems consisting of two rhyming couplets, before focussing on war poetry more fully.

The pupils also thoroughly enjoyed listening to some of Ash’s award-winning poetry on diverse subjects ranging from McDonalds to librarians, Miley Cyrus to football, which he has performed at literary festivals around the world, as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Mr Dickinson’s new collection, Strange Keys, will be published in April 2016.