Scanning Pens are proud to have sponsored the inaugural TES SEN Show Poetry Competition 2021, a national poetry competition for pupils in primary and secondary education to spark creativity and conversation around special educational needs and disability (SEND) education.

Through the given theme of ‘Dreams and Aspirations: a vision for SEND inclusion’, the poetry competition was an exercise that invited educators and pupils to meditate on the themes of inclusion and accessibility, and especially how young people experience inclusion. It also encouraged entrants to expand on the idea of what they think inclusion should look like on a personal and on global level, and transform those dreams and aspirations into a piece of poetry.

The aim of this competition was not only to foster a flowering of poetry and creativity in young people who have spent the best part of eighteen months learning in what were perhaps stressful or non-ideal situations as necessitated by the global pandemic, but also to encourage dreams and aspirations amongst all children and young people, especially those with SEND.

The winners were chosen by a panel of award-winning experts: Cressida Cowell, Children’s Laureate and the number one best-selling author and illustrator, Sarah-Jane Critchley, author and founder of the Different Joy Partnership, Carol Allen, an award-winning Education Advisory Teacher for ICT and Inclusion, Bella Cope, member of the Autism Education Trust’s Young People’s Panel, Beverley Walters, the Head of Content at the TES SEN show, and Matt Govett, The Event Director of the TES SEN show. Scanning Pens are delighted to have been a part of such a worthy project, and our co-founder, Jack S. Churchill, was in attendance at the TES SEN show last week to congratulate our winners at the awards ceremony, presided over by Cressida Cowell.

Primary - Individual (Ages 5-11)

WINNER
'I Am Me' by Will Lodge (age 9)
School: EOTAS
RUNNER-UP
'Searching for a Horton' by Benjamin Graham (age 10), School: Homeschooled
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'Chasing a Rainbow' by Tayla Sims-Beswick (age 10), School: Gretton Primary School

Primary and Secondary - Group

WINNER
'Egg and Cake' by Abbie, Becky, Zara, Zahra, Millie, Tyler, Yousuf, McKenzie, Tommy and Parker (age 16)
School: Crosshill School
RUNNER UP
'Learning' by Neptune Class - Asher, Okwabi Noah Yusuf, Hannah Peasey, David Bombanis and Nabil Rahman (age 12)
School: JFK Special School
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'Together Now, Together Forever' by Neptune Class - Asher, Okwabi Noah Yusuf, Hannah Peasey, David Bombanis and Nabil Rahman (age 12)
School: JFK Special School

Secondary - Individual (Ages 11-19)

WINNER
'Thrill' by Edwin Hui (age 13)
School: Cartmel Priory School
RUNNER UP
'Inpatient' by Sky McClure (age 15)
School:Manor Green School - The Link
HIGHLY COMMENDED
'Is it my problem?' by Matthew Bailey (age 13)
School: Cartmel Priory School
'Muted' by Abbey Docherty (age 15)
School: Good Shepherd Centre
'Better' by Abigail Cowie (age 12)
School: Formby High

You can check out our very talented winners as well as all the other amazing entrants at the TES Poetry Competition Anthology of Entries and Results.