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A loud and energetic performance from a rapper got children excited about poetry.

Hip hop artist, poet and award-winning author Karl Nova made pupils at Cooks Spinney Primary Academy look at poetry in a fresh new way during a visit to the school.

He spent the day inspiring young people to see the connection between the music they love and the art of poetry.

The author of Rhythm and Poetry told pupils: “Poetry makes me feel good. When I write it, I feel good; I feel like a superhero. When I share it with people like you, it makes you feel good and then we feel good together.”

The poet held workshops with Year 4, 5 and 6 to encourage them to write creatively and to know how to tackle poetry.

Karl said: “I hope children take away from today a love for poetry and see that it is not just something they learn about in school, but something they take home and attempt themselves.

“Children have secret writing habits we don’t even know about. We want to encourage and nurture that.

“I never had a poetry lesson in school. I had a cousin who played rap music to me and wrote with me. It became a bonding thing between me and my cousin. I want to take that love of writing and give it to children today.

“Rap stands for rhythm and poetry – they are being influenced by rap and do not even realise it is poetry. I have now made that connection for them.”

Magdalena Dackombe, Year 6 teacher and literacy co-ordinator, said: “In young people’s minds, poetry can appear really boring; they associate it with Shakespeare and things they do not necessarily understand.

“The whole message from today was fun and inspired children to have a go at writing their own poetry.

“Karl presents his poems as rap songs and the children absolutely loved that. He has been such an inspiration.”