Mulberry Academy Bexhill at Eastbourne Literary Festival’s regional Poetry By Heart competition

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Two of our talented students, Charlotte G (Year 8) and Frankie P (Year 11), represented Mulberry Academy Bexhill at Eastbourne Literary Festival’s regional Poetry By Heart competition, reciting against students from schools across the county in front of judges connected to the national competition.

Poetry By Heart is one of the country’s most respected school poetry competitions, challenging students to commit poems to memory and bring them to life through performance rather than simply reading them aloud. Standing in front of an audience and a panel of judges, with no script to fall back on, takes real nerve, and both of our students rose to the occasion.

Charlotte took first place in the Freestyle category for her performance of her own poem, “Seasons, Painted By Imagination”, an original piece that showed real confidence and creativity in front of judges used to hearing established work. Frankie came a very close second in the Classic category, reciting Sylvia Plath’s “The Applicant” with a maturity and control well beyond her years, taking on one of the more demanding poems in the competition and doing it justice.

The audience were treated to poetry read by poet A F Harrald before presentations were made, adding to what was already a special evening for everyone who attended, students and staff alike.

Mulberry Academy Bexhill are very proud of the girls’ achievements and see this as a launchpad to compete nationally next year. Competing and placing in a regional final connected to the national Poetry By Heart competition is no small feat, and it reflects the strength of the school’s wider commitment to reading, writing and public speaking. We look forward to cheering Charlotte and Frankie on as they take this success further.

(A F Harrald reading to the audience): Poet A F Harrald reading to students in the school library before the Poetry By Heart presentations.(Frankie at the microphone): Frankie P, Year 11 student at Mulberry Academy Bexhill, reciting Sylvia Plath's "The Applicant" at the Poetry By Heart competition.(Charlotte at the microphone): Charlotte G, Year 8 student at Mulberry Academy Bexhill, reciting her poem at a lectern in a school library during the Poetry By Heart competition

 

Students of the week – 18 September 2026

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Meet This Week’s Students of the Week

Out of a year group of around 300, our year teams choose a handful who’ve done something brilliant, made a real turnaround, or been a genuine credit to the academy. This week, one from each year group.

Academy Update, 18 September 2026

Year 7
Oriana W
Year 7’s very first Student of the Week this year. She’s settled into secondary school brilliantly, joined in with clubs straight away, and started one to one piano lessons. Outside school she’s just been cast as Annie in Mad Fish’s production of the same name.

Year 8
Evie B
Nominated for the initiative she’s shown around conservation: researching environmental issues, producing posters, and preparing to write to her local MP about what more can be done. She’s torn between two future ambitions, law or marine biology, both rooted in the same instinct to protect and to help.

Year 9
Harry S
Has made the most of a fresh start this year. A change of classes gave him the chance to move away from some negative influences, and he’s grabbed that opportunity with both hands, engaging brilliantly in lessons and getting involved in Elev8, our new opportunities programme. Sport is where his future lies: football, rugby or basketball.

Year 10
Logan M
His start to Year 10 has been described as phenomenal. He’s chosen his options, History and Hospitality and Catering, with a clear goal of doing well in his GCSEs, and has already racked up a string of positive points this term. His ambition is to work in physiotherapy, ideally in football.

Year 11
Emily L
One of the best turnaround stories we have. Years 7 and 8 weren’t easy, but by Year 9 things had clicked, and she’s never looked back. This summer she represented the academy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, stepping in at the last minute and taking on real responsibility along the way. Her sights are set on musical theatre, with a gap year planned before university in London.

Week 1 Academy Update

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Here’s this week’s Academy Update.

It’s been a brilliant start to the year, and this week’s issue is full of it. Have a read, and as always, thank you for everything you do as part of our Mulberry Academy Bexhill community.

Download here