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Courses

Start writing poetry, today

Join us in reading, writing, editing and translating poetry, in year-long courses, short courses, workshops, one-day sessions, seminars, tutorials and every variety of learning in between – in our classrooms, off site and online.

For more information and FAQs about how our courses work, please go to our In-Person Courses, Video Courses and Online Courses pages.

All our Courses

Mysteries of Small Houses: Writing & Disobeying with Alice Notley Masterclass

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Tutor: Agnieszka Studzinska

Mysteries of Small Houses: Writing & Disobeying with Alice Notley Masterclass

Absolutely Alice; write un-pin-downable poetry inspired by the classic Notley collection

Start Date: May 4, 2026
End Date: July 27, 2026 ( 85 Days )
Type: Online

Meaning, Connection, & Coherence: A Prose Poem Masterclass

£215.00 *

Tutor: Kristina Marie Darling

Meaning, Connection, & Coherence: A Prose Poem Masterclass

Explore prose poetry from Arthur Rimbaud to Russell Edson, Jenny Boully, Sabrina Orah Mark, & beyond.

Start Date: May 5, 2026
End Date: July 28, 2026 ( 85 Days )
Type: Online

Determination & Necessity: Writing Poetic Urgency

£135.00 *

Tutor: Eve Grubin

Determination & Necessity: Writing Poetic Urgency

Learn to write imperative verse, the poetry of purpose and urgency in every sense.

Start Date: May 6, 2026
End Date: July 15, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

Field Poetics Masterclass: Listening, Presencing, & Practicing at Sites of Ruination & Repair

£215.00 *

Tutor: Ruby Reding

Field Poetics Masterclass: Listening, Presencing, & Practicing at Sites of Ruination & Repair

Beginning from place – bring site specificity to your poetic practice.

Start Date: May 6, 2026
End Date: July 29, 2026 ( 85 Days )
Type: Online

£70.00 *

Tutor: Becky Varley-Winter

Poetic Forms for Beginners

Spark your creativity and take your first steps into the world of poetry!

Start Date: May 6, 2026
End Date: July 1, 2026 ( 57 Days )
Type: Video

From Miniature to Global: Ecological Imaginaries Studio

£100.00 *

Tutor: Rachel Bower

From Miniature to Global: Ecological Imaginaries Studio

Join us to explore how the minutest of objects, details or words can offer new ways of thinking about the climate emergency.

Start Date: May 6, 2026
End Date: June 3, 2026 ( 29 Days )
Type: Online

Sonic Language / Poetic Noise Masterclass

£215.00 *

Tutor: Iris Colomb

Sonic Language / Poetic Noise Masterclass

The phonetic poetic; explore the wondrous worlds in which poetry and sound collide.

Start Date: May 7, 2026
End Date: July 30, 2026 ( 85 Days )
Type: Online

The Magical World of Objects: Poetry & Things

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Tutor: Jonathan Edwards

The Magical World of Objects: Poetry & Things

Object brilliance; making poetry through the portal of thinginess.

Start Date: May 7, 2026
End Date: July 16, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

Fortnightly Feedback with Isabelle Baafi

£100.00 *

Tutor: Isabelle Baafi

Fortnightly Feedback with Isabelle Baafi

Knock loose poems into shape with some concentrated feedback from poet, critic, and tutor, Isabelle Baafi.

Start Date: May 11, 2026
End Date: July 20, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

Freedom in Form: Creativity, Control, & Craft with Jacqueline Saphra

£240.00 *

Tutor: Jacqueline Saphra

Freedom in Form: Creativity, Control, & Craft with Jacqueline Saphra

Mix up your writing and learn new skills and techniques with Jacqueline Saphra.

Start Date: May 11, 2026
End Date: July 20, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Video

Retropoetics: Four Billion Years of Inspiration

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Tutor: Rebecca Watts

Retropoetics: Four Billion Years of Inspiration

Write from the archival hoard – history as poetic hook.

Start Date: May 12, 2026
End Date: July 21, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

£70.00 *

Tutor: Becky Varley-Winter

Beginners’ Workshop Group

Join a supportive community for close reading and developmental feedback on your new poems!

Start Date: May 13, 2026 7–9pm
End Date: July 8, 2026 ( 57 Days )
Type: Video

Transreading Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine at 60

£135.00 *

Tutor: Sarah Hesketh

Transreading Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine at 60

Beyond the Anglophone – discover indispensable international verse from MPT.

Start Date: May 13, 2026
End Date: July 22, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

The Ocean is not a Metaphor – Decolonising the Sea

£135.00 *

Tutor: Rosemarie Corlett

The Ocean is not a Metaphor – Decolonising the Sea

Join us as we explore, question, and glimpse alternatives to our poetic relationship with blue spaces.

Start Date: May 13, 2026
End Date: July 22, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

£135.00 *

Tutor: JLM Morton

Re-Weirding Albion

New narratives – discover poetry rooted in land, lore, and enchantment.

Start Date: May 14, 2026
End Date: July 23, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

Follow the Impulse of the Brush: Transreading Japanese Forms

£135.00 *

Tutor: Alexandra Corrin-Tachibana

Follow the Impulse of the Brush: Transreading Japanese Forms

Navigating Nippon; discover Japanese poetry & poetics from classic to contemporary

Start Date: May 14, 2026
End Date: July 23, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

Technique 3.0 [How to Discover or Disown It]

£260.00 *

Tutor: Matthew Caley

Technique 3.0 [How to Discover or Disown It]

What training do you do to sustain and maintain yourself as a poet? Explore the essential work of writerly ‘technique’, in an all new edition of this ever-popular course.

Start Date: May 14, 2026 7–9pm
End Date: July 16, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

£135.00 *

Tutor: Leah Umansky

Poems After Poems: Writing Ars Poetica

Writing in response; capturing the life of poetry, in poetry.

Start Date: May 15, 2026
End Date: July 24, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

Poetry at the Next Level: An Advanced Workshop with Wayne Holloway-Smith

£240.00 *

Tutor: Wayne Holloway-Smith

Poetry at the Next Level: An Advanced Workshop with Wayne Holloway-Smith

Challenge yourself, elevate your writing, and take the next steps in your poetry career.

Start Date: May 18, 2026 6.45pm
End Date: July 20, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

The Close Read: Advanced Poetry Workshop with Anthony Anaxagorou

£350.00 *

Tutor: Anthony Anaxagorou

The Close Read: Advanced Poetry Workshop with Anthony Anaxagorou

Develop your writing through discussion and feedback in this advanced workshop with Anthony Anaxagorou.

Start Date: May 18, 2026 1-4pm
End Date: July 20, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

Introduction to Visual Poetry: Poetics of the Possible

£135.00 *

Tutor: Astra Papachristodoulou

Introduction to Visual Poetry: Poetics of the Possible

The eyes have it – writing poetry for the pupils.

Start Date: May 19, 2026
End Date: July 28, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Online

New Territories: An Intermediate-Advanced Workshop with Wayne Holloway-Smith

£240.00 *

Tutor: Wayne Holloway-Smith

New Territories: An Intermediate-Advanced Workshop with Wayne Holloway-Smith

Bring your writing to the next level and explore contemporary poetry’s cutting-edge.

Start Date: May 19, 2026 6.45pm
End Date: July 21, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

£180.00 *

Tutor: Rachel Long

Pathways through Poetry: Module 1

A blank page – do or don't? The first module in our new Pathways Through Poetry series. Jump in and we'll guide you through the journey to poetic success!

Start Date: May 19, 2026 6.30–8.30pm
End Date: July 21, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

£180.00 *

Tutor: Tristram Fane Saunders

Pathways through Poetry: Module 2

The second module in our Pathways Through Poetry series: 'Syllable, Stress and Metre'. Take the next step on your journey to poetic success!

Start Date: May 19, 2026 6.30–8.30pm
End Date: July 21, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

Rachel Long’s Advanced Weekly Workshop with Special Guests

£240.00 *

Tutor: Rachel Long

Rachel Long’s Advanced Weekly Workshop with Special Guests

An exciting advanced workshop group with the much-loved Rachel Long and the benefit of special guest tutors each term.

Start Date: May 20, 2026
End Date: July 22, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

Lighting the World: Writing in Times of Crisis

£240.00 *

Tutor: Shazea Quraishi

Lighting the World: Writing in Times of Crisis

Take poetic action in response to these times of war, displacement and climate emergency.

Start Date: May 20, 2026
End Date: July 29, 2026 ( 71 Days )
Type: Video

Advanced Poetry Workshop with Mark Waldron

£240.00 *

Tutor: Mark Waldron

Advanced Poetry Workshop with Mark Waldron

An advanced weekly workshop group with the inimitable Mark Waldron.

Start Date: May 20, 2026 6.45–8.45pm
End Date: July 22, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

£240.00 *

Tutor: Tim Dooley

Wednesday Workshop with Tim Dooley

Our long-running weekly workshop with Tim Dooley, for poets looking to develop their individual voice and technique.

Start Date: May 20, 2026
End Date: July 22, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

Clarity & Vision: Advanced Poetry Workshop with Richard Price

£240.00 *

Tutor: Richard Price

Clarity & Vision: Advanced Poetry Workshop with Richard Price

Join this group for close discussion of your writing with acclaimed poet, Richard Price.

Start Date: May 22, 2026
End Date: July 24, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

£215.00 *

Tutor: Kathryn Simmonds

Saturday Sessions with Kathryn Simmonds

Monthly all-day Saturday workshops with Kathryn Simmonds.

Start Date: May 23, 2026 11am–5pm
End Date: July 25, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: In-person • Location:

£100.00 *

Tutor: Elizabeth Parker

This Modern Love

Punk quilting and Petrarch; get romantic as we explore the latest innovations in love poetry.

Start Date: May 28, 2026
End Date: July 9, 2026 ( 43 Days )
Type: Online, Video

Friday Workshop with Natasha Hakimi Zapata

£240.00 *

Tutor: Natasha Hakimi Zapata

Friday Workshop with Natasha Hakimi Zapata

A weekly workshop for developing poets looking to improve their writing through feedback and close reading.

Start Date: May 29, 2026
End Date: July 31, 2026 ( 64 Days )
Type: Video

£100.00 *

Tutor: Kathryn Simmonds

Making a Speech Studio

The speaker speaks; integrating the utterance for poetry that talks.

Start Date: June 1, 2026
End Date: June 28, 2026 ( 28 Days )
Type: Online

Between Magic & Camouflage: Dressing up your Poems Studio

£100.00 *

Tutor: Sue Burge

Between Magic & Camouflage: Dressing up your Poems Studio

Unpicking the threads; explore your writing wardrobe and dress up your poems with Sue Burge.

Start Date: June 15, 2026
End Date: July 12, 2026 ( 28 Days )
Type: Online

Every Love Story Needs to be Told Twice: Dante’s Vita Nuova Studio

£100.00 *

Tutor: Stav Poleg

Every Love Story Needs to be Told Twice: Dante’s Vita Nuova Studio

Create poetry inspired by the beautifully intense world of Dante Alighieri’s masterpiece of love, passion, and loss: the Vita Nuova.

Start Date: June 16, 2026
End Date: July 13, 2026 ( 28 Days )
Type: Online

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How it works

The Poetry School’s teaching year runs over three ‘terms’ – Autumn, Spring and Summer. Each term we offer around 40-50 courses and workshops that cater to a variety of levels, varying in length and subject matter. The course programme changes every term with more new courses, workshops and tutors, but often includes courses that run over three terms and popular repeats.

We offer both ‘classroom’ teaching (UK) and ‘virtual’ teaching (international). You can visit our In-Person Courses, Video Courses and Online Courses pages for more detailed information about course structures, process and what to expect.

Finding the right Course

Most of our courses and workshops accommodate writers with a wide range of experience, but some are specifically designed for beginners or more practicised poets.

Here are our definitions:

Beginner – Learning the ropes: beginning to write poetry.
Intermediate – Starting to develop your voice, generate more work and grow confident on the page.
Advanced – Able to confidently edit, hone, discuss and critique your poetry.

Our programme is developed around these three teaching levels, although we also offer many courses that are Open to all – courses aimed at all levels, often focusing on a specific theme or inspirational subject matter.

FAQ

How many courses can I take?

To ensure the best experience, we recommend taking no more than two courses per term. If you are interested in signing up to more, please email us at [email protected] to discuss the different course schedules.

What is poetry?

There is no one answer, and many, many people have their own ideas. Here are some definitions we like:

‘Literary work in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by the use of distinctive style and rhythm’ – OED

‘Poetry is a heightened imagistic use of language that does things to the heart and head’ – Grace Nichols

‘A made thing, a verbal construct, an event in language’ – Edward Hirsch

‘Poetry is memorable speech’ – W H Auden

‘Poetry does not explain life. It gives life to feeling and seeing’ – Sarah Stetie

‘Why, Sir, it is much easier to say what it is not’ – Samuel Johnson

I’m already publishing and performing poetry – what can you do to help me?

We have an expanding programme of projects and activities which seek to address the continuing professional development needs of practising poets, from residencies to enhanced publishing, editing and performance opportunities and beyond. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest details.

Will the Poetry School help me become a poet?

Since 1997, when the Poetry School was founded, our students have gone on to publish in magazines and online; they've produced pamphlets and books as poets and editors with publishers from the smallest independents to the largest commercial houses; they've won multiple prizes and awards; they've become poetry tutors themselves; they've moved on to take poetry MAs and PhDs.; they’ve set up performance nights, magazines, shows and events. While we can't guarantee that all students will go on to get published; serious engagement with the art and craft of poetry in the company of tutors and fellow students who are as passionate about the form as you are can only ever improve your chances of getting your work out to a wider audience.

Join us in reading, writing, editing and translating poetry, in year-long courses, short courses, workshops, one-day sessions, seminars, tutorials and every variety of learning in between – in our classrooms, off site and online.

All our Courses

Find a Course

How it works

Finding the right Course

FAQ

How many courses can I take?

What is poetry?

I’m already publishing and performing poetry – what can you do to help me?

Will the Poetry School help me become a poet?