CLiPPA - The CLPE Poetry Award

The CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award) is the only award solely presented for published poetry for children in the UK. Established in 2003, the annual Poetry Award encourages and celebrates outstanding poetry published for children.
The shortlist for the CLiPPA 2022 was announced at a special event at the new Manchester Poetry Library at Manchester Metropolitan University hosted by poet Ruth Awolola with children and poets reading from the shortlisted collections.
The full shortlist is:
- Stars with Flaming Tails by Valerie Bloom, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max,
- Being Me Poems about Thoughts, Worries and Feelings by Liz Brownlee, Matt Goodfellow and Laura Mucha, illustrated by Victoria Jane Wheeler,
- Caterpillar Cake by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Krina Patel-Sage,
- The Crossing, Manjeet Mann
- Cloud Soup by Kate Wakeling, illustrated by Elina Brasliņa,
Alongside the CLiPPA to promote the teaching of poetry in schools, we run a Schools Shadowing Scheme.
The Shadowing Scheme is an important part of the award process. The CLiPPA is an award for children’s poetry and the shadowing scheme is a fantastic way for children to be an integral part of the celebrations. When the shortlisted collections are announced, our team of expert teachers write detailed planning linked to each collection which focuses on the appreciation, performance, response to and writing of poetry. Schools can register to take part in the shadowing scheme and receive updates and links to the materials when they are released. As part of the process, groups and individual children can pick a poem that they have particularly enjoyed and film a performance of this to submit to the shadowing scheme judges. The judges pick a winner for each collection, who will then be invited to perform at the award ceremony.The winners will have a wonderful experience on the day and will have the opportunity to meet the shortlisted poets who will be performing alongside them on stage in the award show.
Register now if you want your school to take part in the CLiPPA 2022
Special discount on books from the CLiPPA shortlist 2022 from Peters Books
The Judges for the CLiPPA (CLPE Poetry Award) 2022 are:
- Philip Gross , shortlisted for the CLiPPA in 2018 for Dark Sky Park and who will chair the judging panel
- Nikita Gill whose Young Adult anthology, SLAM! You’re Gonna Wanna Hear This, was shortlisted for the CLiPPA in 2021.
- John Lyons , with 6 collections of poetry published including Dancing in The Rain, shortlisted for the CLIPPA in 2016,
- Becky Swain ,Director of the Manchester Poetry Library at Manchester Metropolitan University
- Charlotte Hacking, Learning and Programme Director at CLPE
This announcement kick-starts what promises to be an amazing programme of CLiPPA events. Further celebrations will take place at The Globe, London on 20 June, as part of the Poetry By Heart competition finals, with a very special CLiPPA Poetry Show planned for the announcement of the winner on 8 July 2022 at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Young winners of the 2022 Shadowing Scheme competition will perform live onstage to an invited audience as will all the shortlisted poets. The event will be streamed live into schools across the UK and beyond.
The CLiPPA 2021 shortlist and winners
Michael Rosen is the winner of the CLiPPA 2021 for On the Move, Poems About Migration (published by Walker books and illustrated by Quentin Blake).
The announcement of the Award was made at the sold-out Poetry Show hosted by The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival on Monday 11 October, in a live Poetry Show, introduced by Allie Esiri and CLiPPA judge, poet Zaro Weil, winner of the 2020 CLiPPA. The Poetry Show featured performances by Michael Rosen and the other shortlisted poets Nikita Gill, Matt Goodfellow, Manjeet Mann and Jane Newberry and they were accompanied by another former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell, who illustrated their poems live on stage. The CLiPPA Poetry Show is available for schools everywhere to watch online and free of charge on The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival platform.
The shortlist for the 2021:
- Slam! You’re Gonna Wanna Hear This, chosen by Nikita Gill, Macmillan
- Bright Bursts of Colour, Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Aleksei Bitskoff, Bloomsbury Education
- Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann, Penguin
- Big Green Crocodile Rhymes to Say and Play, by Jane Newberry, illustrated by Carolina Rabei, Otter-Barry Books
- On the Move, Michael Rosen, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Walker Books
Shadowing Winners for 2021
Shadowing winners have been divided into 4 star and 5 star winners.
The following are 4 Star Shadowing Winners:
Year 3 Swaffield School, Wandsworth performing Cheers from Bright Bursts of Colour by Matt Goodfellow
Reception, Glebe Primary performing Big Green Crocodile from Big Green Crocodile by Jane Newberry
Rebecca of Norwich Road Academy performing from Yours Hopefully On the Move by Michael Rosen
And the 5 Star Shadowing Winners are as follows:
Year 6, Sandringham Primary performing Difficult from Bright Bursts of Colour by Matt Goodfellow;
Year 3, Clarendon Primary Centre performing Spots and Stripes from Big Green Crocodile by Jane Newberry
Year 5 Manor Leas Primary School performing Water from On the Move by Michael Rosen
Register now if you want your school to take part in the CLiPPA 2022
The CLiPPA is delivered in partnership with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) and supported by Arts Council England.
Find out more about ALCS' resources on Copyright in the Classroom.

