Pupils join in 'Blackpool Glory' song to celebrate their town and help with literacy
“The Blackpool Glory project gave local pupils a real audience and purpose for their writing”
A new song celebrating Blackpool has been written and recorded by pupils from three of he resort’s schools, as part of a National Literacy Trust project to boost writing engagement in the town.
Blackpool Glory is the collective effort of Year 4 pupils - aged eight to nine - from Our Lady of the Assumption RC Primary School, St Kentigern’s RC Primary School and Westcliff Primary Academy.
The song came out of a local project which started earlier this year and was inspired by the National Storytelling Week theme ‘Soundtrack your Story.’
It was delivered in collaboration with UpBeat Rock Academy, a music school based in Poulton, with the pupils shown ways of developing their writing skills using music, song and poetry, tapping into how to make lyrics relatable and relevant to their lives.
Over four sessions, each group focused on different writing tools including repetition, rhyme and alliteration to craft their own verses around classic Blackpool themes.
The song features special mention of Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Tower and the Illuminations.
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Each school also had the opportunity to visit UpBeat’s recording studio where they recorded their verses and chorus, enjoying the full experience of song production.
As part of the project, the three schools also enjoyed visits from poet Dominic Berry after recording the song.
They learned how the writing tools they had used could also be used in poetry, and wrote a collective poem together.
Stephanie Wood, National Literacy Trust manager in Blackpool, said: “We know that music can be a powerful tool to engage more children and young people in writing for pleasure, which we know brings a wide range of benefits, including for wellbeing and confidence..
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“The Blackpool Glory project gave local pupils a real audience and purpose for their writing and the chance to engage with an inspiring professional writer - both of which we know help to boost writing engagement.”
The National Literacy Trust has been working in Blackpool since 2020 and is supported by over 100 volunteers – Literacy Champions – who work within their own communities to promote literacy skills.
Projects in Blackpool include the Blackpool Banquet poetry anthology, a published collection of stories, recipes, and poems written by and for local families on the theme of food and community.