CLiPPA 26 opens with Nicola Davies, Children’s Laureate Wales, chairing the judges
CLiPPA judges 2026
The CLiPPA (CLPE Poetry Award) opens today. Now in its 23rd year, the CLiPPA is the UK’s foremost award for published poetry for children. Recent winners include Joseph Coelho, Valerie Bloom, Michael Rosen, Colette Hiller and Matt Goodfellow. Each year, the shortlist is explored and celebrated by tens of thousands of primary school children who take part in the award via its popular Shadowing Scheme. Over 40,000 children were involved in 2025.
Even higher numbers of children are expected to take part in the National Year of Reading. National Literacy Trust research carried out in 2025 found that 1 in 4 (24.2%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 read poetry in their free time at least once a month, with 1 in 6 (17.5%) choosing to write poetry in their free time. The National Literacy Trust research also finds poetry to be beneficial to emotional wellbeing, and a source of joy and fun.
Writer and poet Nicola Davies, the new Children’s Laureate Wales, is chair of the judges for this
Photos Clippa 2023 taken on 10th July 2023 at the National Theatre
year’s award. Nicola was Highly Commended for the CLiPPA in 2023 for Choose Love, moving poems about the refugee experience, illustrated by Petr Horáček.
Nicola Davies says, ‘Celebrating the diverse voices in poetry for children is so important because in that wondrous variety all children can find a voice that speaks to them; and discover that poetry is their personal gateway into the power of their own words.‘
Children’s poetry in the UK is apparently enjoying a renaissance: a record number of submissions were made for this year’s CLiPPA, twenty-three publishers entering one or more books.
Colette Hiller, who won the 2025 CLiPPA with Colossal Words for Kids, illustrated by Tor Freeman, is also a judge this year, and says, ‘The CLiPPA is unique in throwing a spotlight on children’s poetry, putting it centre stage and allowing it to ‘take a big bow’! This acknowledgment isn’t just important to the poets involved. It shows how popular poetry is. The unique schools shadowing scheme enables the shortlisted books to resonate with teachers and students across the country.’
Also on this year’s judging panel are Jake Hope, Reading Development and Children’s Book Consultant, and Carnegie Awards Executive; Lisa Mead, CEO of Apples and Snakes; and Anjali Patel, Lead Advisory Teacher, CLPE.
The 2026 CLiPPA Shadowing is open for registration now and schools are invited to join CLPE online on Wednesday 15 April to watch the live announcement of the shortlist, with poetry performances by shortlisted poets. The 2026 award ceremony will take place at the National Theatre on Thursday 9 July.
Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, CLPE’s parent organisation, says, ‘There’s no better way to celebrate the best of poetry for children than with the CLiPPA, and no better time to do it than during the National Year of Reading 2026. Our research shows the immense benefits that engaging with poetry in all its forms can provide for children and young people, from supporting literacy development and allowing for self-expression to increasing confidence and being a source of joy. We believe that poetry is for everyone and with the involvement of so many schools and pupils in CLIPPA‘s Shadowing Scheme, children and young people are supported to develop a lasting relationship with poetry, guided towards collections that resonate with their interests and identities. I can’t wait to discover the collections on this year’s shortlist.’
