It’s Christmastime and I imagine most of us at Bristol have a long list of books we want to read, have wish-listed for Christmas and perhaps been gifted, or are finally going to delve into after years of putting off.

Next year, poetry will be made optional for GCSE students in England. We would hope they choose to take it up because, as the pandemic has shown us, poetry can be a valuable form of connection and stir a growth in our humanity.