To recognise how poets manipulate words:
· For their quality of sound, e.g. rhythm, rhyme, assonance;
· For their connotations.
· For multiple layers of meaning, e.g. through figurative language, ambiguity.
To investigate humorous verse:
· How poets play with meanings
· Nonsense words and how meaning can be made of them
· Where the appeal lies
To analyse how messages, moods, feelings and attitudes are conveyed in poetry.
To read and interpret poems in which meanings are implied or multi-layered; to discuss, interpret challenging poems with others.
To increase familiarity with significant poets of the past.

To discuss how linked poems relate to one another by themes, format and repetition, e.g. cycle of poems about the seasons.
To describe and evaluate the style of an individual poet.
To comment critically on the overall impact of a poem, showing how language and themes have been developed.