A teenager beat off hundreds of entrants to win a national poetry competition and meet former children's laureate Michael Rosen.

Roedean pupil Amelia Mitchell won the Tes SEND Show poetry competition with her poem The Glass Wall - and was handed the award by head judge Michael Rosen.

The 16-year-old wrote the poem aimed at people who helped her  break down an invisible wall that kept her from participating in everyday life as a SEND student.

She said: "Honestly, it still feels surreal that I met with such an incredible figure who means so much to so many people, and that to do it I won a national competition.

"The whole experience was extremely emotional and gratifying as I was approached by many people who felt connected to my words, and I feel such a sense of pride that I can resonate with the struggles of others.

"Obviously it is amazing to have won for my poetry, but to me the best part is the people who can read it and feel less alone.”

Read her poem in full: 

There is a wall. A big glass wall.

It's been there since I was really small.

It keeps others out and me inside,

And I just couldn't break it, no matter how hard I tried.

So I'd bang on the walls, but they just got thicker,

And all the other kids would laugh and snicker.

They didn't have a wall of their own,

So it was just me who was all alone.


It was there at home, it was there at school,

Everything was under its rule,

I couldn't climb over and I couldn't dig below,

And what it was like without one I'd never really know.


Only I could see my wall, until one day it broke,

Because someone had walked over and decided to give it a poke.

I never knew my wall could break if someone reached inside,

I probably still would not if just one person hadn't tried.


No-one else had bothered to look past my big glass wall,

No-one had said 'I see you, and I don't mind at all,'

To the people who saw through it, even though you didn't have to,

For showing me that kindness, I just want to say thank you.

Education magazine Tes holds an annual show for everyone involved in the provision of education for SEND children.

As part of that, SEND pupils from across the country were invited to create a poem reflecting on something or someone that they feel has been integral to helping them get to where they are today, be that teachers, support workers, family, a club or friends.

Roedean deputy headteacher Ross Barrand said: “We are absolutely thrilled that Amelia has been recognised for her work and we look forward to seeing what awaits her in the world of poetry.”