TEST Valley Arts Foundation (TVAF) is calling on primary schools to participate in a festival next year.

Andover’s Talk About Festival encourages primary school children from Year 4 to Year 6 to celebrate the English language.

Primary schools will be coming together to showcase their spoken word poets and storytelling champions and are now being invited to take part.

Cat Randle, organiser, said: “It will be like a spoken word Olympics where we celebrate each primary schools chosen representatives.”

Rookwood School in Andover and Awbridge School near Romsey are currently selecting their champions with more primary schools joining in the new year.

The Talk About Festival has different ways to help each school find their champions.

Organisers say entering into the showcase will aid students in becoming independent, fluid and enthusiastic in their writing and build on the range of their English skills, as well as providing them with a medium to express their ideas using spoken word and intonation. Participating will also consolidate class learning and emphasise pupils enjoyment and understanding of language.

The event is to take place at The Lights on Tuesday, 12 June between 1pm and 3pm.

For more information, go to testvalleyarts.org.