Official Guinness World Records adjudicator, Joanne Brent, announced the achievement after reviewing submissions from 500 schools with 43,516 children. In total more than 125,000 students from over 1,000 schools attended the lesson, but not all met the strict evidence requirements.

Laura Mucha, who created the original idea and brought together the network of partners, taught the lesson in October for National Poetry Day, focusing on 6-14 year olds around the UK and beyond. In keeping with the 2024 National Poetry Day theme of ‘Counting’, they wrote and edited a poem entitled ‘What Do You Think Counts’, which explores what matters to young people. Drawing on themes of family, friendship, mental health and climate change, the children’s contributions paint a picture of the joys, hopes and concerns of young people today. The poem is now published on the Children’s Poetry Archive.

Laura said: ‘Tens of thousands of young people have come together to achieve something exceptional, and create a poem that both gives them a voice and encourages others to stop and think about what really matters. I work with Cambridge University on child mental health. [These young people] were articulating what researchers have shown to be fundamental to our wellbeing – healthy relationships and feeling safe. I’m thrilled to have brought together so many young people to do and create something so valuable.’

Joanne Brent, Adjudicator at Guinness World Records said: ‘Laura Mucha’s vision for this record was as inspiring as it was ambitious. Her infectious enthusiasm and tireless dedication turned an interactive poetry lesson into a unifying moment for thousands of young people across the United Kingdom and in classrooms around the world. As adjudicator, I found the theme for National Poetry Day 2024, ‘counting,’ fitting not just for the mammoth task of tallying participants but for counting something far more meaningful: the voices, hopes, and dreams of a younger generation. This record achievement is a testament to the transformative power of poetry and the importance of creating spaces where young people feel empowered, heard, and valued. Laura’s record-breaking lesson elevated the voices of over 43,000 students and the collaborative poem produced is more than a snapshot of what matters to today’s youth—it’s a call to action for all of us to listen, celebrate, and nurture their ideas while working together to create a brighter future.’