This paper provides a review of the priority afforded to the development of pupils’ affective and epistemic development within the contemporary poetry class. The paper reports on the findings of a research project which explored the experience of teaching and learning within the post-primary Leaving Certificate programme in Ireland. The research includes interview and questionnaire data obtained over a three year period from 2007-2010 from 80 post-primary teachers of Leaving Certificate poetry and 200 post-primary Leaving Certificate pupils. The paper highlights the malign impact of summative assessment on teachers’ pedagogical
aspirations, identifying widespread professional dissonance amongst the cohort. Resultantly, empirical data highlights the reduced opportunity for epistemic and affective development within the poetry class and its impact on pupils’ learning
experiences. Recommendations for pedagogical redress focus on the necessity for enhanced contemplative, critical and subjective inquiry within the poetry classroom.