Primary -Oracy

Primary – Oracy

Oracy is the capacity for pupils to express ideas clearly, deepen understanding, and engage meaningfully with others through spoken language. It enables students to become effective speakers and attentive listeners, while strengthening their subject knowledge through carefully planned, modelled, and scaffolded opportunities for talk across the curriculum.

At Academy 360, we recognise that high‑quality oracy education enhances academic achievement by developing pupils’ ability to think critically, reason collaboratively, and use precise vocabulary to articulate their understanding. We also value the positive impact of oracy on confidence and wellbeing, empowering pupils to recognise the importance of their voice and to communicate in ways that encourage thoughtful responses from others.

Moreover, oracy skills are essential for social mobility, equipping young people to thrive beyond school and enabling them to access further education and employment opportunities.

Guidance and Expectations for Oracy at Academy 360

At Academy 360, oracy is a fundamental part of our curriculum. From EYFS to Year 6, pupils are provided with structured and purposeful opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. Through these experiences, children gain the confidence to communicate effectively in both formal and informal contexts, inside and outside the classroom.

Our lessons are intentionally talk‑rich, with partner and group discussion embedded within each lesson plan. Teachers use targeted questioning and assessment for learning strategies to ensure every child can participate fully and that every voice is heard and valued. Subject-specific vocabulary is carefully planned and modelled to support pupils as they engage in collaborative tasks, group discussions, debates, and oral presentations. Classrooms also promote vocabulary acquisition through the display of key terminology on working walls, and teachers actively encourage pupils to incorporate this language in their spoken responses.

Across the curriculum, pupils experience a wide range of purposeful opportunities designed to support learning through talk and learning to talk, including:

• Group and partner work
• Role play and hot seating
• Discussions and debates
• Presentations
• Exploring texts through performance
• Enrichment and experiences

These approaches help pupils to articulate their ideas with clarity, deepen their understanding, and develop the communication skills needed for learning, life, and future employment.

Just like literacy and numeracy, oracy is a teachable, foundational skill that underpins learning across our broad and balanced curriculum. Through spoken language, students articulate their ideas, deepen understanding, and engage meaningfully with others. By developing oracy, we support our pupils in expressing their opinions, presenting their thoughts clearly, and building the confidence needed to succeed both in school and in the wider world. Ultimately, oracy enables students to learn to talk and through talk, strengthening their ability to communicate with clarity and purpose.

How Is Oracy Taught in the Curriculum?

At Academy 360, we recognise that oracy is a foundational skill that underpins effective learning. We embed oracy across our broad and balanced curriculum, using the Voice 21 programme to support high-quality teaching and ensure all students benefit from a structured and impactful oracy education.

The Voice 21 framework provides staff with a clear, research‑informed approach to teaching oracy. It equips teachers with practical strategies to create purposeful opportunities for students to speak and listen in every lesson. Our ambition is to elevate spoken language to the same status as reading and writing, ensuring that high-quality talk is a consistent feature of classroom practice across the school.

As part of a high‑quality oracy education, students learn both to talk and through talk. Carefully planned, structured, and scaffolded classroom dialogue enables pupils to strengthen their subject knowledge, develop communication skills, and build confidence in expressing their ideas. The development of oracy skills is evident across all curriculum areas, from core subjects such as English and Mathematics to foundation subjects including Science, History, and even PE. This whole‑school approach ensures that every student is given meaningful opportunities to articulate their thoughts, share their opinions, and engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion.

Oracy Links to the Community and Home

A strong sense of community gives us belonging, connection, and opportunities to share experiences, often through speaking and listening. Oracy is therefore central to human interaction and is an important part of our ethos at Academy 360.

For many children, the classroom is their first experience of community beyond the home. To feel valued and respected, students must know that their voices matter, that they are heard, and that they are understood. At Academy 360, we are committed to developing the speaking and listening skills that will support pupils not only throughout their school journey but also as they move into the wider world.

The Voice 21 programme plays a key role in helping us provide structured opportunities for every child to learn, practise, and refine these essential skills. Pupils are encouraged to showcase their oracy within the school community and beyond, whether in assemblies, performances, or on educational visits, enabling them to communicate confidently in a wide range of settings.

Our Oracy Aims

• Ensure staff and students have a secure understanding of the Oracy Framework, enabling consistent and effective use of oracy strategies across the school.
• Develop and improve pupils’ oracy skills through explicit, high‑quality oracy teaching, embedded across all subjects.
• See measurable improvements in students’ spoken language and communication skills throughout the curriculum.
• Provide ongoing professional development for staff to support the effective implementation of the Voice 21 approach and to continually enhance classroom practice.