ORACY AT NORTHWAY

WHAT IS ORACY?

What is oracy?

Oracy is articulating ideas, developing understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication.

In school, oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become more effective speakers and listeners we empower them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. It is also a route to social mobility, empowering all students, not just some, to find their voice to succeed in school and life.

How can you teach oracy and achieve a high-quality oracy education for your students?

Through a high-quality oracy education students learn through talk and to talk. This is when they develop and deepen their subject knowledge and understanding through talk in the classroom, which has been planned, designed, modelled, scaffolded and structured to enable them to learn the skills needed to talk effectively.

Voice 21 ORACY

As a Voice 21 Oracy School, we place spoken language at the heart of learning, ensuring every child develops the confidence, clarity and communication skills they need to thrive. By giving pupils regular, structured opportunities to speak, listen and collaborate, we empower them to express their ideas, challenge thinking and take an active role in their learning. This strong focus on oracy strengthens pupil voice across the school, helping children to articulate their views, lead discussions and contribute meaningfully to school life. Ultimately, our commitment to oracy nurtures articulate, thoughtful and empowered learners who feel heard, valued and ready to make a positive difference in their world.

Oracy Intent:

At Northway Primary School, we are committed to developing children’s spoken language skills through our oracy-rich curriculum, dialogic classrooms and the values embodied by our staff. We have high expectations for both speaking and listening and these are consistently promoted and upheld by the entire school community.

Oracy is embedded across all year groups, with children immersed in language-rich environments that encourage purposeful talk, active listening and meaningful interaction. We believe that enabling children to find and use their own voice is fundamental to their future success. Therefore, we strive to ensure that every child develops the confidence to express their ideas, opinions and perspectives thoughtfully, respectfully and effectively within a supportive environment.

We view oracy as an integral part of our pedagogy rather than a discrete subject. Our oracy values are woven throughout daily school life, shaping teaching, learning and relationships across the curriculum. Through carefully planned opportunities for discussion, debate, collaboration and reflection, children learn both how to communicate effectively and how to learn through talk.

By the time children leave Northway Primary, they can communicate clearly and confidently to a range of audiences. They can articulate their thoughts and ideas with clarity, participate in meaningful discussions, justify their reasoning and engage respectfully with the views of others. We explicitly teach children how to adapt their spoken language for different purposes and contexts, while also developing the skills required to become active, attentive and reflective listeners.

Staff receive ongoing training to ensure children are explicitly taught to talk and through talk. In addition, subject leaders have established clear expectations within their curriculum areas to ensure that, over time, children develop the vocabulary, knowledge and confidence to speak as specialists within each subject discipline.