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Oracy
Intent
At Thurgoland CE Primary we recognise that oracy—the ability to speak and listen effectively—is a fundamental skill that significantly impacts academic success and future life opportunities. Research has consistently shown that strong oracy skills are crucial for cognitive development, academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. Studies by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) highlight that students with well-developed oracy skills perform better academically and have improved social interactions compared to their peers with weaker oracy skills (EEF, 2018). Furthermore, Voice 21 emphasises that oracy is a key factor in closing the attainment gap, as effective communication supports deeper understanding and engagement across the curriculum (Voice 21, 2020).
Effective oracy skills are also associated with better literacy outcomes, as students who can articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly are more likely to succeed in reading and writing (Hirsch, 2021). Research from the Centre for Education and Youth underscores that strong oracy skills contribute to higher levels of self-confidence and self-regulation, which are essential for both academic and personal success (Centre for Education and Youth, 2022). Additionally, developing oracy helps students build relationships, manage conflicts and navigate social situations, preparing them for future employment and active participation in society (Alexander, 2018).
Our oracy framework is designed to embed these skills throughout the curriculum, ensuring that all students become confident, articulate and respectful communicators. The framework sets out a clear progression of oracy knowledge and skills across year groups, providing structured opportunities for students to develop their speaking and listening abilities in every subject.
The Oracy Education Commission’s “We Need to Talk” (2024) report reinforces the importance of integrating oracy across all aspects of school life rather than treating it as an add-on or gimmick. The report calls for oracy to be recognised as a core educational priority, equal in importance to reading, writing and numeracy. A coherent whole-school approach ensures that oracy is not confined to English or drama but is embedded across all subjects, allowing students to articulate their thinking, deepen understanding and build confidence in spoken language. By making oracy a consistent thread running through teaching and learning, we equip students with the communication skills they need for academic success, social mobility and lifelong participation in society.
Aims:
- To develop strong early language skills in the Early Years, providing the foundation for effective communication and learning across the curriculum
- To develop students’ ability to express themselves clearly and confidently across all areas of the curriculum
- To promote emotional literacy and self-regulation by equipping students with the oracy skills to express their emotions, manage conflicts and navigate social interactions confidently
- To nurture the ability to use language for social interaction, supporting students in developing the conversational skills required to build relationships and engage collaboratively with others
- To integrate oracy across all subjects, ensuring consistent and purposeful opportunities for speaking and listening
- To equip students with a range of speaking skills for different purposes and audiences
Oracy Intent and Year Group Expectations
Our oracy intent is carefully structured to ensure a clear and progressive development of speaking and listening skills across all year groups. The framework is broken down into key oracy strands. Each year group has specific oracy outcomes that align with these areas, ensuring students progressively build the skills and confidence needed to communicate effectively:
Cognitive | Attention, Listening and Understanding: Developing the ability to focus, listen attentively and understand spoken information |
Linguistic | Vocabulary*: Expanding students’ vocabulary to enable precise and purposeful application |
Speech Sounds, Grammar and Sentence Building: Improving clarity, accuracy and complexity of spoken language through correct use of speech sounds, grammar and sentence structures | |
Social and Emotional | Performance, Discussions and Presentations: Building confidence and skill in public speaking, group discussions, and formal presentations |
Conversations and Social Interaction: Enhancing social communication skills, including turn-taking, listening, responding appropriately, managing conflict and adapting language for different audiences. | |
Physical Aspects of Communication: Focusing on non-verbal communication skills, including body language, eye contact and voice modulation |
Key sentence stems that are clearly displayed in classrooms to support structured talk. These sentence stems serve as visible and accessible scaffolds, helping students articulate their thoughts clearly and with increasing complexity as they progress through the school.
Talk in the Early Years
Early language development is a key predictor of later academic achievement. Studies show that the quality of spoken language experiences in the early years directly impacts the development of communication, thinking and literacy skills (Hart, B., & Risley, T.R. 2003). High-quality verbal interactions, storytelling and exposure to a rich vocabulary provide the foundation for future learning.
For this reason, Talk in the Early Years is a crucial pillar in our framework. Ensuring that young children are immersed in a language-rich environment, with repeated reads, purposeful adult interactions, and opportunities for structured and free-flowing talk, lays the groundwork for their future educational success. Research also suggests that children from disadvantaged backgrounds particularly benefit from high-quality communication-focused individual and group work, making this approach vital for closing gaps in achievement (Hart, B., & Risley, T.R. 2003).
Talk For Life
Developing strong communication skills is not only essential for academic success but also for personal and social development. Talk for Life equips students with the verbal tools they need to navigate everyday interactions, manage their emotions and express their thoughts clearly and respectfully. Research highlights that emotional literacy and self-regulation are closely linked to oracy, with students who can articulate their feelings more likely to manage conflicts and stress effectively (Dix, P. 2017).
By focusing on emotional language, conflict resolution and social interactions, schools help students develop self-awareness, empathy and resilience. These skills are critical for future success in personal relationships, the workplace and wider society.
Talk For Learning
Oracy is central to learning. Research shows that talk is not just a medium for sharing knowledge but a tool for deepening understanding. Effective classroom talk, such as structured discussions and peer-to-peer interaction, enhances students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF 2018), high-quality classroom talk can significantly improve learning outcomes, especially when focused on reasoning and explanation.
By embedding Talk for Learning into daily lessons, teachers can improve student engagement, encourage collaboration and help students articulate their thinking, supporting learning across the curriculum (Mercer, N. & Dawes, L. 2014). High expectations for verbal responses and the use of structured, open-ended questions encourage students to think deeply and build confidence in expressing their ideas clearly.
Values that are at the heart of Thurgoland
#LEARNINGTOGETHERINFAITHANDJOY
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Halifax Road
Thurgoland
Sheffield
S35 7AL
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