“You are the only second chance for some children to have a rich language experience. If these children are not getting it at school, they are not getting it.” Neil Mercer
Sunnybrow Primary school is situated in an area of high social and economic deprivation. From our reading of the research, in particular the APPG’s inquiry Speak for Change, we understand
the impact that deprivation can have on a child’s language acquisition and development, so for us the words of Neil Mercer resonate strongly.
We strive to empower our children to exceed and this begins by giving our pupils a voice that deserves to be heard. Oracy is not an ‘add on’ or an extra job on a teacher’s workload; it is the golden thread that runs throughout all areas of our curriculum. Through a rich oracy curriculum, we encourage every child to find their voice, knowing they are listened to and valued as individuals. We believe that being able to communicate with confidence, clarity, and compassion is a vital part of living a full life. Oracy enables our children to build meaningful relationships, express their thoughts, engage in learning, stand up for what they believe in, and make a difference in the world.
Our oracy vision is to create a nurturing, inclusive, and language-rich environment where all children can develop the confidence, skills, and opportunities to express themselves effectively.
By weaving oracy into the fabric of school life, we enable children to flourish not just academically but as whole people—living life in all its fullness, now and in the future.
Curriculum
At the heart of our approach to teaching and learning is a
commitment to developing every child’s voice. Our oracy curriculum is shaped by the Voice 21 Oracy Framework, which identifies four key strands essential for purposeful discussion, confident speaking, and effective communication.
Through thoughtfully planned, modelled, and scaffolded talk across all subjects, we deepen children’s understanding and enhance their subject knowledge. Oracy enables children to express their ideas, thoughts, and emotions clearly and respectfully, while also building their confidence and critical thinking skills.
We believe that every child, regardless of background, deserves the opportunity to communicate effectively and be heard. Strong oracy skills not only support academic achievement but also prepare children to thrive in life beyond the classroom. That’s why we are proud to be a talk-rich school—committed to helping children learn to talk and learn through talk, every day.
Talk Tactics
Talk Tactics are used to support meaningful classroom discussions by encouraging children to think carefully and purposefully about how they contribute to group talk.
Discussion Guidelines
These Discussion Guidelines can be used to support high quality talk in the classroom whether in whole class dialogue, or in smaller groups.
Stem Sentences
Children are provided with subject specific sentence stems which aim to encourage the children to “talk like a …” during that lesson. Sentence stems are also evident as part of the oracy task that would be found in most lessons.
