What the children think of Oracy at Great Missenden

Reception "I like show and tell with a big voice. I can do lot's of talking in a day!"

Year 1 "Oracy helps me use my brave voice."

Year 2 "You can speak loud and proud."

Year 3 "If you use the talk tactics, it can help you start something when you are stuck." 

Year 6 "Oracy is important because it can improve your confidence and that helps with relationships." 

At Great Missenden, oracy is a central pillar of our curriculum. We believe that the ability to speak clearly, listen attentively and communicate effectively underpins success across all areas of learning and life. Our commitment to oracy reflects our whole-school vision and values, particularly our approach of Windows, Doors and Mirrors. Through structured, purposeful talk, pupils see themselves reflected in learning (Mirrors), develop understanding of others’ perspectives (Windows), and gain the confidence to step forward into the wider world (Doors).

Intent

Our curriculum is designed to ensure that every pupil develops the knowledge, skills and confidence to communicate effectively across a range of contexts and audiences. We recognise that spoken language is foundational to cognitive development, literacy and academic achievement. Therefore, oracy is treated as integral to curriculum design rather than as an additional initiative.

From the earliest stage in EYFS, communication and language are prioritised in line with the statutory framework. In Reception, our curriculum explicitly supports children in working towards the Early Learning Goal for Communication and Language (Speaking), where pupils are expected to participate in discussions, express ideas clearly, use recently introduced vocabulary and offer explanations in full sentences.

As pupils progress through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, oracy is explicitly developed and formally assessed through the English curriculum, while also being embedded across all subjects. Our intention is that pupils leave Great Missenden as articulate, reflective and empathetic communicators who can reason, debate, explain and present with clarity and confidence.

Implementation

Oracy is a golden thread running from Pre-School to Year 6. It is deliberately planned, explicitly taught and carefully modelled across the curriculum.

We draw on the principles of the Voice 21 Oracy Framework to ensure progression across the physical, linguistic, cognitive and social and emotional strands of communication. This provides a shared language for staff and pupils and ensures consistency in expectations across year groups.

In EYFS, children are immersed in a language-rich environment where high-quality adult interactions extend vocabulary, model sentence structures and deepen thinking. Structured opportunities for talk are embedded within continuous provision, adult-led group work, role play and storytelling. Adults explicitly teach vocabulary and provide repeated opportunities for children to rehearse and refine spoken language. Oracy is formally assessed within the EYFS framework through ongoing observation, formative assessment and teacher judgement against the Early Learning Goals.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, teachers plan purposeful talk across subjects, including structured discussion, collaborative problem-solving, debate, performance and formal presentation. Talk is scaffolded through modelling, sentence stems and carefully sequenced questioning. Pupils are given opportunities to rehearse ideas before sharing more widely, ensuring that confidence and quality of response develop over time. Oracy is formally assessed within the English curriculum and monitored through formative assessment, pupil voice and performance opportunities.

Inclusion is central to our implementation. We recognise that pupils arrive with varying language experiences and levels of confidence. Teachers use explicit vocabulary instruction, visual supports, structured talk scaffolds and targeted interventions to ensure equitable access for all learners, including those with SEND. Classrooms are safe and respectful spaces where pupils feel secure in expressing their ideas. Through adaptive teaching and high expectations, all children are supported to participate meaningfully in discussion.

Impact

The impact of our oracy curriculum is evident in the quality of classroom dialogue and pupil outcomes. Pupils speak in full, coherent sentences, use ambitious vocabulary and demonstrate increasing ability to explain, justify and evaluate ideas. They listen actively, respond thoughtfully and build constructively on the contributions of others.

In EYFS, children demonstrate strong outcomes in Communication and Language and transition into Key Stage 1 with secure foundations in spoken language. Across the school, strong oracy contributes to improved writing outcomes, deeper reasoning in mathematics and greater confidence in performance and presentation.

Most importantly, pupils develop self-belief, empathy and social awareness. They understand when to adapt their language for different audiences and contexts and show respect for diverse viewpoints. Through our culture of purposeful talk, pupils leave Great Missenden not only academically prepared but equipped with the communication skills necessary to thrive in modern Britain and beyond.