Oracy at Monteagle Primary School
At Monteagle Primary, we believe that oracy—the ability to express oneself fluently and confidently—is fundamental to all learning and personal development. We place oracy at the heart of our curriculum and school life. Guided by our core values of trust, respect, and working hard, we are committed to developing every pupil’s confidence and communication skills, ensuring they can achieve their best and thrive both inside and beyond the classroom.
Our Intent: Why Oracy Matters
Oracy underpins all learning and is essential for developing invaluable life skills. We aim to equip all pupils with:
- The confidence and skills to express their ideas, feelings, and opinions clearly.
- The ability to listen actively and learn from others.
- A curiosity to question, challenge, and reflect on their own learning.
- We believe that effective communication opens doors to future opportunities and fosters equality, giving every child the belief that they can succeed.
Our vision that “we enable all children to do their best” is reflected in how we nurture oracy skills, ensuring every voice is heard and valued in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Our Implementation: How We Develop Oracy
Oracy is the golden thread through all aspects of school life at Monteagle:
Curriculum Integration:
Oracy is woven through every subject, enabling pupils to develop speaking and listening skills alongside academic knowledge.
Maths: Children engage in ‘maths talk’ and daily Mastery in Number lessons to discuss reasoning and problem-solving.
English: Discussions around vocabulary, debates, questioning, and feedback enrich writing lessons.
Reading: Book Talk encourages children to explain and justify their understanding of texts.
Science: Children develop scientific vocabulary and articulate concepts clearly through investigative discussions.
PSHE: Throughout lessons, we provide the opportunity for discussion, role play, debate and reflection encourage children to express their opinons. children will actively listen and be respectful when in dialogue.
Foundation Subjects: Children present their learning and engage in peer feedback to deepen understanding.
Inclusive Practises: We use the Voice21 framework to ensure all children, including those with speech, language, and communication needs, have access to oracy development. Careful scaffolding and classroom cultures promote the contribution of every child.
Everyday School Life: From polite greetings in the morning to conflict resolution in the playground, oracy skills are practised and valued throughout the day. Lunchtime play leaders support children in using calm, respectful dialogue to resolve issues.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Oracy begins in EYFS through talking stories, circle time discussions, and scaffolded conversations. Early identification of speech and language barriers allows timely interventions.
Pupil Voice: Our School Council and pupil voice sessions provide platforms for children to express their views, listen respectfully, and contribute to school decisions, reflecting our ethos of respect and trust.
Assessment and Feedback: Oracy is central to feedback and assessment for learning. Teachers use probing questions and discussions to challenge thinking and support deeper understanding using the oracy toolkit to support
Our Impact: The Difference Oracy Makes
At Monteagle, children develop strong communication skills that underpin their progress across all subjects, including reading, writing, maths, and science. They grow into confident, reflective individuals who understand that their voices are valued, truly reflecting our core values of trust, respect, and hard work.
Our focus on oracy promotes inclusion by supporting pupils with diverse needs to communicate effectively at their own level, empowering every child.
A culture of respectful dialogue and active listening nurtures positive relationships and strengthens our supportive school community.
Early intervention in the EYFS ensures that pupils overcome barriers early, laying a firm foundation for lifelong communication and learning success.
Join Us in Supporting Oracy Development
We invite parents and carers to engage with their children’s oracy journey by:
- Encouraging conversations at home about school learning and experiences.
- Participating in school events where pupils showcase their speaking and listening skills.
- Supporting our vision of trust, respect, and hard work by valuing every child’s voice.
