Oracy

Introduction of Oracy at Rolls Crescent

At Rolls Crescent, our oracy journey began with initial staff training led by Victoria in Summer 2024. This introductory session laid the foundation for a broader whole-school approach. Building on this momentum, we undertook further training in Autumn, during which we developed our own bespoke Rolls Crescent Oracy Framework, aligning closely with the principles and materials from Voice 21.

With a shift in national priorities following the change in government, we ensured our approach remained aligned with the national direction by continuing to use Voice 21 as a guiding framework. Our oracy strategy was explicitly integrated into the School Improvement Plan (SIP) as the second key target, drafted and shared with staff during the Autumn term. While there were early discussions around embedding oracy into appraisal targets, we collectively agreed to defer this by a year to allow deeper embedding. Oracy will formally feature in staff appraisals for the academic year 2025/26.

Implementation Strategy

Using the EEF implementation guidance, we placed significant focus in Autumn on the ‘Explore and Prepare’stages. It was essential to establish clarity around our vision for oracy—what we aimed to achieve and how we intended to deliver it. A central concern was avoiding the perception of oracy as "just another initiative." Therefore, stakeholder buy-in—particularly from staff—was prioritised as a cornerstone for long-term success.

Delivery Phase: Spring to Summer 2025

The delivery phase commenced in Spring 2025, with a planned structure of four dedicated oracy CPD sessions, each taking place in the first staff meeting following a school holiday. This provided a consistent rhythm and clear focus throughout the year. Our aim was for staff to feel confident and supported enough by Summer 2025 for oracy practices to expand organically across subjects, beyond the initial focus on just two curriculum areas from September 2025.

Session 1: Summer Term (July) – Building Engagement

Our first oracy session focused on engagement over theory. We introduced the four core strands of oracy:

• Physical
• Linguistic
• Cognitive
• Social and Emotional

These were modelled by staff leaders before participants tried them out in triads. The session was kept light and interactive, using games like TABOO, where participants describe a word without using it, promoting linguistic and cognitive skills. We also started each session with a discussion prompt (e.g., "Would you rather have wet socks forever or a pebble in your shoe?") to foster opinion sharing and spontaneous dialogue.

Session 2: Autumn Half Term – Theory and Pilot Classes

This session built on the first by introducing more theory and structure. We identified Year 4 and Year 6 as pilot classes, and focused on the importance of classroom climate and environment. Teachers were encouraged to display the four oracy strands in the classroom and begin using this language with pupils to promote familiarity. The session continued to incorporate engagement games focused on each strand.

Sessions 3 & 4: Spring and Summer Terms – Deepening Practice

These sessions focused on deeper oracy practice using triad work:

• Speaker
• Question Asker
• Observer

Staff explored the challenge of observing without speaking for two full minutes, followed by reflective discussions on feedback and active listening. We explored themes such as leadership, feedback dynamics, and facilitating dialogue. Scenarios used were deliberately controversial to encourage debate and critical thinking—examples included topics like school uniform policy, adaptation and equality, and elitism in sport.

Next Steps

As we move towards 2025/26, the focus will be on:

• Expanding oracy practice across all curriculum areas
• Formal inclusion of oracy in staff appraisals
• Embedding oracy into school culture through continued staff development, pupil voice, and consistent classroom practice

By building strong foundations, fostering engagement, and pacing implementation effectively, we have created the conditions for oracy to become a sustained and impactful part of teaching and learning at Rolls Crescent.