At Elms Farm, we believe that speaking and listening are as fundamental to learning as reading and writing. Oracy is the ability to express ideas clearly, listen actively, and engage thoughtfully in dialogue. Through oracy, children learn to talk and through talk, building confidence, critical thinking, and social skills that prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

Hello! My name is Miss. Staff and I lead Oracy. I’m passionate about every child finding their voice. Oracy is at the heart of all learning, it builds confidence, deepens understanding, and helps pupils communicate clearly and respectfully. Seeing children grow in confidence, acquire new skills and become natural leaders is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

At Elms Farm Primary School, we believe that oracy is fundamental to the development of confident, articulate, and thoughtful young people. Our vision is to cultivate a culture where speaking and listening are valued as key life skills, enabling children to express themselves clearly, listen attentively, and engage in meaningful conversations.

We are committed to providing a rich and supportive environment where pupils of all abilities can develop their oracy skills across the curriculum, through regular opportunities for discussion, debate, and creative expression. We aim to empower children to communicate with clarity, empathy and respect, equipping them with the tools they need to succeed academically, socially and in their future lives.

Through a curriculum that promotes active participation, collaboration, and critical thinking, we strive to ensure that every child leaves our school confident in their ability to communicate effectively, with a strong sense of self-expression and a deeper understanding of others.

We use the Voice 21 Oracy Framework, which develops four key strands:

• Physical – clear speech, confident body language, and effective voice control.
• Linguistic – rich vocabulary, accurate grammar, and appropriate register.
• Cognitive – structured thinking, reasoning, and the ability to build on others’ ideas.
• Social & Emotional – active listening, turn-taking, and awareness of audience.

Our classrooms are rich in purposeful talk: debates, presentations, collaborative problem-solving, and storytelling. These experiences help children become articulate, empathetic, and resilient communicators.

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Why Oracy Matters

Research shows that high-quality oracy education can accelerate academic progress and improve life chances. The Education Endowment Foundation reports that oral language interventions can add up to six months of additional progress in a year. Studies also link strong oracy skills to improved attainment in English, maths, and science, as well as greater confidence and wellbeing. Children who start school with limited communication skills are six times less likely to reach expected standards in English by Year 6, highlighting the importance of early and sustained oracy teaching.

At Elms Farm, we believe that every child is a speaker and a listener with something valuable to say. Our bespoke oracy curriculum is designed to nurture confident, articulate, and reflective communicators through a consistent, whole-school approach. While our approach is tailored to meet the needs of our pupils and community, it is underpinned by the core principles of Voice 21, valuing talk as a powerful tool for thinking, learning, and social connection.

We know from research that “spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing” (EEF), and our curriculum reflects this. Children are immersed in purposeful talk, through dialogue, debate, storytelling, and performance, so they learn to reason, explain, and collaborate effectively. Structured talk opportunities enable pupils to develop vocabulary, listening skills, and the confidence to express ideas with clarity and respect.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure that children build strong linguistic, cognitive, and social skills over time. As highlighted by Voice 21’s Oracy Framework, we support pupils to “learn through talk and learn to talk,” integrating physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social–emotional dimensions. Talk is explicitly taught, modelled, and scaffolded across all subjects, empowering pupils to become active participants in their learning.

By combining evidence-informed practice with our own creative, contextualised planning, we aim to foster articulate, thoughtful communicators who use their voice with confidence and purpose, both in school and beyond.