Oracy

At Forestdale Primary School, we believe that helping children become confident, thoughtful and effective communicators is just as important as teaching them to read and write. This is where oracy plays a key role in our curriculum.

What is Oracy?

Oracy is all about helping children learn to speak, listen and communicate effectively. It is more than just talking. It involves developing the skills to express ideas clearly, listen respectfully to others and take part in purposeful discussions across all areas of school life.

At Forestdale, we teach oracy through four key strands that support children’s development:

Physical – This includes how a child uses their voice, such as volume and clarity, as well as non verbal communication like eye contact, facial expressions and gestures
Linguistic – This focuses on the words children use, their vocabulary and grammatical choices to communicate meaning
Cognitive – This involves the thinking behind talk, such as organising ideas, building arguments and responding to others
Social and Emotional – This includes taking turns, showing empathy, working well with others and understanding how to speak appropriately in different situations

Learning Through Talk

At Forestdale, we recognise the power of learning through talk. Children are regularly encouraged to think aloud, question, discuss and build ideas together. This type of exploratory talk deepens their understanding and helps them make connections across subjects. Whether it is solving a maths problem with a partner, debating a theme in a story or discussing how to stay safe online, speaking and listening are key tools for learning.

Learning to Talk

Just as important is learning to talk. We explicitly teach the skills children need to communicate confidently in a wide range of situations. This includes formal settings like class presentations, debates, interviews and public speaking. Pupils learn how to structure their ideas, choose appropriate vocabulary and speak with clarity and confidence. These are skills that will support them throughout life.

Why Oracy Matters

Oracy helps children thrive both in school and beyond. It supports:

Academic achievement – Strong speaking and listening skills help children become better readers, writers and learners
Critical thinking – Discussing ideas encourages children to think deeply and make sense of the world
Emotional wellbeing – When children can express their feelings and resolve conflicts, they feel more secure and connected
Future success – From job interviews to teamwork and public speaking, oracy prepares children for life beyond the classroom
Equity and inclusion – For children who may not have access to language rich environments at home, oracy gives them the tools to thrive and helps close learning gaps

At Forestdale, we are committed to giving every child a voice, helping them grow into confident, thoughtful and articulate individuals. Oracy is not a separate subject. It is a vital part of everything we do.

Below are some examples of how oracy is woven throughout the whole curriculum and not just in English.


Oracy skills in Music Through the Kapow Primary Music curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Rehearsing as a group and singing as an ensemble. Listening with concentration and providing feedback about other children’s and composers’ work. Expressing opinions respectfully. Collaborating in a group. Discussing composition or personal preferences using musical vocabulary. Reasoning about instrument choices and justifying choices of instruments or sounds in compositions using musical vocabulary. Modifying tone of voice. Building confidence when using their voice.	Oracy skills in Art and design Through the Kapow Primary Art and design curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Explaining and justifying their choices of materials, methods, and techniques. Engaging in paired and group discussions. Presenting and explaining their artwork and ideas to peers and the class. Analysing and critiquing the work of others, as well as established artists. Collaborating on group artwork. Responding to high-level questions such as ‘What is art?’ by articulating and defending their ideas.	Oracy skills in D&T Through Kapow Primary’s D&T scheme, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Presenting their design ideas or products to audiences of different sizes. Explaining designs, preferences or final products. Role-playing from the point of view of the user. Discussing products and design ideas using new vocabulary. Collaborating by organising tasks within a group. Critiquing others’ designs and products. Reflecting on and responding to feedback towards their own designs and products. Summarising design ideas.
Oracy skills in Computing Through the Kapow Primary Computing curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Communicating and solving problems collaboratively in groups or pairs. Building on the ideas of others and using discussions to plan programming projects. Articulating their thoughts, processes and reasoning (e.g. when debugging). Explaining and justifying their decisions during problem-solving tasks. Presenting their final outcomes to an audience, enhancing their public speaking skills. Evaluating the final outcomes of peers’ work.	Oracy skills in Geography Through the Kapow Primary Geography curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Verbally responding to questions using geographical vocabulary. Summarising information from videos and texts. Collaboratively engaging in an enquiry cycle. Brainstorming initial ideas to address an enquiry question. Conducting interviews during fieldwork to gather information. Exploring issues through drama techniques (hot-seating, conscience alley and freeze-framing). Presenting findings to a range of audiences in person and using media. Performing songs and poems to enhance content knowledge.	Oracy Skills in Science Through the Kapow Primary Science curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Asking and answering scientific questions aloud, using scientific vocabulary. Explaining observations and ideas in group discussion. Discussing hypotheses and predicting outcomes. Describing their experiments and methods orally. Presenting results using data (tables, charts, graphs) and talking through what the data shows. Debating possible explanations for findings. Listening to explanations from others, comparing with their own, asking for clarification. Reporting findings to different audiences (classmates, teachers, possibly parents). Reflecting on what worked and what did not, verbally justifying choices made during investigations.
Oracy Skills in French In Kapow Primary’s French scheme, pupils have opportunities to develop oracy skills by: Practising speaking and pronunciation of French in class, repeating phrases, and mimicking native speaker models. Engaging in dialogues and role‑play (ordering in a café, asking for directions, greetings etc). Listening to spoken French (audio recordings, teacher, video clips) and responding appropriately. Using “language detective” tasks: discovering meanings of unfamiliar words or grammar through context. Speaking in front of peers in more formal segments (short presentations, show and tell) in French. Working in pairs or groups to practise spoken French (dialogue, asking questions). Using French in practical, everyday contexts in class to make learning more meaningful. Pronunciation practice, gaining confidence in speaking aloud. Exploring intercultural understanding by speaking about life in France or other French speaking countries, comparing with their own life	Oracy Skills in History Through the Kapow Primary History curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop oracy skills by: Asking historically valid questions as part of enquiry cycles (What? Why? How?). Discussing sources of historical evidence: what they show, what they might leave out, possible bias. Explaining chronological understanding: ordering events, describing change over time. Debating interpretations of history, comparing perspectives. Presenting findings from historical investigations (projects, reports, class presentations). Using historical vocabulary accurately in discussion (e.g. empire, migration, continuity, consequence). Working collaboratively in groups to research, interpret evidence, and present arguments. Listening to others’ views on historical events, challenging ideas or asking for clarification. Reflecting on learning: what changed over time, what connections can be made between past and present.	Oracy Skills in PSHE (Kapow Primary) Through the Kapow Primary PSHE curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Discussing feelings, emotions and personal experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Taking part in group discussions and circle times to explore topics such as relationships, health and wellbeing. Practising active listening and responding respectfully to others’ viewpoints. Using role play and drama activities to rehearse real-life situations like resolving conflicts or making decisions. Asking questions and expressing opinions on moral and social issues. Collaboratively brainstorming ideas and solutions to problems. Presenting thoughts and ideas clearly to peers and adults. Reflecting on their own values and how these affect their behaviour and relationships. Debating topical issues to develop critical thinking and empathy. Communicating confidently about personal safety, rights and responsibilities.
Oracy Skills in Religious Education Through the RE curriculum, pupils develop their oracy skills by: Planning and discussing their enquiry and research questions clearly and confidently. Hypothesising and predicting outcomes, explaining their thinking aloud. Asking sensitive and relevant questions during investigations. Engaging in discussions to explore meanings in sacred texts, artefacts, symbols and stories. Reflecting on their own thoughts and feelings and articulating these sensitively in group conversations. Listening carefully and respectfully to others’ beliefs, values and experiences. Interpreting religious language and explaining the significance of rituals and symbols. Using imagination to understand and express emotions such as love, forgiveness and compassion. Comparing and analysing different beliefs, explaining similarities and differences clearly. Applying their learning by discussing how religious beliefs influence people’s lives and communities. Synthesising ideas by making connections between religions and wider human experience. Evaluating different viewpoints and expressing their own reasoned opinions confidently. Communicating their learning in varied ways, including oral presentations, drama, role play, music and creative media. Responding thoughtfully to big questions about meaning, values and beliefs in group and whole class discussions.		Oracy Skills in Physical Education Through the Kapow Primary PE curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by: Giving and receiving clear instructions and feedback during games and activities. Using specific vocabulary to describe movements, techniques and tactics. Communicating effectively with teammates to plan and execute strategies. Explaining their thinking and decision making during physical challenges. Participating in group discussions to reflect on performance and set personal goals. Demonstrating leadership by motivating and encouraging others verbally. Listening attentively to coaches and peers and responding respectfully. Engaging in role play to understand teamwork, fair play and sportsmanship. Presenting ideas and reflections about health, fitness and wellbeing. Collaborating with others to solve problems and adapt to changing situations in games.