Oracy at ROTJS

At Radcliffe-on-Trent Junior School, we believe that every child should have the confidence, knowledge and skills to find their voice, express their ideas and listen to the voices of others. Oracy is fundamental to learning, relationships and future success. Our approach is ambitious and inclusive, developing pupils who can speak clearly and confidently, listen actively, think deeply and communicate respectfully with others.

Oracy is explicitly taught and embedded across the whole curriculum. Pupils develop the physical, linguistic, cognitive and social and emotional skills needed for effective spoken communication. They learn to use their voice and body effectively, select precise vocabulary, organise and articulate their thinking, ask purposeful questions, explain and justify ideas, reason using evidence, listen actively and build on or respectfully challenge the contributions of others. Through structured talk, discussion, debate, performance and presentation, pupils learn to adapt how they communicate for different audiences, purposes and contexts. As they move through the school, they apply these skills with increasing confidence, sophistication and independence.

Through our commitment to Making Learning Memorable, talk is used as a powerful tool for thinking and learning. Pupils discuss and interpret texts in reading, rehearse and develop ideas before writing, explain strategies and justify reasoning in mathematics, make predictions and communicate conclusions in science, debate evidence and interpretations in history, discuss places and issues in geography and articulate ideas, opinions and experiences across the wider curriculum. Performances, assemblies, presentations and collaborative learning provide further opportunities for pupils to speak to different audiences and experience the power of effective communication. Through purposeful talk, pupils deepen their understanding, make connections, develop vocabulary and learn to communicate what they know.

Our school values are woven naturally through oracy. Pupils Be Curious as they ask questions, explore ideas and consider different viewpoints; Be Brave as they contribute to discussions, articulate their thinking, perform, present and respectfully challenge ideas; and Be Kind as they listen attentively, respond thoughtfully, disagree respectfully and create space for others to contribute. Pupils learn that a successful discussion is not about speaking the most or winning an argument, but about listening, thinking together and being willing to develop or change their ideas in response to evidence and the perspectives of others.

Our commitment to No Outsiders – Everyone is Welcome is central to our approach. We want every child to know that their voice matters and that the voices of others deserve to be heard. Structured talk, carefully modelled language and appropriate scaffolds enable all pupils to participate meaningfully, while maintaining high expectations for everyone. Pupils learn to communicate with people who may have different experiences, identities, ideas and perspectives, developing the confidence to express themselves alongside the empathy and respect needed to listen to others.

By the time pupils leave ROTJS, we want them to be confident, articulate and thoughtful communicators. They will be able to listen actively, speak clearly and fluently, use increasingly precise and subject-specific vocabulary, explain and justify their thinking, reason with evidence, participate constructively in discussion and adapt their spoken language for different audiences and purposes. They will have the confidence to contribute, collaborate, present and perform and understand that effective communication involves both having the courage to use their own voice and the kindness and curiosity to listen to the voices of others.