Our vision

To establish a language rich environment which enables all children to achieve, access opportunities, and develop personally, socially and academically.

Oracy is a key element to our whole curriculum where children learn to talk and learn through talk. We believe that every voice in our school community should be heard and valued.  

Oracy is a fundamental part of Samares School and encompasses many parts of the work that we do to support the needs and development of our children.

Oracy is supported through the training, resources and approaches provided through Voice21, but is also seen across our school environment through a range of other initiatives and programmes which put the learning of language at the centre of what we do.  

Our Intent:   

Through our curriculum, oracy is intentionally taught to elevate learning and is planned for carefully across subjects using curriculum Medium Term Plans and our Oracy Progression Map. Subject leaders outline oracy expectations within their subject as part of their Subject Policy and an Oracy Expectations document outlines the structures and strategies that should be evident in teaching. Where appropriate, teachers may teach discrete oracy lessons to introduce new strategies, or to work on identified targets for the class.  

Each term, teachers work with support staff to identify a class oracy target using the Oracy Framework from Voice21 to assess the class. Actions are planned for and exit data is reviewed at the end of term to measure progress and to share the impact their actions have had on children’s progress in oracy with other staff members. 

Oracy is also planned across the wider curriculum through our commitment to children’s Personal Development and Welfare, entitlement to enrichment opportunities and our goal to develop a language rich environment across the school.

Zones of Regulation, Peer Mediation, PSHE Jigsaw, Careers Fair, Oracy assemblies, Read, Write, Inc., Primary WELCOMM (N-Y6), Helicopter Stories, Poetry Basket and Drawing Club all support oracy development alongside Voice21 structures and strategies.  

We extend our oracy development to the wider community through developing a language rich environment in our 0-3 year old provision at Pathways. This supports parents in their use of talk to help their child’s language development.  We have a weekly oracy based discussion task ‘Get Samares Talking’ which is shared in assembly, displayed at lunchtimes, and is sent home each week with guidance to support parents in developing quality talk at home. Our curriculum enrichment initiative ‘100 Things to do before leaving Samares’ also develops oracy opportunities out in the wider community with opportunities to develop oracy skills in a wide range of contexts.