Oracy: Our Voice 21 Journey

Our Voice 21 Journey
At St Stephen's CE Primary School, we believe that every child deserves to have a voice and the confidence to use it. As part of our commitment to developing confident communicators, we are in the second year of our Voice 21 journey, embedding high-quality oracy across our curriculum and wider school life.

Oracy is the ability to express ideas, communicate effectively, listen actively and engage thoughtfully with others. These skills are essential for learning, future employment and life beyond school. Through our Christian vision of Learning, Loving and Growing; Together as God's Children, we want every pupil to feel valued, heard and empowered to contribute.

Why Oracy Matters
We know that strong speaking and listening skills underpin success across the curriculum. Effective oracy helps pupils to:

• Develop and articulate their thinking
• Build confidence and self-esteem
• Deepen their understanding of new learning
• Work collaboratively with others
• Respect differing viewpoints
• Prepare for life in modern Britain and the wider world

Our Voice 21 Journey

As a Voice 21 school, we are developing a shared whole-school approach to oracy. During our second year, we are continuing to strengthen opportunities for purposeful talk across all subjects and phases.

Pupils regularly engage in:

• Partner and group discussions
• Structured talk activities
• Presentation and performance opportunities
• Debates and discussions
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Reflection and pupil voice activities
• Staff receive ongoing professional development to ensure oracy is intentionally planned and embedded within everyday teaching.

What Oracy Looks Like at St Stephen's
You may see pupils:

• Explaining their thinking using subject-specific vocabulary
• Building on the ideas of others
• Asking thoughtful questions
• Presenting to an audience with confidence
• Justifying opinions using evidence
• Listening respectfully and responding appropriately
• Our classrooms are places where talk is valued as a tool for learning and where every child is encouraged to participate.

Impact
Through our Voice 21 journey, we are already seeing pupils become increasingly confident, articulate and reflective learners. Children are developing the knowledge, vocabulary and communication skills needed to flourish academically, socially and spiritually.

By fostering a culture of respectful dialogue and active participation, we are preparing our pupils to become compassionate, confident citizens who are ready to make a positive difference in the world.