What is Oracy?
Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language. At Hill Farm, we believe that talk is the foundation of learning. By fostering confident communicators, we not only enhance academic outcomes but also empower our students to lead purposeful, enriched lives. Through the transformative power of oracy, our students learn to embrace opportunities, advocate for their beliefs and actively engage as citizens in our global community.
Hill Farm is a member of the Challenge Partner school improvement network and during their March 2024 review Oracy was recognised as an Area of Excellence. The report quoted,
”The promotion of oracy has given pupils the confidence to speak up in lessons. They are able to articulate their thinking. They can structure sentences and disagree respectfully. Another consequence is that as their voice has strengthened, pupils have become more ambitious and have higher aspirations. They believe they can make a difference and can go on and achieve.”
In 2024, Hill Farm became an Oracy Centre of Excellence in partnership with Voice 21.
Why does Oracy matter?
Oracy is one of the Castle Phoenix Trust six ambitions and we strive to create a learning environment where pupils become confident communicators with the aim of improving their social mobility.
Did you know?
Spoken language skills are one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future life chances but too many children are not given the opportunity to develop these crucial skills.
- On entry to school, disadvantaged children’s spoken language development is significantly lower than their more advantaged peers
- These gaps grow as children move through school. Widening from just a few months aged six, to five years’ difference by the age of 14.
- On leaving school, children with poor verbal communication skills are less likely to find employment and more likely to suffer from mental health difficulties.
Six reasons why it matters:
- Oracy promotes social equality
- Oracy improves academic outcomes
- Oracy fosters wellbeing and confidence
- Oracy supports transitions and enhances employability
- Oracy equips students to thrive in democratic and civic life
- Oracy promotes social equality
Research shows that on average pupils who take part in spoken language interventions make approximately 5 months of additional progress over a year, with some studies showing the progress of up to six months for pupils from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.