Oracy
At Crick Primary School , we want all our pupils , irrelevant of individual need or social background, to have the confidence to verbally articulate their thoughts, feelings and opinions with clarity and careful consideration. Our intent is for spoken communication (Oracy) skills to be at the heart of the curriculum. We recognise how vital spoken language skills are for our pupils, and want them to actively and consistently show respect for the thoughts and opinions of others and to verbalise their responses in an appropriate and measured manner.
All pupils who attend Crick have an understanding that their opinions matter, that they are valued, and that they are able to listen and feel listened to. Pupils will feel that their words and perspectives are respected by both pupils and adults alike and this will fuel their self-confidence as they move forward in education and life.
At Crick, vocabulary forms a key part of all planning, teaching and learning. We aim to develop and encourage fluent speakers, with rich vocabulary, who are confident to operate in a wide range of situations.
We recognise the positive impact of spoken language and vocabulary development on pupils’ academic success and well-being. We believe that Oracy is fundamental for preparing pupils for the wider world due to many of our pupils starting their educational journey without the skills relevant for their age and having had limited opportunities to engage in vocabulary rich discussions. We want all stakeholders within our inclusive school community to feel valued, valuable and heard.
In Early Years, Communication and language is one of the prime areas as ‘Children’s language skills are connected to their overall development and can predict their educational success.’ We ensure pupils are involved in hands on experiences, songs, poems, listening and acting out stories, have access to fiction and non-fiction texts, play, and learn in a language rich environment, enabling them to learn and explore new words. Our pupils in EYFS are also take part in Drawing Club and NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention) to help develop and expand their oracy skills.
We aim to embed and model Oracy throughout every aspect of school life and see it as a growing part of the school’s pedagogy. Our long-term progression document identifies key expectations and outcomes for pupils at their different stages of development from EYFS to Year 6. Our Oracy curriculum will enable pupils to:
- Confidently and respectfully articulate their ideas and opinions
- Respect the contribution of others with a diverse range of linguistic abilities
- Speak with clarity and eloquence
- Recognise the importance of listening when responding to others appropriately
- Become critical thinkers
