Oracy

What is oracy?

"Oracy is fundamental to the way that children think about the world as well as speak about the world and the way in which they can interact with other people. "

- Tim Oates (Oracy Commission Conversation)

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language. 

In school, oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become more effective speakers and listeners we empower them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. It is also a route to social mobility, empowering all students, not just some, to find their voice to succeed in school and life. 

The Oracy Framework

As a school working with the Voice 21 project, Linden Road Primary Academy uses The Oracy Framework as a tool to structure our oracy curriculum. The Oracy Framework, devised by Voice 21 and Oracy Cambridge, provides a structure through which we can understand what constitutes good speaking and listening in different contexts. It breaks down the skills within oracy into four distinct but interlinked strands: physical, linguistic, cognitive and social & emotional.

Linden Road Vision for Oracy


At Linden Road Academy, our vision for oracy is to empower students with the confidence and skills to communicate effectively, both in and out of the classroom.


Building on our wide range of experiences for oracy in our curriculum, we seek to enhance opportunities for students to develop good communication skills through conversation and discussion, where every voice is valued.


Our goal is to foster active, empathetic listeners and confident speakers, empowering students to express their opinions with clarity, agree or disagree constructively and engage in meaningful dialogue.


We aim to cultivate an atmosphere where students value diverse perspectives, negotiate conflicts with empathy, and confidently contribute to the conversations that shape their communities.


Through these efforts, we aim to prepare our students not only for academic success but also to be thoughtful, articulate, and empathetic members of society.