Oracy

Year 7 – Igniting The Oracy Spark

Unit 1 – Exploratory Talk 

This engaging introductory unit lays the foundations for students’ KS3 oracy journey. Students are introduced to the four strands of oracy and explore how they can be applied in exploratory talk and group discussions. The unit focuses on the discussion roles of instigator, builder and challenger, helping students learn how to contribute ideas, build on the views of others and challenge respectfully. Students also develop strategies for reaching a shared agreement through structured discussion. The unit concludes with a group discussion assessment based on the four strands of oracy and the three discussion roles.

Unit 2 – Presentational Talk

This unit moves from exploratory talk to presentational talk, focusing on how to communicate ideas clearly and effectively to an audience. Students continue developing their understanding of the four strands of oracy, this time within the context of presentations and public speaking. The unit places particular emphasis on physical oracy skills, such as gesture, posture and body language, as well as building confidence when speaking in front of others. The unit concludes with a group presentation assessment based on students’ application of the four strands of oracy.

Unit 3 – Voices in Action

The Year 7 oracy journey concludes with a student-led unit in which students work collaboratively on two different projects. These projects provide opportunities for students to apply both their exploratory talk and presentational talk skills in meaningful contexts. The unit encourages students to develop greater independence, confidence and collaboration as they begin to find and express their own voices through oracy.

Year 8 – Building The Oracy Fire

Unit 1 – Exploratory Talk

This engaging unit builds directly on the exploratory talk unit studied in Year 7. Students revisit the four strands of oracy and the process of reaching a shared agreement through the discussion roles of instigator, builder and challenger. The unit then extends these skills further by introducing the additional discussion roles of clarifier, prober and summariser. At the end of the unit, students complete a group discussion assessment in which they demonstrate their ability to apply the four strands of oracy and use a range of discussion roles effectively.

Unit 2 – Presentational Talk

This creative and engaging unit builds on the presentational talk skills developed in Year 7. Students develop their ability to speak confidently and clearly for a specific audience and purpose through the creation and performance of their own guided tour. The unit encourages students to present information in a structured, engaging and purposeful way while continuing to apply the four strands of oracy within presentational talk contexts. The unit concludes with an assessed presentation of their guided tour, marked against the four strands of oracy.

Unit 3 – Voices in Action

In this student-led unit, students work collaboratively on two different projects that allow them to apply both their exploratory talk and presentational talk skills. The unit focuses on effective teamwork, communication and collaboration, encouraging students to use discussion roles confidently and work towards shared agreements through purposeful group discussion.

Year 9 – Empowering Through Oracy

Unit 1 – Debate Talk

This dynamic unit explores oracy within the context of formal debate. Students develop the cognitive strand by building and structuring arguments, while the social and emotional strand focuses on rebuttal and responding to opposing viewpoints. The linguistic strand develops the vocabulary and language features of debate, and the physical strand helps students present themselves with confidence and authority. The unit concludes with a formal debate in which students take on set roles and demonstrate their understanding of the four strands of oracy within a formal debating context.

Unit 2 – Presentational Talk

This exciting and challenging unit introduces students to the world of performance poetry. Students explore the power of language and learn how to communicate passion, emotion and meaning through performance. Throughout the unit, students develop the four strands of oracy within this creative and expressive context. The unit concludes with students writing and performing their own original piece of performance poetry based on a personal passion, assessed against the four strands of oracy.

Unit 3 – Voices in Action

This final KS3 oracy unit gives students the opportunity to apply the full range of skills developed throughout Years 7–9. Working collaboratively on two different projects, students use exploratory talk and presentational talk skills to communicate effectively, solve problems and work successfully as a group. The unit encourages students to demonstrate confidence, independence and maturity in a range of speaking and listening contexts.

At KS4 and KS5 oracy is embedded within the wider curriculum offer at GCSE and A-Level with opportunities to use oracy to elevate the student’s learning, resulting in more in-depth understanding of content and exploration of ideas.

All students at KS3 and KS4 have access to Oracy Knowledge Organiser in their KO folders issued at the start of each academic half term, with useful sentence starters and types of talk they might encounter over the course of their school life.