At Newton Farm, our oracy curriculum ensures every child grows into a confident, articulate speaker and a thoughtful listener. Built specifically for our pupils, this framework puts spoken language at the heart of learning. As the educational principle states, "If children can't say it, they can't write it." Speaking out loud first builds the foundation for deep thinking, reading, and writing.
Oracy is woven into every subject. In Maths and Science, children explain their reasoning out loud using structured sentence stems to justify their answers. In English and Humanities, pupils use talk roles, partner shares, and debates to explore complex ideas together. Beyond daily lessons, pupils put their oracy into practice through exciting public speaking opportunities across the school year, including taking part in the national Poetry by Heart competition, class assemblies, and debates.
Through this daily practice and performance, pupils systematically develop five key skills: articulation and clarity to speak audibly and confidently; discussion to collaborate and negotiate; vocabulary to express ideas precisely; questioning to challenge and deepen thinking; and listening and responding to build empathy and show respect. Our ultimate goal is for every child at Newton Farm to leave us knowing their voice matters—and equipped with the communication skills to thrive.