Time to talk and listen - Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language. Oracy is at the very core of Clee Hill Community Academy. We all enjoy the benefits oracy brings to our school community. We believe spoken language to be essential in the development and achievement of our children across the curriculum. We have an oracy element across our curriculum from talking points in most lessons to using our school talk calendar or talk for writing.
At Clee Hill Community Academy, We strive to develop spoken language skills through the taught curriculum, the hidden curriculum, playtimes and lunchtimes, extra-curricular activities and the whole ethos of the school.
As the children's time progresses in our school community, they learn progressive talking and listening skills. they develop the skills of reasoning and debate. This is a skill we feel passionately about as a school. Every child has a voice and that voice is valued.
In school, oracy is a vital 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. Speaking and listening play a large part in a child’s progress in all curriculum areas and teachers plan to develop these skills in a wide variety of ways both formal and informal. We aim to develop and encourage fluent speakers, with rich vocabulary, who are confident to operate in a wide range of situations.
Good oracy skills support wider literacy skills; improvement in oracy is also linked to improvements in reading, writing, and overall attainment.
💬 Time to Talk – September 2026
This September, we’re introducing our Time to Talk Calendar at Clee Hill Community Academy! 💙
Each school day has a simple question or conversation starter for children to think about, discuss and share. Some questions are thoughtful, some encourage children to reflect on their experiences, and some are just there to make us smile and have a bit of fun! 😊
The aim is to create little opportunities throughout the day for children to talk, listen and connect with the adults and children around them.
👩🏫 For teachers: Use the daily question during registration, class time, lunchtime or whenever you have a few minutes to chat.
🏠 For parents: Why not use the question at home too? It’s a great way to start a conversation around the dinner table, in the car or before bedtime.
There’s no right or wrong answer — the important thing is that we make time to listen to our children and give them a chance to talk. 🗣️❤️
Let’s make September a month of great conversations, plenty of laughter and lots of listening!
TIME TO TALK CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 2026
