How Junior Jam Develops Oracy Skills Across the Primary Curriculum

As schools continue to prioritise communication, confidence and personal development, Oracy has become a key focus within primary education. Schools increasingly recognise that pupils who can articulate their ideas, listen actively and communicate effectively are more likely to succeed academically, socially and emotionally.

At Junior Jam, Oracy is embedded throughout our specialist curriculum. Through engaging lessons in Music, Languages, Computing, PE and Performing Arts, pupils are continually developing the speaking, listening and communication skills that support success across the wider curriculum.

For schools looking to strengthen Oracy provision, improve pupil confidence and develop communication skills across all year groups, Junior Jam provides meaningful opportunities for pupils to speak, collaborate, present and perform in every lesson.

What is Oracy?

Oracy is the ability to communicate effectively through spoken language. It encompasses a range of skills including:

• Speaking clearly and confidently
• Listening attentively
• Expressing ideas and opinions
• Asking and answering questions
• Using appropriate vocabulary
• Presenting information to others
• Collaborating effectively in groups
• Adapting communication for different audiences

Strong Oracy skills are closely linked to improved academic achievement, increased confidence, enhanced wellbeing and greater engagement in learning.

As schools seek to develop the whole child, Oracy has become an essential part of preparing pupils for future education, employment and life beyond the classroom.

Why is Oracy Important in Primary Schools?

Communication underpins every aspect of learning.

Pupils who can explain their thinking are often better equipped to solve problems. Children who can articulate ideas confidently are more likely to participate in lessons and engage with their learning. Strong listening skills support understanding, collaboration and positive relationships.

Developing Oracy helps pupils:

• Build self-confidence
• Improve vocabulary
• Strengthen reading and writing skills
• Develop critical thinking
• Enhance social interactions
• Increase classroom participation
• Become more resilient learners

These benefits extend far beyond the classroom and contribute significantly to pupils' personal development.

How Junior Jam Supports Oracy Across the Curriculum

At Junior Jam, we believe that communication skills are developed most effectively when they are embedded within engaging, practical learning experiences.

Our specialist curriculum creates regular opportunities for pupils to speak, listen, perform, discuss, question and collaborate. These opportunities are carefully woven throughout every subject area and become increasingly sophisticated as pupils progress through our programmes.

Developing Oracy Through Music

Our Music curriculum provides some of the richest opportunities for Oracy development.

Pupils regularly:

• Perform individually and in groups
• Sing confidently in front of others
• Discuss musical genres and styles
• Evaluate performances
• Share opinions and ideas
• Develop subject-specific vocabulary
• Listen actively and respond thoughtfully

Performing music naturally develops confidence, while reflective discussions encourage pupils to articulate their thoughts clearly and respectfully.

For many children, Music provides their first opportunity to perform in front of an audience and develop the confidence to express themselves publicly.

Building Speaking and Listening Skills Through Languages

Speaking and listening form the foundation of our Languages curriculum.

Through French and Spanish lessons, pupils develop confidence by:

• Participating in conversations
• Practising pronunciation
• Performing dialogues
• Asking and answering questions
• Listening carefully to spoken language
• Applying new vocabulary in context

Learning another language encourages pupils to take risks, experiment with communication and develop resilience when expressing themselves.

These experiences support both language acquisition and wider communication skills.

Encouraging Communication Through Computing

Our Computing curriculum goes far beyond coding and technology.

Pupils regularly develop Oracy by:

• Explaining their thinking
• Presenting digital projects
• Discussing solutions to challenges
• Collaborating with classmates
• Evaluating outcomes
• Using technical vocabulary accurately

As pupils explain processes and justify decisions, they strengthen both their understanding and their communication skills.

Developing Leadership and Teamwork in PE

Effective communication is essential within our PE curriculum.

Throughout lessons, pupils develop Oracy through:

• Team discussions
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Leadership opportunities
• Tactical conversations
• Peer coaching
• Performance reflection

These experiences help pupils understand how communication contributes to teamwork, leadership and success both inside and outside of school.

Building Confidence Through Performing Arts

Few subjects support Oracy as naturally as our Performing Arts curriculum.

Through drama, storytelling and performance, pupils learn to:

• Project their voice
• Present confidently to an audience
• Express ideas creatively
• Develop storytelling skills
• Build self-confidence
• Collaborate effectively

Performing Arts provides a safe and supportive environment where pupils can find their voice and develop the confidence to communicate clearly in a range of situations.

Progressive Oracy Development Across Every Year Group

One of the key strengths of the Junior Jam curriculum is its carefully planned progression.

As pupils move through our programmes, they are exposed to increasingly challenging opportunities to communicate, collaborate and present.

Younger pupils may begin by sharing ideas within small groups, responding to questions or participating in simple performances. As they grow in confidence, they progress towards leading discussions, presenting to larger audiences, evaluating work and using increasingly sophisticated vocabulary.

This structured approach ensures that communication skills develop alongside subject knowledge and personal confidence.

The Benefits of Junior Jam's Approach to Oracy

Schools working with Junior Jam often recognise the positive impact that specialist teaching can have on pupil confidence and communication.

Our embedded approach to Oracy helps pupils:

Become More Confident Speakers: Regular opportunities to perform, present and contribute help pupils develop confidence in expressing their ideas.

Develop Richer Vocabulary: Exposure to specialist language across multiple subjects strengthens vocabulary and supports literacy development.

Improve listening Skills: Pupils learn how to listen actively, respond thoughtfully and engage positively with others.

Strengthen Critical Thinking: Discussion-based learning encourages pupils to explain their reasoning, justify opinions and consider alternative viewpoints.

Enhance Social and Emotional Development: Collaborative activities help pupils develop empathy, resilience, teamwork and self-awareness.

Support Academic Achievement: Strong spoken language skills underpin success across reading, writing, mathematics and the wider curriculum.

Supporting School Improvement Priorities

Many schools are actively looking for ways to strengthen:

• Speaking and listening
• Communication and language
• Vocabulary development
• Personal development
• Pupil confidence
• Collaborative learning
• Curriculum enrichment

Junior Jam's specialist curriculum supports these priorities through meaningful, engaging learning experiences that place communication at the heart of every lesson.

Our broad range of specialist subjects, available through our curriculum offer, enables schools to provide high-quality learning experiences while simultaneously supporting wider school development goals.

Why Schools Choose Junior Jam

Schools choose Junior Jam because our specialist teachers do more than deliver outstanding lessons. They create learning environments where pupils feel confident to participate, communicate and succeed.

By embedding Oracy throughout Music, Languages, Computing, PE and Performing Arts, we help schools develop confident, articulate learners who are prepared for the challenges of the future.

Whether pupils are performing in Music, speaking in French or Spanish, presenting a digital project, leading a team activity or taking part in a drama performance, they are continually developing the communication skills that will benefit them throughout their education and beyond.

At Junior Jam, Oracy is not an additional feature of our curriculum. It is woven into every lesson, every subject and every pupil's learning journey.