The Hayfield School

SEND students are more engaged and participate more in lessons

When beginning to develop their provision, leaders at The Hayfield School were particularly focused on how oracy education could support teachers to create an inclusive learning environment where every student can succeed. As teachers at the school have become skilled oracy practitioners, they have noticed that students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are more engaged and participate more in lessons.

Wide-ranging impact of oracy on students

At The Haywood School, teaching and creating space for exploratory talk - discussions about learning across the curriculum - and presentational talk - opportunities for students to speak to an audience, has led to an increase in student confidence - particularly for those who have previously found speaking in class challenging. Assistant Leader, Ben Roberts, has noticed the wide-ranging impact of oracy on students and is confident that these skills will support students as they move through secondary school and beyond.

Voice 21 has had a significant impact on teaching practices

Every teacher at The Hayfield has the knowledge and tools to support the oracy development of every student. Last year, all teachers completed Voice 21 training on inclusive oracy practice. Following this training, teachers adapted how they plan for oracy by incorporating particular strategies that can support learners with specific needs to participate in and benefit from classroom talk.

“I was a huge fan of silence in my classroom. But now I’ve completely reinvented my classroom environment!” - Jess Bostock, English Teacher and Oracy Lead