For this week's View from the Top, we've handed over to Steve Roche, deputy head academic at prep school St. Helen’s College. Below, Mr Roche gets on his soapbox to talk about the value of oracy in the classroom and beyond...
In a noisy, fast-moving world, helping children find and use their voice matters. Learning to speak clearly and to listen well is foundational to education and leadership. Oracy provides pupils with the language, structure and presence to share ideas, ask relevant questions articulately, and build effective relationships.
Confidence is not a personality trait; it is a practised skill. Leadership is learned through opportunities to express ideas clearly, gauge and respond to the audience, and bring others with you. As pupils develop oracy, including vocabulary, reasoning, rhetoric and the courage to stand and speak, they gain confidence that empowers them in the classroom and far beyond.
At St. Helen’s College oracy is embedded explicitly within our school culture from the very youngest age in nursery right through to Year 6. In the classroom, we plan meaningful speaking and listening routines: structured discussion, think pair share, short presentations, and collaborative inquiry. Pupils learn how to frame an argument, use evidence to support it, and communicate with kindness. These routines sit alongside reading, writing, and mathematics; they enrich learning, helping children organise thought, test understanding, and notice different perspectives.
Beyond the classroom pupils practise on real stages such as assemblies, productions, debating and mock interviews, where the stakes feel higher and the learning sticks. Preparing to speak demands planning, precision and reflection; performing builds resilience and attention. These are not educational ‘extras’; they are habits that make study effective and help pupils truly flourish.
My favourite event is our much-anticipated annual Speech Competition. Year groups prepare and perform poetry to an audience of families, staff, and peers. The transformation is striking: a nervous pupil becomes a poised advocate; a quiet thinker finds the words to move an audience. Give pupils a platform and a purpose and confidence blossoms while character grows.
Technology is reshaping how we learn and AI will change many tasks. Yet human communication remains essential: building trust, making meaning and leading with clarity. Our responsibility is simple: teach oracy well, create opportunities to speak, listen and perform and celebrate the courage it takes. When pupils think clearly and speak kindly, they carry their learning and their leadership into every part of life.