🧵 “We recommend that the Government introduce an oracy framework to support practice and to complement the existing frameworks for reading and writing.” (Curriculum and Assessment Review, p.79) 🎉 🎉 🎉 It’s an exciting time for oracy in education...

We welcome the government’s plan to introduce a national oracy framework – a major step towards giving spoken language its rightful place in education. We look forward to working with the @departmentforedu.bsky.social to support its careful implementation and bring about lasting change.

📚 BOOK GIVEAWAY! 📚 These books underpin the Implementing Oracy programme, running Jan–Jun 2026 at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge. Find out more 👉 oracycambridge.org/implementing... Entry details below

Children notice the impact of an oracy education.

This six-session professional learning programme, to run from Jan-June 2026, is designed for school leaders, oracy leads and classroom teachers who want to implement #oracy with clarity and confidence. To secure your place, click the link below, fill out your details and we’ll be in touch.

For those of you who have not yet experienced the joy and wonder of Philosophy for Children: I'm running a Level 1 training course in London on Tuesday 30th September & Wednesday 1st October for Thoughtful (SAPERE) - the P4C charity. www.sapere.org.uk/our-courses/... Course ID 8061 #P4C #oracy

Good TES interview with #oracy guru Prof Neil Mercer: ‘In 2023 Sir Keir Starmer pledged that the Labour Party would weave oracy through the curriculum. Yet when the interim report was published, oracy was not mentioned at all. So, is Labour really serious about change?’ www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Brilliant new book out by Neil Mercer. #oracy

www.topsypage.com/blog/2025/5/... #oracy #maths

Should we ask for volunteers in whole-class talk? oracycambridge.org/should-we-as... #oracy

11 year-old's response to my question: Does talking help with learning? #oracy

Lovely to see children engaged in the daily thinking question written on the table as part of 'Chat & Play' - how all children start the day at this school. #oracy #P4C

Thinking time is a critical aspect of developing oracy. Love this part of a whole-school 'talk promise' at a school I recently visited. #oracy #thinkingtime

Love these collaborative talk prompts which I saw being used so effectively in a Y6 classroom last week. #oracy

The one, the only, Stephen Fry giving our friends at SAPERE a shout out: they are now called 'Thoughtful' & promote #philosophy in #schools & the community #P4C #philsky #academicsky #philosophymatters youtu.be/ykpkQUpg4Ns

Calling all Early Years practitioners: our Extend P4C- Early Years module is available to book now! The session is online on Tuesday 10th June 16:00-17:30pm. Visit our website to book your place:

We are THOUGHTFUL - the charity for P4C (new name for SAPERE). 4 decades and still going strong #p4c #philosophymatters

This FREE guide to teaching oracy at secondary is excellent. A truly impressive range of researchers, leaders and practitioners with practical, evidence based ways forward. Will share widely! Thankyou SecEd www.sec-ed.co.uk/content/down...

If you only read one @seced.bsky.social article this week: It has to be our free 21-page guide to #oracy #teaching with great contributions from @voice21oracy.bsky.social – Oracy Cambridge – @realgeoffbarton.bsky.social – @amygaunt.bsky.social – @mattbromley.bsky.social & many more buff.ly/DD8CL5j

We've spent the best part of a year exploring assessment in school. We've overhauled our reporting systems, built in moderation processes and undertaken peer observation cycles. The key finding in it all is that great formative assessment depends on good oracy.

My latest blog about participation in classroom talk. I'm thinking a lot about this at the moment. www.topsypage.com/blog/2025/1/...

Delighted that the @oracycommission.bsky.social is now on BlueSky. Here’s their thread on the work of the Commision in 2024, and where #oracy education may go in 2025 …

For those interested in P4C, access Lipman's curriculum materials made freely available by the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children at Montclair State University here - digitalcommons.montclair.edu/iapc_curricu...

Dan Raphael compiled this list of key Oracy Commission podcasts for secondary English. Worth a read - and a listen! @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @robdrummond.bsky.social @snelljulia.bsky.social @barbarableiman.bsky.social @iancushing.bsky.social englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/key-ora...

Congratulations @pynchonic.bsky.social You have won the free copy of my book Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers. www.bloomsbury.com/uk/100-ideas... Message me your postal address please!

LAST CHANCE! I'm doing a festive giveaway of my book! Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers. Like, follow and retweet to enter. Winners will be selected at random on Friday 3rd January 8pm UK time. bit.ly/100IdeasOrac... @edusky.bsky.social

As @nationaltheatre.org.uk’s Artistic Director Rufus Norris says: “#Oracy should be the fourth ‘R’”: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12...

Teacher Friends, if your classroom conversations and turn and talk opportunities have been falling a bit flat lately, check out my newest blog post on ways to liven up classroom talk. www.drgravitygoldberg.com/single-post/...

Just been listening to @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social on @realgeoffbarton.bsky.social's Oracy Commission Podcast. Frank is the wisest and kindest voice we have, I feel better just hearing him. He's damn right on the importance and power of sharing stories with very young children. Listen to the ep!

Philosophy for Children (P4C) is not only brilliant, I’ve sat in on sessions where they do it and those kids *get it*. They’re not reading Descartes obviously but they absolutely know how to ask the right question at the right time and it’s incredible to watch.

The call for hosting our next SOPHIA network meeting is still open #p4c #philsky www.sophianetwork.eu/announcement...

Almost responded to a troll but then remembered the #bluesky way and went straight to block. I was sorely tempted to point out that there was probably a reason he had made 1.7k posts and only had 30 followers though. 😂

I'm doing a festive giveaway of my book! Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers. Like, follow and retweet to enter. Winners will be selected at random on Friday 3rd January 8pm UK time. bit.ly/100IdeasOrac... @edusky.bsky.social

I'm doing a festive giveaway of my book! Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers. Like, follow and retweet to enter. Winners will be selected at random on Friday 3rd January 8pm UK time. bit.ly/100IdeasOrac... @edusky.bsky.social

My book, Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers, is now available. I’m delighted that the reviews recognise it's practical, rigorous and rooted in research. If you’ve been looking for a concise guide to implementing oracy in the classroom, here it is! bit.ly/100IdeasOrac...

I'm doing a festive giveaway of my book! Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers. Like, follow and retweet to enter. Winners will be selected at random on Friday 3rd January 8pm UK time. bit.ly/100IdeasOrac... @BloomsburyEd @edusky.bsky.social

Thinking time changes everything.

Hello, new BlueSky followers. In April, I was proud to be asked to chair the Oracy Education Commission. You can read our final report ('We Need to Talk') here: tinyurl.com/yr9pp9af And there are dozens of podcast conversations exploring #oracy in its many forms: open.spotify.com/show/5UwEJKk...

consult.education.gov.uk/curriculum-a... Deadline this Friday!

What are you doing for #WorldPhilosophyDay tomorrow? I am having a meeting with the new editorial team of @journalphp.bsky.social & I am going to a primary school to launch the new Personal Identity game we developed for The Philosophy Garden! Exciting 🤪 #philsky #edusky #philosophyforeveryone

It was such a privilege last year to witness these children speaking about things that are important to them. I'm really enjoying listening to them again. Emotional stuff! www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQi8...

📢 NEW POST 📢 The Oracy Cambridge response to the Oracy Commission report oracycambridge.org/we-need-to-t... cc @beckyfrancis.bsky.social @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social #currculumandassessmentreview #oracy #weneedtotalk

I agree. I work with Storytelling Schools, we explicitly teach the skills of storytelling. It's one thing to have a school policy saying children are given opportunities for talk - another to agree what elements should be taught.

"Reading, writing and arithmetic are recognised as the foundations of children’s future learning. They are deemed ‘the three ‘Rs’. It's time to add a fourth 'R' - oracy: my @schoolsweek.bsky.social article today: schoolsweek.co.uk/oracy-must-b...

And here's the full Oracy Commission report - 'We Need to Talk': oracyeducationcommission.co.uk/wp-content/u... (pdf)

Took over a class this year. They were in the same group last year. LSA after a couple of lessons "you know, I've never heard So-and-so's voice before". I'm not boasting - this is just a ludicrously easy thing to solve.

Philosophy could help pupils discuss hard topics such as Gaza war, says NEU www.theguardian.com/politics/202...