At our infant school, we place oracy at the heart of everything we do because we know that spoken language is fundamental to children’s learning, development and future life chances. Research shows that by the age of five, children’s vocabulary can vary dramatically, with some children understanding and using thousands more words than their peers, and this gap strongly predicts later academic success and confidence across the curriculum. With this in mind, we are passionate about giving every child the richest possible language environment: ensuring they hear more words, learn more words and, crucially, use more words every day. Through purposeful talk woven into all aspects of school life, and through our consistent use of ‘Talk Tips’, we nurture children to become confident, articulate speakers who can express their thoughts, ideas and feelings clearly. Our approach ensures that oracy is not an ‘add-on’, but a golden thread that runs through teaching, learning and personal development, empowering every child to thrive.