What happens when an entire school puts away pens, closes laptops and focuses purely on the power of conversation? One year after the launch of the ‘BSB Speaks’ Oracy Programme, No Pen Morning on the 13th of May offered a glimpse into how speaking and listening are transforming learning across BSB.

We sat down with Assistant Executive Principal James Petrie to reflect on the journey behind ‘BSB Speaks’, the impact the programme is already having across the school, and why oracy matters more than ever in today’s world.

Why Oracy Matters More Than Ever
At BSB, Oracy (the ability to communicate effectively through spoken language) is seen as a transformational life skill. The ‘BSB Speaks’ programme was designed to help students become confident, articulate communicators, drawing on leading educational research while adapting specifically to the BSB context.

‘As a school, we recognised that speaking and quality communication have never been more important’, explained James Petrie. ‘In a world where writing can no longer always be fully trusted because of AI, the ability to express ideas clearly, honestly and confidently is becoming essential’.

Beyond preparing students for a rapidly changing future, the programme also focuses on something equally important: confidence. ‘Helping students shape their language for different audiences and purposes not only sets them apart, but really develops self-esteem and confidence’, he highlighted.

Oracy in Action Across the School
Over the past year, Oracy has become part of everyday learning across the school. In Early Years and Primary classrooms, younger students regularly work with ‘talk partners’, using sentence stems to build more complex responses and share ideas confidently.

As students move through the school, discussions become more sophisticated, with pupils taking on roles such as ‘instigator’ or ‘summariser’ within group conversations. Older students are learning how to deliver presentations, teach lessons themselves, and prepare for real-world communication challenges.

‘We’re already planning to introduce sessions on networking, making small talk and interview skills’, says Petrie. ‘These are future-ready skills our students will genuinely benefit from’.

Rather than relying on grades or marks, the programme focuses on progression, feedback and confidence-building. Teachers use year-group progression maps to ensure speaking skills develop consistently across every stage of school life.

‘We don’t see this as giving marks for speaking’, Petrie explains. ‘It’s about giving honest, useful feedback and helping students believe in themselves. Every pupil has the potential to become a great speaker’.

Growing Confidence and Student Ownership
The impact of ‘BSB Speaks’ is already becoming visible across the school community. Students have delivered assemblies, presented to parents, and even taken leadership roles during No Pen Morning itself.

‘Considering the programme has only been running for this school year, the response has been incredibly positive’, Petrie says. ‘Students can genuinely feel the progress they’re making’.

One of the clearest examples of this came during No Pen Morning, where older students from Years 10, 11 and 12 led Drama workshops for younger pupils. ‘It’s a huge challenge for them, but also a fantastic opportunity’, says Petrie. ‘They’re all really excited about it’.

Inside BSB’s No Pen Morning
Rather than being a standalone event, No Pen Morning was designed as a celebration of everything ‘BSB Speaks’ has introduced throughout the year. Across all morning lessons (from Early Years to Year 10), pens, laptops and written work were put aside in favour of discussion-based learning and collaborative speaking activities.

‘The idea was to create lessons built purely around talk’, Petrie explains. ‘Teachers were encouraged to experiment, try something new and explore how speaking can drive learning in every subject’.

Behind the scenes, the initiative has been carefully developed by a cross-school ‘BSB Speaks’ working party, made up of teachers from different year groups and phases of the school. Their role has been to ensure activities remain both age-appropriate and challenging for every year group.

Preparing Students for the Future
Looking ahead, Petrie hopes students will leave not only with stronger speaking skills, but with a deeper understanding of why those skills matter. ‘We want students to leave with confidence in their own abilities and an awareness of how important communication is—not just now, but throughout their lives’.

That message feels especially significant in today’s increasingly digital world. ‘Unlike communication through AI or screens, speaking to someone with clarity and honesty—and listening with respect and sensitivity—allows us to make genuine human connections’, Petrie reflects. ‘That’s something incredibly important for all of us today’.

A Key Part of BSB’s Vision
Oracy remains one of the central priorities within BSB’s three-year School Development Plan, with staff training and professional development continuing to focus heavily on embedding the ‘BSB Speaks’ programme across the school community.

You can learn more in the ‘BSB Speaks’ Oracy Programme booklet and watch the original programme launch on our YouTube channel.

 

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