Answer extracted from the Education: Joining the Dots podcast — listen to the full episode below.
Does oracy development really improve student behaviour and attendance?
Schools that have invested in oracy development report dramatically improved behaviour and measurably higher attendance. Pupils feel valued and heard through structured communication programmes, creating a direct correlation between oracy engagement and improved school attendance across trusts—even where struggling schools have transformed into thriving ones.
One primary example stands out clearly: a school that moved from struggling status to thriving credits oracy development as transformative in this shift. The principal observed that when children develop confidence in expressing themselves, behaviour problems decrease and attendance improves because pupils genuinely want to attend school.
The mechanism is straightforward. As discussed in the Education: Joining the Dots podcast, when young people lack the ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings, many resort to expressing themselves through behaviour—often challenging behaviour. Oracy programmes flip this equation by giving children the language tools to communicate effectively.
Across the wider Cabot Learning Federation—the 35-school trust based in the southwest of England—schools actively using Voice 21 oracy strategies show higher average attendance than the trust baseline. While Rachel Simons, Reading Lead at the federation, stops short of claiming direct causation, the correlation is undeniable.
Beyond attendance, 86% of secondary staff in schools implementing oracy strategies reported that these approaches supported pupils to produce higher-quality extended written work. This suggests the benefits ripple outward into academic achievement, not just behaviour management.
"If young people struggle to communicate effectively, many will communicate in other ways, often through challenging behaviour."
Rachel Simons — Reading Lead and Primary English Lead, Cabot Learning Federation. Rachel works as part of the school improvement team at Cabot Learning Federation, supporting all schools' adults and learners across 35 settings spanning primary schools, secondaries, post-16, alternative and specialist provision. She serves children from age two to 19 across the southwest of England.
The wider context makes this impact even more significant. Speech and Language UK reports that one in five children struggle with talking and understanding words. The Oracy Commission found that almost two million children in the UK fell below expected levels for language and communication by the end of reception. When oracy development programmes address these gaps, the ripple effects on behaviour and attendance become measurable school-wide shifts.
A more granular discovery: when schools introduce intentional oracy curricula—not bolt-on activities, but woven through daily teaching—pupils report feeling valued and heard. This psychological shift directly translates to higher attendance; children want to come to school when they feel their voice matters.
For a deeper exploration of how entire trusts have embedded oracy across all age groups and the specific strategies that drive these outcomes, listen to the full episode on Listenly, where Rachel Simons walks through real examples from Cabot Learning Federation's transformation journey.
See also
How does Cabot Learning Federation ensure that oracy development is effective across the entire age range from three to 19?
Equity through education is woven through everything they do with an intentional curriculum beyond the national curriculum. Every child has the right to be heard and valued through structured oracy practices across all settings and age groups.
How prevalent are speech and language issues across Cabot Learning Federation and what trends have been observed in recent years?
There is a growing number of speech and language needs apparent in early years and throughout other year groups. The pandemic has impacted this, as has reduced conversation at home and increased screen time.
What percentage of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust's secondary school pupils come from its own primary schools?
Around 70% of pupils in Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust's secondary schools come from the trust's own primary schools, enabling consistent oracy development throughout a pupil's educational journey.
Key takeaways
- Schools implementing oracy development show measurably higher attendance and dramatically improved behaviour compared to baseline.
- When pupils feel valued and heard through communication programmes, they actively want to attend school, creating genuine engagement rather than compliance.
- Secondary staff report that oracy strategies correlate with higher-quality extended written work and academic output.
- The transformation from struggling to thriving schools is directly linked to giving pupils the language tools to express themselves rather than acting out through behaviour.