Oldham-based Trust hosts Oracy Festival

Pupil representatives joined children from the trust’s 15 schools at Coppice Primary Academy in Oldham

More than 6,000 primary school children from across Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire took part in their own celebration of words in school before each school selected one pupil representative at Oldham-based Focus-Trust’s inaugural Oracy Festival.

Inspired by Manor Green Primary Academy Principal Victora Saville, who won a public speaking competition as a teenager, the event saw all of the pupils from across the charitable primary trust’s 15 schools learn and perform a poem of their choice to their classmates.

With children as young as four taking part, many opted for popular poems, limericks and sonnets, including Chocolate Cake by Michael Rosen and Please Mrs Butler by Allan Ahlberg; others were inspired to get creative, choosing instead to write their own verses.

Pupil representatives joined children from the trust’s 15 schools at Coppice Primary Academy in Oldham to perform for families, friends, members of the Central Team and a distinguished guest from Voice 21 Oracy, Isobel Plant.

Voice 21 aims to empower all children and young people to use their voice for success in school and in life.

Becoming a Voice 21 Oracy School is a commitment: to transform oracy teaching and learning across your school, enabling all students to access and benefit from a high-quality oracy education.

Isobel Plant, Head of Engagement at Voice 21, said, “I found it so inspiring to hear each pupil’s performance from across the Trust and am completely blown away by all the talent and confident presentational talk.”

Reflecting on the Oracy Festival, Victoria Saville said: “I am absolutely delighted that every child took part and am so proud of what our children have achieved with their new-found Oracy skills and confidence.”

Helen Rowland, CEO of Focus-Trust, added: “Thank you to all colleagues in school who made this event a reality and congratulations to every single child who took part!

"Your oracy skills are fabulous and we’re all very proud of you.”

Focus-Trust is a charitable, value based primary schools’ trust which is based in the North West of England and West Yorkshire with a vision of providing ‘great schools at the heart of our communities’ where children thrive, achieve and succeed.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.