Build an oracy-rich culture. Get practical strategies and tools to strengthen talk for learning and embed meaningful dialogue.

Overview

Oracy at its best creates a powerful, inclusive and dialogic learning environment where every pupil has a voice. Drawing on over a decade of successful oracy practice, this session bridges the gap between communication theory and daily classroom reality.

Participants will walk away with an immediate, practical toolkit to elevate spoken language, deepen critical thinking and embed meaningful dialogue across the curriculum.

Key Takeaways:

Culture Shift: Discover the essential first steps to cultivating a truly oracy-rich environment in your classroom.

Talk for Learning: Gain actionable tools and structures to move talk from passive chatter to purposeful, academic dialogue.

Curriculum Integration: Learn how to naturally embed high-quality talk into your existing lesson plans across all subject areas.

Immediate Strategies: Leave with ready-to-use models and scaffolds that support every learner, regardless of their starting point.

Course Lead

Rachel Higginson is an experienced former school leader and SENDCo who now works as an independent educator, speaker and advocate for inclusive, dialogic practice. With over a decade of experience in the oracy space, Rachel supports schools to create cultures where every pupil is heard, valued and able to articulate their thinking with confidence.

She is the founder of the 'Finding My Voice' approach, which champions purposeful talk as a driver for equity, belonging and academic success. Rachel is also Director of The Huish Centre, where she works with schools and organisations to develop authentic, sustainable approaches to oracy and inclusion.

As a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, Rachel brings a strong evidence-informed perspective to her work, bridging theory and classroom practice. Her sessions are known for being practical, thought-provoking and deeply rooted in real school experience, offering colleagues clear models and strategies they can apply immediately.

Cost

£75 per person for SWIFT member schools | £125 standard price.

Please note: Payment is by INVOICE ONLY. Please select invoice as the payment method at check out.

You will receive a confirmation of booking from Eventbrite. All further correspondence will come from Robin.Scott@sw-ift.org.uk; please ensure you check your junk mail box and approve the email to ensure you receive important event details.

If you are unable to attend on the day, or are sending someone else in your place, please let us know. Please be aware that failure to cancel your space can incur your school a cost. Full Terms and Conditions are available HERE.

SWIFT Partner providing course (including invoicing) is Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance (invoiced by Exeter Consortium)

Non-chargeable Courses (Sessions that are part of the ‘no additional charge’ elements of the SWIFT membership)

If the place you are cancelling is for a ‘no additional charge’ event under the SWIFT Offer to Schools, you may withdraw, without penalty, provided a minimum notice of 24 hours before the start time of the event is given.

If less than 24 hours’ notice is given, for each date of a course for which there is no additional charge, then the following charges will apply per applicant: £25.00

Should a training course recruit insufficient numbers to make it viable, we reserve the right to cancel the course, without penalty, giving a minimum notice of 24 hours.

Description supplied by the event organiser.