Supporting Children’s Speaking and Listening Skills

Our Partnership with the English-Speaking Board (ESB)

At our school, we place a strong emphasis on oracy – the ability to speak confidently, listen attentively, and communicate ideas clearly. These skills are essential for children’s learning, wellbeing, and future success. To support this, we have begun to work with the English-Speaking Board (ESB), a nationally recognised awarding organisation specialising in spoken communication.

What is the English-Speaking Board (ESB)?

The English-Speaking Board is an established organisation that:

• Promotes high-quality spoken language education
• Provides frameworks and guidance for developing oracy in schools
• Offers externally recognised qualifications in speech, communication, and performance

ESB qualifications are respected across the UK and internationally and are designed to be age-appropriate, inclusive, and encouraging.

Using the ESB Oracy Framework in School

We have begun to use the ESB Oracy Framework to support and enhance our teaching of speaking and listening across the curriculum.

This means pupils regularly:

• Take part in structured talk, discussions, and presentations
• Learn how to express ideas clearly and confidently
• Develop skills such as listening, turn-taking, questioning, and responding
• Build vocabulary and learn how to adapt their speech for different audiences and purposes

Oracy is embedded in everyday learning – for example through storytelling, class discussions, assemblies, group work, drama, and subject specific presentations – helping children to grow in confidence in a supportive environment.

Opportunities to Achieve a Formal ESB Qualification

As children progress through the school, they will be given the opportunity to work towards an ESB accredited qualification.

These qualifications:

• Recognise achievement in spoken communication
• Are assessed through practical speaking activities, not written exams
• Celebrate skills such as clarity of speech, organisation of ideas, confidence, and audience awareness
• Are designed to be a positive and confidence-building experience

Participation is always age-appropriate and carefully supported by school staff. Pupils take part in a range of assessment tasks, in line with the framework and are assessed via an external examiner from the Board. They are expected to read aloud, recite a poem from memory and present on a topic of their choosing. Achieving an ESB qualification helps children to:

• Gain a sense of pride and achievement
• Build self-confidence and resilience
• Develop skills that support learning across all subjects
• Begin to collect recognised qualifications as part of their educational journey

How This Benefits Your Child

By engaging with the ESB framework and qualifications, your child will:

• Become a more confident speaker and listener
• Improve their ability to explain thinking and ideas
• Develop social and communication skills that support friendships and wellbeing
• Be better prepared for transitions to secondary school and beyond

Most importantly, children learn that their voice matters.

Supporting Your Child at Home

Parents can support oracy development by:

• Encouraging children to talk about their day and interests
• Listening attentively and asking open questions
• Supporting opportunities to speak in front of others (e.g. reading aloud, storytelling)
• Celebrating effort and confidence, not just performance