How a school's expertise influences the teachers of tomorrow

Pinner Wood School in North-West London has been working with UCL Institute of Education (IOE) for many years, supporting student teachers on placements and in recent years sharing our school’s Oracy expertise through lectures and engaging in professional discussions.

Our school’s focus on Oracy

As part of the mentoring process, student teachers receive additional Oracy training to ensure they are equipped with the skills and strategies that underpin the school’s pedagogical approach. This targeted support helps trainees understand how Oracy is embedded across teaching and learning, enabling them to apply these strategies confidently and effectively throughout their placement. They observe teachers whose practice centres on the principles of dialogic teaching, meaning that they gain further understanding of how Oracy is used throughout the entire curriculum.

Oracy principles also shape the school’s wider programme of continuous professional development. Staff training routinely models the same techniques and approaches that teachers are expected to use in the classroom, creating a consistent and immersive learning experience for all. As a result, student teachers are continually exposed to Oracy in practice, reinforcing its role as one of the central pillars of the school’s identity and ensuring that it becomes a natural part of their pedagogical approach.

In 2024, Pinner Wood was accredited as an Oracy Centre of Excellence in partnership with Voice 21, reflecting the school’s deep and sustained commitment to high quality Oracy practice. Oracy sits at the heart of the school’s educational approach; it is woven into its culture, curriculum, behaviour and pastoral support. As national recognition of Oracy grows, including increasing emphasis from the Department for Education in the curriculum review and the White Paper, Pinner Wood continues to demonstrate a forward-thinking commitment to ensuring that Oracy becomes an ordinary part of every child’s education - not only within the school, but across the wider system.

Benefits of the school-university partnership

Many student teachers who have trained at Pinner Wood have gone on to champion Oracy in their own settings, drawing on the practice, modelling and professional dialogue they experienced during their placement. More recently, the school has hosted Oracy Open Mornings, welcoming tutors from IOE to observe classroom practice and engage with staff as part of a bigger conversation. These events provide an opportunity to showcase the school’s approach in action and to contribute to the wider development of Oracy across the profession. The Oracy Lead also delivered a keynote to students at the IOE as part of their Learning and Teaching module.

The partnership between Pinner Wood and IOE has had a significant impact on both the school and the student teachers it supports. For the school, working closely with IOE and hosting a wide range of trainees has strengthened its culture of reflection, collaboration and professional dialogue. Staff benefit from continually revisiting and articulating their practice, particularly around Oracy, which reinforces the importance of being a reflective practitioner whilst also driving ongoing improvement.

For student teachers, the experience is equally transformative. They gain access to high-quality mentoring, consistent modelling of Oracy strategies and a supportive environment that enables them to develop confidence and professional resilience. Many leave their placements not only as stronger practitioners but as advocates for Oracy, carrying forward the approaches they have learned into their future schools.