Focus-Trust's 3rd Annual Oracy Festival Highlights Children's Voices and Mental Health

Focus-Trust recently held its 3rd Annual Oracy Festival at Wilsden Primary School, showcasing the voices of children from across all 15 Focus-Trust schools. This year's festival theme "My Voice Matters" coincided with Children's Mental Health Week, emphasizing the importance of children's mental health and self-expression.

Inspired by Manor Green Primary Academy Principal Victoria Saville, who won a public speaking competition as a teenager, the event saw more than 6,000 primary school children from across the trust take part in their own celebration of words in school before each school selected one pupil representative.

Victoria Saville, Principal at Manor Green Primary Academy, who has led the Focus-Trust Oracy Festival for three consecutive years, said: “To listen to each child’s performance was such a pleasure and to see the live audience’s reaction to each child’s words was wonderful.

“It is our belief that all children have the right to be themselves and to be the best that they can be, opportunities like the Oracy Festival allow children to see the impact they have when they use their voice.”

Yorkshire Area Manager Claire Gilpin from the children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, joined the celebrations. For almost 30 years, Place2Be has provided mental health support in schools through one-to-one and group counselling using research-backed methods. They also offer expert training and professional qualifications for school staff.

Clare Gilpin, Place2Be's Yorkshire Area Manager, praised the event: “The Focus-Trust Oracy Festival 2024 was absolutely amazing, and a great success.

“The children's confidence and the way they were able to get their voices across and heard was inspirational.

“Each and every one of them represented the theme 'My Voice Matters' brilliantly. It was moving, funny, and the messages were very clear. They should all be very proud of the example they have set for others to be able to use their voice.”

Anna Hackett, Focus-Trust’s Curriculum and Professional Learning Lead said: "We are very proud of all the children who participated and the way each one had a unique take on the theme of 'My Voice Matters'.

“As a Trust, we recognize the importance of preparing children for the future. We want children who will speak up for themselves and others; who will respectfully challenge and debate; who will ask for help when they need it; who will share their thoughts, experiences and be heard."

By connecting with skilled professionals such as Place2Be, Focus-Trust hopes to establish a shared understanding of how to identify, value, and nurture every voice - because every voice matters!

Focus-Trust is a primary school trust which is based in the Northwest of England and West Yorkshire with a vision of providing great schools at the heart of communities where children thrive, achieve, and succeed.