Oracy Through Music

Finding a Voice in Rhythm and Rhyme

At Coventry Academy, oracy doesn’t only happen in the classroom - it lives in our music studios, on our stages, and through every beat our students create. Music has become a powerful vehicle for developing voice, vocabulary, and confidence.

Our partnership with Coventry Music, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and The Belgrade Theatre has led to nationally recognised projects where students blend literature and lyricism in extraordinary ways.

That’s a Rap: Shakespeare Reimagined

Last year in collaboration with the Belgrade Theatre, Year 11 pupils explored new forms of storytelling through rap and rhythm. Our pupils assisted in the reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet for a contemporary audience, crafting original lyrics that drew on Shakespeare’s themes and language which were proudly showcased during the interval. The project earned national recognition, with one of our students, Harvey, invited to speak on BBC Radio 4 about how rap and beats can bring Shakespeare’s words to life for a new generation. Listen to Harvey and some of our other students work on our media page. 

Lyricature: Where Literature Meets Music

Building on this success, our Lyricature initiative - co-founded by Sharon Gray (Head of English) and Joe Cook (Music Tutor, Coventry Music) - takes oracy and creativity to new heights. Students write their own rap lyrics and then transpose them into high-quality prose for GCSE English Language. This innovative process deepens understanding of poetic devices, enhances creative writing, and boosts oracy confidence.

“Getting pupils to write original rap lyrics and then transform them into creative prose is a masterstroke. It builds language, confidence and self-belief. This work deserves to be shared nationally.”
— David Rzeznick, Coventry Monitoring Officer