By Geoff Barton, with Amy Gaunt
Almost a year ago, the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England, which I had the privilege to chair, published its report: We Need to Talk. It was a timely piece of work, commissioned by Voice 21, the national oracy education charity, following Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge, when Leader of the Opposition, to prioritise oracy education in schools.
The Commission had a clear remit: to set out the aims and purpose of oracy education in schools, and to propose a blueprint for how an entitlement to oracy could be delivered as part of every child’s statutory education and embedded meaningfully across the system.
I’ve long believed in the importance of oracy education. As a young teacher, I was inspired by the Bullock Report, which made the case – beautifully and unarguably – for the importance of language across the curriculum. They said:
“We cannot emphasise too strongly our conviction of the importance [of oral language] in the education of the child […] Too many people lack the ability to [communicate] with confidence. Too many are unable to speak articulately in any context which might test their security. The result can be acquiescence, apathy, or a dependence upon entrenched and unexamined prejudices.”
Half a century on, Bullock’s warning feels more relevant than ever. In a world shaped by the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence, growing social polarisation, and persistent inequality, it is no longer enough for young people simply to ‘know’. They must be able to question, to argue, to listen, and to understand and – in a world where it feels as if everyone is cross about everything – to disagree agreeably.
These aren’t soft skills. They are essential capabilities for actively participating in modern life.
As a headteacher, I saw it in the classrooms of the most effective teachers, where purposeful talk helped students grapple with challenging ideas, test out thinking, and engage with the views of others. I heard it in the persuasive tone of a Year 13 student competing in a debating final. I witnessed it in school assemblies, drama performances, and poetry recitals. These were moments when young people stood up, spoke out, and walked just a little bit taller afterwards. Chairing the Commission only deepened my conviction.
Of course, the Commission wasn’t simply about making the case. We were asked to offer concrete recommendations. And we now await the final report from the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review to see how this commitment to oracy might be translated into action. But the curriculum is just one lever. There is also initial teacher training, ongoing professional development, and non-statutory guidance, all of which can help normalise oracy as an integral part of an effective education.
That said, school and trust leaders don’t need to wait for permission from government to begin a focus on oracy. Almost 1,200 schools are already working with Voice 21 to embed oracy into teaching and learning, the curriculum and wider school life. Many trusts are leading this work independently – not because they’ve been told to but because they believe it’s the right thing to do for their students.
But where should schools begin with oracy? Voice 21’s Oracy School Benchmarks are a helpful starting point. They provide a clear, practical framework for the kinds of strategic decisions leaders can take when embedding oracy across their setting.
- An ambitious vision for oracy: Is there a shared understanding of why oracy matters across your school or trust? Is this reflected in planning, professional development and the allocation of resources?
- A culture of oracy: do teachers and school leaders maximise opportunities for students to use their voices in meaningful contexts in and beyond the classroom? Is oracy visible, showcased and celebrated throughout school life?
- A sustained and wide-ranging curriculum for oracy: is your curriculum deliberately designed to develop students’ oracy knowledge and skills? As students move through school, does the curriculum provide new challenges and opportunities for oracy which build on previous learning?
- Oracy as central to learning: do teachers use talk to deepen thinking, extend understanding and help students explore and articulate ideas?
- Accountable for the impact of oracy: do you actively seek evidence of what’s working and use this to refine your approach to oracy education?
This isn’t another initiative to squeeze into an already packed timetable. It’s about deepening what already happens in classrooms, corridors and school halls every day. Oracy isn’t an optional extra. Alongside reading, writing & arithmetic, oracy should take its rightful place as ‘the fourth ‘R’’, a key part of how young people learn, connect with others, and prepare for life beyond school.
So yes, we need to talk. But where oracy is concerned, we also need to act.
Geoff Barton, Chair of the Oracy Education Commission, and Amy Gaunt, Director of Learning, Impact and Influence, Voice 21
