UK Government ministers are planning to focus on oracy development in schools.
Speaking at the Voice21 Speaking Summit (a leading oracy charity) on 20th March, schools minister Georgia Gould stated that she believes oracy is equally as important as literacy and numeracy.
She confirmed that the Government will explore “whether we should be developing more formative assessments around oracy”. This is as part of a new national oracy framework designed to complement those that already exist for reading and writing.
Oracy in a digital world
She links the importance of oracy skills to the fast-changing digital world, where human skills will become increasingly important. Face‑to‑face connection, the ability to build relationships, work together and “connect across difference” will be essential employability skills for students in their future careers. So, embedding oracy in the curriculum will be a way to help young people gain and practise those skills – by discussing ideas, considering diverse perspectives, negotiating and debating with respect – and more.
Will it be tested?
Georgia Gould said that the Government is exploring what kind of testing there should be concerning oracy skills. She said that the aim is “not to put more pressure” on schools but to give teachers the tools to teach oracy in engaging ways that fully involve students.
Ofsted in the mix
Ofsted’s new inspection framework also has a sharper focus on students’ spoken language. Inspectors will look at how well they articulate ideas, listen to others and engage with differing views. Also speaking at the Voice21 conference, Ofsted’s Chief inspector, Martyn Oliver, described oracy as laying the foundations for “active and engaged citizenship”, where students learn to interrogate their own opinions and “navigate difference” thoughtfully and respectfully.
Voice 21 has welcomed oracy’s inclusion in inspectors’ toolkits, seeing it as a recognition of the importance of speaking and listening throughout life. In addition, the wider curriculum and assessment review (CAR) defines oracy broadly as “speaking, listening and communication”, including sign language and other non‑written forms, and will be supported by specialist early language leads from 2026‑27.
These developments suggest that oracy is becoming a more visible and supported part of education – and that teachers can expect guidance to help them incorporate it into everyday practice.
References
- Ministers to explore developing ‘more formative assessments’ for oracy. Available at: https://schoolsweek.co.uk/ministers-to-explore-developing-more-formative-assessments-for-oracy/ (Accessed 25 March 2026)
