Why Oracy Deserves the Spotlight in Education

The final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review and the government’s response to its recommendations were published on the 5^th November 2025. One of the key recommendations of the report, accepted by the government, was that it introduces, “…an oracy framework to support practice and to complement the existing frameworks for Reading and Writing” as well as making the speaking and listening requirements of the English curriculum more prominent. 

The Francis Review has highlighted a critical need to strengthen oracy practice in schools, making it more uniformly taught and developed for the best interests of our young people. Speaking and listening and alternative forms of communication are recognised in the review as essential life skills that support learning, personal development and future employment. We at One Education welcome this dedicated focus on oracy, which we see as a crucial life skill that deserves much greater attention than it currently receives.

Hope for an improved oracy framework

While the current English curriculum does include requirements for speaking, listening and drama, a lack of specificity has created variation in its interpretation and without any assessment accountability, oracy has not been a priority for many schools. Ofsted has reported that spoken language is not always well understood or effectively taught and children with special educational needs or those eligible for free school meals are often disproportionately affected. There is also a gap in progression for oracy provision in-between primary and secondary education, leaving many students without a clear path to develop their oracy skills. 

The curriculum content for speaking and listening in the current curriculum is minimal. To address the current oracy curriculum crisis and support all children and young people to be ready for the modern world, the review recommends:

• Devising clearer requirements for speaking and listening across all key stages.
• A greater emphasis on drama as a tool to develop oracy.
• The creation of a dedicated oracy framework to guide teachers and complement existing reading and writing frameworks, with a combined framework for use across the whole secondary curriculum.
• A focus on strengthening links between primary and secondary education to ensure consistent progression.

It is a welcome relief to find out that developing a coherent, progressive oracy framework is one of the key recommendations of the review and the government’s response to it. We hope that the framework, once developed can be used as the ‘golden thread’ that provides the cornerstone to learning, rather than it being seen within the context of literacy only. Oracy is the means to become literate, to develop metacognition and become self-reflective as a learner, right across the whole curriculum.

Oracy within education and beyond

The curriculum review goes onto state that citizenship education will enhance its oracy agenda, offering rich opportunities to build communication skills by encouraging students to express opinions, listen to others and debate respectfully. Financial literacy, digital and media literacy and understanding sustainability, also rely on strong communication, the ability to discuss and debate and apply disciplinary literacy strategies.  Beyond school, oracy continues to be fundamental. Employers value strong communication, teamwork and leadership, making oracy essential for future careers. It also enhances other life skills, helping young people navigate social situations, collaborate effectively and make informed decisions. By developing confidence and competence in speaking and listening, young people are better prepared not just for exams, but for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter. Developing oracy will help to create individuals who are considered, emotionally and intellectually aware and who are versatile. We can all agree that this will only benefit society.

Teaching Oracy well

While the promise of oracy becoming a prominent part of the new curriculum is a welcome development, there is much schools need to learn about oracy to implement it well. Although the new curriculum does not come into force until September 2028, many schools have already begun to explore their oracy offer as they have recognised oracy is the key to success right across the curriculum. To help with this, we have created a ‘Top Tips’ poster to highlight the steps to oracy implementation success:

While the framework in the future curriculum document will provide clearer guidance on oracy expectations, we know that effective implementation stems from schools knowing their children and creating an approach that works to compliment their community of learners. 

At One Education we offer bespoke oracy support to develop an oracy culture, curriculum and offer to pupils at each stage of their education. Under a team of experts in Speech and Language, SEND and oracy itself, we deliver evidence-led training, advice and strategic planning to schools to ensure they deliver a well-rounded oracy curriculum encompassing the three strands of oracy: learning to talk, talking to learn and learning about talk. 

Our Oracy Award provides a structure to schools of best practice, guiding and showcasing how best to implement oracy school-wide. The Award gives access to oracy consultant support, resources and training to recognise the advancement of the school’s oracy offer at bronze, silver and gold level.

Investing in oracy means equipping young people with the confidence and skills they need to thrive – not just academically, but in life, work and society. Strong communication skills improve collaboration, decision-making, and even long-term wellbeing, making them an essential part of a future-ready education. If you would like any advice on the oracy support we offer or would like to know more about the Oracy Award itself, please visit our Oracy page or get in touch with our Oracy Award Lead, Alice Pepper alice.pepper@oneeducation.co.uk.