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Tuesday 25th March 2025 Mary Ward House, London

Speaking Summit

From media headlines to political debates and classroom discussions, oracy has everyone talking. Now, it’s time to turn talk into action at the Voice 21 Speaking Summit on Tuesday 25th March 2025 in London

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An image showing a panel of speakers at the Voice 21 Speaking Summit 2024 in London.

What you can expect this year

The Summit will bring together education experts, system leaders, practitioners, and policymakers to explore our roles in ensuring every child has access to a high-quality oracy education.

At the Speaking Summit 2025 you will:

  • Gain insights from experts on the latest research, policy developments, and effective practices in oracy education. 
  • Build connections with fellow educators, leaders, and advocates working to promote oracy education across the system.
  • Determine actionable next steps to help you champion oracy within your own educational setting and beyond.

"That moment when our children realise that everyone is listening to them is really powerful. It helps them understand that they are a valued and important member of our community."

Chris Barratt, Headteacher
Summerhill Academy

Speaking Summit 2025

Snapshot of the programme

  1. Communicating Identity: Speaking from, and listening to the margins

    An image showing Jeffrey stood in front of a wall of graffiti art smiling at the cameraJeffrey Boakye is an ex-teacher turned writer, speaker, broadcaster and educator, with expertise in issues surrounding race, masculinity, education and popular culture.

     

    Jeffrey taught English in London and Yorkshire for 15 years and now provides training for educational establishments on race, identity, masculinity and education. He is also Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Manchester’s Institute for Education, has eight published books and hosts BBC Radio 4’s Add to Playlist. He received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Leicester in January 2023. Jeffrey is also a primary school Governor and is proud to be a Patron of The National Association for Teaching of English (NATE) and an Ambassador of The PTI.

  2. Oracy in education - evidence, policy and practice

    An image showing Tim Oates CBE sat a desk smiling at the cameraJoin Tim Oates CBE Group Director of Assessment Research and Development at Cambridge Assessment, focussing on national and international research on assessment and measurement. 

    He has published widely on assessment and curriculum, also undertaking wide-ranging international comparison of the performance of education systems, and advising OECD on its curriculum review work. In 2010 he published ‘Could do better’ which laid down the principles for the review of the National Curriculum in England. From 2010-2013, he was chair of the Expert Panel for Review of the National Curriculum. In 2014, Tim published ‘Why textbooks count’, a study examining the structural role of textbooks in educational reform; this led to national debate and co-ordinated work by publishers on enhancing both the quality and patterns of use of learning materials. The ‘Cambridge Approach to high quality textbooks and resource materials’ was published in April 2016 and already has been widely used.
    He was a member of Ofqual’s Standards Advisory Group from 2010-16, recently has moving from this group to the Ofqual Vocational Standards Advisory Group. Tim routinely provides briefings and advice to UK and other governments. He is a Fellow of Churchill College Cambridge, and in 2015 he was awarded a CBE for Services to Education.

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