2025 Programme

Dr Kate Paradine

Voice 21 envisions a future where oracy is a cornerstone of every child’s education, embedded in every school, every day. In this session, Dr Kate Paradine, CEO of Voice 21, will outline the key actions needed from government and national stakeholders to turn this vision into reality. Drawing on what we’ve learned from Voice 21 Oracy Centres of Excellence, where oracy is embedded in teaching and learning, the curriculum and wider school life, she will consider how these evidence-based approaches can become the standard for schools across the UK and serve as a model for others internationally.

Tim Oates CBE

As the Curriculum and Assessment Review considers how to embed oracy into compulsory education, ensuring young people are prepared for life and work, join Tim Oates CBE, Chair of the Expert Panel for the 2010–2013 curriculum review. Drawing on research and evidence, Tim will reflect on oracy’s inclusion in the 2014 National Curriculum, identify gaps in its implementation and the implications of this for teachers, school leaders and policymakers today. 

Barbara Bleiman, Daisy Christodoulou, Professor Neil Mercer, Amanda Moorghen & Paul Steer

Assessing oracy presents many challenges. Can it really be done accurately? Which modes of talk matter most? And do the risks of assessment outweigh the rewards? Join a panel of leading assessment experts to explore whether we should assess oracy at all - and if so, why, when and how? 

Voice 21 Oracy Centres of Excellence

How can school and trust leaders centre oracy in how they drive cultural and systemic change across schools and ensure every child receives a high-quality education? Join MAT leaders from Voice 21 Oracy Centres of Excellence as they share insights on embedding oracy across their trusts. Discover the approaches they have adopted, the challenges, and successes they've experienced and the impact of oracy education on their students.

Please note that sign up for this session will be required

Caroline Smith

Experience a real-life oracy-rich lesson, where you’ll be learning through talk. In this immersive and practical session, you’ll get to try out a range of Voice 21’s oracy teaching and learning approaches, applied in context to a curriculum subject. You’ll be making meaning, deepening understanding and building your knowledge through talk. Leave with an understanding of how oracy can elevate learning across the curriculum in primary and secondary classrooms.

Please note that sign up for this session will be required

Geoff Barton CBE, Beccy Earnshaw, Tim Oates CBE, Dame Alison Peacock & Baz Ramaiah

One year on from the launch of the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England, Geoff Barton CBE, Chair of the Commission, is joined by a distinguished panel of education and policy experts to reflect on the progress made towards embedding the Commission’s recommendations into policy and practice. Together, they will explore the next steps needed to drive a systemic shift in access to high-quality oracy education for all children and young people.

Amy Gaunt & Alice Stott

Voice 21’s bold new strategy sets a clear goal: to make oracy an ordinary part of every child’s education, empowering all students to thrive in school, work and life. Amy Gaunt and Alice Stott—Directors of Voice 21 and co-authors of Transform Teaching and Learning Through Talk: The Oracy Imperative and Voice 21’s Oracy Benchmarks—will showcase this vision in action. Through real-world examples, they will illustrate how teachers can seamlessly embed oracy into everyday classroom practice and explore what’s needed to make this a reality in every school, every day.

Voice 21 Oracy Centres of Excellence

How can school and trust leaders centre oracy in how they drive cultural and systemic change across schools and ensure every child receives a high-quality education? Join MAT leaders from Voice 21 Oracy Centres of Excellence as they share insights on embedding oracy across their trusts. Discover the approaches they have adopted, the challenges, and successes they've experienced and the impact of oracy education on their students.

Please note that sign up for this session will be required

Caroline Smith

Experience a real-life oracy-rich lesson, where you’ll be learning through talk. In this immersive and practical session, you’ll get to try out a range of Voice 21’s oracy teaching and learning approaches, applied in context to a curriculum subject. You’ll be making meaning, deepening understanding and building your knowledge through talk. Leave with an understanding of how oracy can elevate learning across the curriculum in primary and secondary classrooms.

Please note that sign up for this session will be required

Jeffrey Boakye

This session will offer insights into the current positioning of oracy in UK schools within the dual contexts of curriculum and wider school cultures. Jeffrey will explore the ability of oracy to empower educators and discuss how school leaders can support teachers in this aim. A particular focus will be placed on the role of social media and various associated risks. Jeffrey will also examine the various intersections of oracy and identity, looking specifically at how conversations of identity can be leveraged towards social inclusivity.

RT Honourable Baroness Morris of Yardley

Estelle Morris, former Secretary of State for Education shares insights from a life of public service. Reflecting on the evolution of reading as a valued, discrete skill, Estelle explores lessons for embedding high-quality oracy education in today’s classrooms. In an age of AI and increasing societal polarisation, she highlights the crucial role of speaking, listening and communication in fostering understanding, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Amanda Moorghen