Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Interim Report

The Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group Inquiry ‘Speak for Change’ has today released its Interim Report highlighting its initial findings and emerging recommendations.

Proud to support and be part of the Oracy APPG’s inquiry championing the value of good speaking and listening skills and the need for oracy skills to be reflected in educational policy making and curriculum development, ESB wholeheartedly endorses these findings.

Reiterating a statement by our Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw, which is included in the report, Tina affirms, “What has always been evident to us is the centrality of oracy in achievement – commensurate with literacy and numeracy. They are the building blocks of effective learning, participation, economic achievement and development.”

APPG’s vision for oracy

The report highlights that overall, almost all respondents agree that oracy should have a higher status than it currently does.  Contributions to the Oracy Inquiry have enabled the APPG to develop six principles that it believes should underpin oracy education in all schools in the future:

• a clear definition of oracy, understood by everyone
• evidence-based policy making that recognises oracy’s critical importance
• a consistent approach to oracy in schools
• explicit oracy teaching that is purposeful, well-planned and supported
• inclusion, ensuring that all pupils benefit, including those with additional learning needs
• partnership with parents, families and communities.

In response to ideas submitted to the Inquiry to date, the Inquiry uncovers a number of possible ways forward. Please click here to view the Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Interim Report. It outlines suggestions which are by no means final, rather, they serve to summarise the ideas submitted to the Inquiry so far. The suggestions capture how the system might change, in order to better support school leaders and teachers.

The report highlights that what is needed is:

1) Better support for teachers
2) Greater recognition of oracy within policy and guidance
3) Raised expectations

The Interim Report concludes that the case for oracy continues to build. Many teachers are developing innovative and effective oracy in their classrooms. However, while most teachers intuitively recognise oracy’s value and importance, barriers persist inhibiting its uptake in schools. This means provision is patchy and young people have unequal access to quality oracy opportunities.

The Oracy APPG welcomes feedback on the suggestions emerging from their Inquiry about possible ways forward and these can be shared with the APPG via:

• Website: https://www.oracyappg.org.uk/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AppgOracy / @AppgOracy
• Email: inquiry@oracyappg.org.uk

ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw says: “I am delighted with these initial findings together with the emerging recommendations to pave the way forward to improve oracy education in schools and I am thrilled to continue to have the opportunity to advocate the place of our unique assessments as being a valid pathway of promoting oracy in schools.

“English Speaking Board’s assessment methodology is an authentic one in the assessment of spoken English and speaking and listening. How we assess reflects the values learned by effective communication: each learner is treated as an individual who has individual interests and an individual temperament. Clarity of communication and an ability to express thoughts simply, sincerely and persuasively, are qualities needed by everyone in this specialised, competitive world. For whatever the industrial, professional or social responsibilities are, every individual will have to inform, instruct, listen, explain, question, interpret, disagree and advise.

“At ESB, we believe oracy skills are at the heart of the learning experience. Our qualifications build confidence in learners, which is key to unlocking learners’ potential and raising achievement.  Our Speech assessments help learners to develop key oracy skills. They are encouraged to develop their audibility of voice, choice of vocabulary and use of pace to communicate a message or information effectively.” 

Please watch the video below demonstrating oracy skills.

A final report will be published in Spring 2021.