What is Oracy? The Importance of Speaking and Listening Skills
Defining Oracy
Oracy is the ability to express yourself clearly and confidently through spoken language, while also being able to listen, respond and actively engage with others. Like literacy and numeracy, oracy is a fundamental skill that underpins learning, personal development and future success. Strong oracy skills help learners to articulate their ideas, reason with clarity, build meaningful relationships and develop individual agency. Being able to communicate, both verbally and non-verbally, is an essential skill in education, everyday life and the workplace.
At its heart, oracy is about empowering every learner to have a voice, enabling them to share their perspectives and contribute actively to society.
ESB International’s long-standing commitment to Oracy
Since its formation in 1953 by Christabel Burniston and Jocelyn Bell, English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. has been at the forefront of communication-based assessment. Our very first assessments were designed to place spoken communication at the centre of learning, a ground-breaking approach at a time when examinations focused almost exclusively on the written word.
Placing the learner at the heart of the assessment was another early innovation that remains a core part of our ethos today. Our assessments rely on the expertise of our learners to craft their own topics by leaning into their hobbies and interests. This learner centred approach results in an element of enjoyment and engagement not often seen in formal assessments and can develop empathy in the classroom as learners engage with their peers’ ideas and lived experiences.
ESB International has continued to champion oracy across all its forms, ensuring that learners of every age and background have opportunities to develop the skills they need to thrive. From Early Years to adult learners, our qualifications are designed to build confidence, self-expression, learner agency and collaboration through speaking and listening.
Influencing the Oracy Agenda: APPGs and the Oracy Education Commission
ESB International’s expertise is not only demonstrated through its qualifications, but also through its contributions to national conversations on oracy education. We have played an active role in shaping policy and practice by:
- Contributing our expertise to past All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on Oracy, highlighting the impact of strong speaking and listening skills.
- Providing evidence, supporting and engaging with the Oracy Education Commission, reinforcing the importance of embedding oracy within the curriculum at every level.
We continue to advocate for oracy as a vital educational priority, influencing decision-makers and educators alike.
Ofsted wants to see Oracy in Action. What does this mean for your School?
Ofsted’s Education Framework and supporting toolkits highlight that:
“spoken language (oracy) must be taught explicitly so that pupils learn to communicate effectively, articulate ideas, deepen understanding and engage with others through speaking, listening and communication”.
Ofsted Education Framework, page 19
This expectation sits within the Curriculum and Teaching evaluation area and applies across all subjects, not just English.
How can ESB International help you evidence what inspectors may look for?
- Explicit teaching of oracy: The curriculum provides direct, intentional teaching of spoken language, enabling pupils to participate in high‑quality classroom talk, express ideas clearly, listen actively and respond appropriately in different contexts.
- An ambitious entitlement for every pupil: The curriculum (including its approach to spoken language) is framed as an entitlement for all learners and is at least as ambitious in breadth and depth as the National Curriculum. This sets the expectation that oracy is planned for all pupils, not a peripheral add‑on.
- Planned, progressive development of talk: Schools sequence knowledge and skills, including vocabulary and discourse routines, so pupils’ spoken language grows in sophistication over time and supports understanding across the curriculum.
- Effective classroom practice: Teaching creates regular, purposeful opportunities for pupils to speak, listen and collaborate, using talk to develop ideas, check understanding and engage with others (for example, discussion, explanation, questioning and feedback).
A Ready-Made Solution for Organisations Responding to the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s Call for Oracy
The recent Curriculum and Assessment Review places oracy at the heart of the future national curriculum, recognising spoken communication as a foundational skill alongside reading and writing. The Review calls for “further support and guidance for oracy and spoken language interventions,” in response to inconsistent teaching of oracy and a lack of clear progression, particularly for disadvantaged learners and those with SEND. To address this, the government will introduce a new Oracy Framework for primary and secondary education, embedding speaking and listening across all subjects and key stages, and ensuring that every learner develops the ability to communicate confidently and critically by the end of Key Stage 4. Importantly, the Review acknowledges that “attention to oracy is insufficient” at the post 16 phase of education and calls for greater exposure to oracy through enrichment, pastoral and employment opportunities. This includes greater emphasis on structured opportunities that lend “confidence in core skills for employment such as communication, teamwork and leadership” so that learners build resilience for higher education or the workplace.
The Review considers oracy to incorporate speaking, listening, and communication, including verbal as well as other forms of non-written communication, such as sign language, non-verbal and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).
The Review has introduced a new inclusive definition of oracy, page 42
Young people and their parents or carers have been clear that they would like to see more applied knowledge in certain areas. We have examined the evidence to identify those most in need of critical attention. These include the areas mentioned above, plus important areas such as financial literacy and oracy.
How the Curriculum needs to adapt to social and technological change, page 11
ESB International’s oracy qualifications provide schools and post 16 settings with a ready-made solution to meet these new expectations. Our qualifications already deliver what the Review calls for: structured opportunities for learners to speak, listen, question, and respond in meaningful contexts. From EYFS through to post 16, our qualifications nurture curiosity and confidence in the early years, build critical thinking and structured reasoning in secondary, and develop higher-order communication skills such as persuasion and debate at post 16.
These experiences not only align with the Review’s emphasis on oracy as a driver of academic success and social equity but also support Ofsted’s focus on personal development and cultural capital.
By adopting ESB International qualifications, schools, sixth forms/colleges and other educational institutions can immediately implement the Review’s vision for oracy without waiting for the 2028 curriculum changes. Our externally assessed, learner-centred approach ensures rigorous standards and provides tangible evidence of progress. ESB International’s qualifications, acknowledged as a proven oracy framework in the ‘Speak for Change’ report by the Oracy All Party Parliamentary Group (p. 43) in 2021, offers a practical, proven pathway to consolidate oracy in your school through our unique approach to assessing speaking and listening skills.
By providing this structured pathway, ESB International ensures that oracy is not a one-off experience but a skill developed purposefully. At every stage, our learner-centred qualifications invite individuals to explore communication through their own interests and curiosities, making the oracy journey both personal and meaningful. With Reasonable Adjustments in place, we ensure that every learner, whatever their needs, has the chance to develop their voice with confidence.
What is the value of adding an externall assessed programme to your oracy practice?
Embedding oracy in the curriculum is transformative for all learners and a game changer for some. For learners who struggle with traditional written assessments, oral assessment provides an alternative route to success.
- In primary settings, our qualifications measure oracy with the same rigour as reading and writing. Plus, our reading-focused tasks evidence skills like reading aloud fluently, at pace, and with prosody.
- Real-world relevance: Assessments are framed as group and work-simulated activities, extending questioning, purposeful listening, and, at secondary and 16+, employability skills such as CV writing, interview techniques, and telephone communication.
How can ESB International help?
Our externally assessed qualifications offer a comprehensive, established framework for schools, VI Form and FE colleges, specialist settings and other organisations looking to implement an oracy provision from the ground up or to enhance an existing programme. Whether an inspector is lucky enough to observe an ESB lesson or assessment first-hand, witness an oracy-rich class in full flow or simply read through prepared schemes of work that weave oracy into explicit classroom teaching, working with ESB International is a great way for your organisation to evidence its commitment to embedding oracy in your curriculum.
- Audit and map oracy within your curriculum plans so explicit teaching and practice opportunities are visible across subjects and phases.
- Sequence oracy skills (e.g., vocabulary, turn‑taking, reasoning, presentation, audience response) so progression is clear from early years to post‑16.
- Ensure learners can access oracy aspirations across the breadth and depth of the National Curriculum.
Oracy Matters with ESB International
At ESB International, we believe oracy is not simply an “extra” in education, it is one of the foundations of learning, confidence and personal development. With a proud history of innovation in spoken assessments, a proven track record of contributing to national oracy conversations, and a broad portfolio of qualifications, we are uniquely positioned to support schools, colleges and learners in embedding oracy at every stage of development.
Find out more about our unique Oracy offering:
Our unique Oracy Qualifications
developing confident communicators
Embedding Oracy in the Classroom
proven results with ESB International
Oracy Resources and Workshops
tools for teachers and learners
