Curriculum changes encourage children to speak up

Plans to give speaking and listening skills equal status to reading and writing will help young people build confidence and prepare for the future, an MP has said.

Hull West and Haltemprice MP Emma Hardy, a former teacher, who has spent years campaigning for better support for spoken communication in education, welcomed the revision to the national curriculum.

She said communication skills should be accessible to all, not just the privileged.

Currently, the English language GCSE includes a compulsory spoken language component that is graded separately, but it does not contribute to the final grade.

Hardy said she had campaigned for oracy since becoming an MP nine years ago.

"For too long, the ability to articulate yourself confidently has too often been a marker of privilege rather than a right for every child.

"Children from working-class backgrounds have just as much talent, ability and ambition as anyone else, but they're not always given the same opportunities to develop the confidence and communication skills that help them succeed," she said.

She said evidence showed strong speaking and listening skills improved attainment, confidence and wellbeing, while helping young people progress into jobs, apprenticeships and university.

The announcement that oracy would become part of the curriculum up to and including GCSE assessment was made by Education Secretary Lucy Powell at the Confederation of School Trusts conference in Birmingham last week, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

She told delegates the rise of AI made human skills such as speaking and listening more important.

"Now oracy will become the right of every child. Nobody left out because they can't speak up," she added.

Hardy echoed the sentiments, adding the new approach could be transformational for young people in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Commenting on the campaign, she added: "This also shows the difference a local MP can make.

"What started with what I saw in classrooms here has helped drive a national change that will benefit children across the country.

"Most importantly, it will help young people in Hull and East Yorkshire develop the tools to speak up, make their voices heard and take their place around the table, because they absolutely deserve to be there."

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