“The single most important means by which we express ourselves, literally every day of our lives, is through speaking,” – Alastair Campbell

In an interview with podcaster and former Director of Communications at Number 10, Alastair Campbell, the TES asks ‘is Labour going to make oracy a policy priority?’. 

Alastair Campell certainly hopes so, citing the importance of oracy skills for students in later life, for everything from succeeding in job interviews to forming relationships. Campbell also highlights that teaching young people to communicate better and disagree agreeably supports them to become more engaged citizens. 

Whilst looking forward to education policy in the upcoming manifestos, Campbell praises the work Voice 21 Oracy Schools across the UK are already doing to ‘put oracy at the heart of everything they do’. 

For the last 8 years, Voice 21 have been campaigning for oracy to have the status it deserves in the education system. As we enter the manifesto development phase in preparation for the next general election, we call on all parties to recognise the importance of oracy education and put oracy at the heart of their plans for education moving forwards.