Voice 21 is the UK’s oracy education charity, working with schools to transform the learning and life chances of young people through talk so that all children can use their voice for success in school and in life. Since its launch in 2015 Voice 21 has worked with over 1200 schools and 10,000 teachers across the UK, reaching more than 290,000 students.

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language. Oracy transforms lives. It makes education more accessible for all children: when we’re teaching and learning, we’re speaking and listening.

It has been shown that:

• 83% of teachers involved in oracy at school agree that “oracy has improved students’ engagement in school” (Voice 21 Oracy Survey 2023)
• Over 80% of business leaders and parents support more time being spent on the development of young people’s spoken language and listening skills (YouGov 2024)

In each school, every child should learn that their voice matters. However, structural inequalities mean that not every child’s voice is equally likely to be heard and valued. Schools have a critical role in dismantling this injustice.