England is preparing to give pupils’ speaking and communication skills greater importance in the school curriculum, with the government planning to place spoken language on an equal footing with reading and writing.
The proposed reform is intended to help children express their ideas confidently, communicate effectively and prepare for the demands of higher education and employment. It also reflects growing concerns that traditional assessments do not always capture the full range of skills young people need to succeed.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell is expected to outline the policy on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at the Confederation of School Trusts annual conference.
According to LBC’s report, the government wants spoken language, also known as oracy, to become a core part of the revised curriculum and assessment system.
The approach would give schools a stronger responsibility to develop pupils’ ability to speak clearly, listen carefully, explain their reasoning and participate confidently in discussions.
Powell has argued that communication should not remain an advantage enjoyed mainly by children who receive extensive support and opportunities outside school. Instead, every pupil should have the chance to develop these skills through classroom learning.
The announcement comes as policymakers reconsider the knowledge and abilities children need in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, digital communication and changing workplace expectations.
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Speaking Skills to Become a Core Part of School Assessments
Under the proposed changes, speaking, listening and communication would receive greater attention throughout pupils’ education, from primary school to GCSE level and beyond.
Rather than treating spoken communication as an occasional classroom activity, the government wants teachers to develop these abilities more deliberately and assess them alongside established literacy skills.
The UK Government’s official announcement states that oracy will become a new strand of the English curriculum, with speaking, listening and communicating forming a core part of education and assessment.
In practice, this could mean giving pupils more opportunities to explain their answers aloud, present research, debate ideas, ask questions and defend their conclusions. Such activities can help teachers assess not only what learners know but also how effectively they communicate their understanding.
The reform is also expected to encourage schools to build speaking and listening activities into different subjects, rather than leaving communication development mainly to English lessons.
However, successful implementation will depend on appropriate teaching resources, clear assessment standards and professional development for teachers. Schools will need guidance on how to evaluate speaking fairly without disadvantaging pupils who are naturally shy or require additional support.
AI and Workplace Changes Drive Curriculum Reform
The growing use of artificial intelligence is one of the factors behind the renewed emphasis on human communication.
As AI tools become increasingly capable of producing written content, summarising information and answering questions, educators and employers are placing greater attention on skills that require people to communicate ideas, interpret information and interact effectively with others.
The government believes pupils must develop both technical knowledge and the human abilities needed to use technology responsibly.
In her speech to the Confederation of School Trusts, Powell emphasised that children should learn to master technology rather than allow technology to determine their future.
Speaking confidently can benefit learners during job interviews, workplace meetings, presentations and collaborative projects. It can also help them explain complex ideas, resolve disagreements and participate more actively in society.
The reform therefore forms part of a wider effort to ensure that education prepares young people for employment and adult life, rather than focusing exclusively on examination results.
For schools, the challenge will be to integrate these skills into existing teaching without creating unnecessary pressure or adding excessive assessment workloads.
Back Story: England Seeks a Broader Approach to Education
The planned changes build on a wider review of England’s curriculum and assessment system, which has examined how effectively schools prepare pupils for further education, work and everyday life.
In its March 2026 parliamentary response, the Department for Education outlined plans for a new oracy framework to help primary teachers develop pupils’ confidence and fluency. It also proposed guidance connecting speaking, reading and writing across secondary education.
The government’s wider reforms include changes to vocational education and greater attention to digital literacy, technical skills and employability.
For Nigeria, the development offers a useful point of comparison as schools and policymakers consider how to balance examination performance with practical abilities. Nigerian learners can also benefit from structured debates, presentations, classroom discussions and opportunities to explain ideas in their own words.
Ultimately, giving speaking skills greater weight will be meaningful only if pupils receive regular opportunities to practise and improve. The success of England’s proposed reform will depend on how consistently schools translate the policy into classroom teaching and fair assessment.
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