Spoken language skills are one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future life chances but too many children are not given the opportunity to develop these crucial skills.

On entry to school, disadvantaged children’s spoken language development is significantly lower than their more advantaged peers. These gaps grow as children move through school. Students receiving free school meals are twice as likely to be below the expected language standard at age 11, up from 1.6 times at age five. On leaving school, children with poor verbal communication skills are less likely to find employment and more likely to suffer from mental health difficulties.

Voice 21 aims to increase access to high-quality oracy education, particularly for those children who need it most.

Voice 21 was founded in 2014 by the 21 Trust, an innovative educational charity. Building on practices developed at School 21 in East London, Voice 21 empowers schools and teachers across England to enhance students' speaking skills and foster high-quality classroom discussions.

Between 2014 and 2019, Big Change invested £405,000 to support Voice 21's mission. This funding enabled:

• A national campaign to elevate the importance of teaching speaking skills in schools.
• The development and piloting of the Oracy Leaders Programme.
• Expansion of the Voice 21 team.
• Establishment of the first-ever Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

Over the past decade, Voice 21 has scaled its impact across the UK. By 2023, the organisation had reached over 200,000 pupils and worked with 69% of UK schools. The Oracy APPG's advocacy influenced the Labour Party, resulting in a manifesto commitment to prioritise speaking skills education.

Voice 21 continues to grow, with robust support from the education sector. A Head Teacher involved in the programme shared:

Ed Fidoe, is co-founder of School 21 and founder of the London Interdisciplinary School. Since leaving McKinsey & Co. in 2010 to start School 21, Ed has advised leaders at Cambridge University, the London School of Economics, ARK Schools, Teach First, and Eton College. Previously he was a theatre producer.

Peter Hyman is co-founder of School 21 and Voice 21. He was also co-director of Big Education, an organisation set up to change the story of what matters in education. Before setting up School 21 and 21 Trust he worked in several schools as a teaching assistant, history teacher and deputy headteacher, and before that was a strategist and speechwriter for British Prime Minister Tony Blair. From 2022 to 2024, he advised Sir Keir Starmer, shaping Labour’s five national missions.

Beccy was Founding CEO of Voice 21 in 2015 having previously been the Founding Director of Schools NorthEast (network of 1,500 Schools). She has also worked for The Children’s Commissioner for England, The Electoral Commission, The Hansard Society and BBC Parliament.