Education Secretary Lucy Powell has committed to giving speaking skills, also known as oracy, equal status to reading and writing within the English curriculum. This pledge comes as the UK economy's recent strong performance is widely linked to AI investment, underscoring the importance of human-centric jobs less susceptible to automation.
Concerns have been raised about a decline in children's language development, both in the UK and internationally, which has been associated with high screen usage. The Guardian has previously supported efforts to integrate speaking skills more strongly into British schools.
However, Ms Powell faces challenges regarding priorities, with promised updates to the national curriculum postponed and special educational needs reform causing anxiety among families, schools, and councils. She has also asked Ofsted to review its new inspection framework following negative feedback from schools.
While England has seen rising standards in maths and science in international tests, the English curriculum is described as overly prescriptive and grammar-obsessed, potentially deterring pupils. This area is identified as an obvious starting point for introducing new speaking skills, with delayed curriculum revisions expected to outline the implementation.