Skip to content
menu-toggle
menu-close
menu-toggle
menu-close

How we work with schools

We support schools in many ways, from providing free resources to offering our Voice 21 membership. For schools that meet our charity’s priority criteria, we’re able to offer full membership support. For those outside this criteria, we still have a wide range of free resources available to help you make an impact.

What is the Voice 21 Membership?

The Voice 21 Membership supports schools to develop a high-quality, whole-school approach to oracy education, helping every student to develop the speaking and listening skills they need to succeed in learning and in life.

Through the membership, schools gain access to the tools, training, and tailored support needed to embed oracy across classrooms, subjects, and year groups. We work closely with schools to build staff expertise and confidence, ensuring oracy becomes a consistent and effective part of teaching and learning.

Membership runs annually, with the journey towards becoming a Voice 21 Centre of Excellence typically taking 3-4 years. This long-term approach enables schools to make sustainable, meaningful change.

5-Oct-29-2025-09-08-18-8673-AM
4-Oct-29-2025-09-08-15-8961-AM

Who we support

As a charity, we’re committed to supporting the schools and students who need it most. Our work focuses on helping those who may face the greatest barriers to accessing a high-quality oracy education.

We prioritise working with:

  • Schools with a high proportion of students eligible for free school meals
  • Schools with a significant number of students with English as an Additional Language
  • Schools based in underserved areas

If your school meets one or more of these criteria, we’d love for you to explore our Voice 21 Membership Series below to learn more about how we can tailor our support to your school’s context. 

If we’re unable to offer you a place straight away, don’t worry! As a charity, our mission is to make oracy ordinary for every child. This means our work extends beyond membership. Schools can get started straight away with our free oracy CPD: Talk Circles, free to access and hosted online. We also run flagship events such as the Great Oracy Exhibition and Oracy October, a month-long online celebration of oracy. 

Get started with oracy

Let's find the best support for your school

We support schools in many ways, from providing free resources to offering our Voice 21 Membership. Tell us more about you and your school so we can best direct you to the support available, whether that’s through the Voice 21 Membership or our free resources.

Find out how we can support you

Voice 21 oracy work

As the national oracy education charity, Voice 21 is committed to promoting the importance of high-quality oracy education. We continually engage in oracy research and develop practical, evidence-informed resources that schools can use to embed effective oracy teaching in classrooms and across the whole school. Our work ensures that educators have the knowledge, tools and support to make oracy an integral part of every student’s learning experience. Explore our work below.

 

The Voice 21 Membership Series

To explore everything we offer and register your school as a Voice 21 Oracy School, begin our Membership Series. The series is a three-part video guide that walks you through the Voice 21 Membership and supports you in taking the next steps toward joining in September 2026.

Start the Membership Series
7 (2)

Learn more about the impact of oracy

Dig into why oracy is seen as the missing piece in education and start building a vision for oracy that will help your school, students, staff and communities. In our Spotlight on oracy, hear from Voice 21 Oracy School students, teachers and communities.

Explore
4 (2)

Read Voice 21 case studies

Hear from Voice 21 Oracy Schools as they share their oracy journeys. Discover how they’ve implemented oracy strategies and the positive impact these have had on teaching and engagement.

See case studies
6 (2)

Oracy research and resources

Explore the extensive Voice 21 library of oracy research and resources, including blogs, on-demand webinars, and practical tools you can immediately apply in your setting.

Learn more
5

Class Teacher, Green Meadow Primary School

"Oracy allows everyone to communicate and speak their mind and thoughts in different ways that are respected, understood and celebrated"

FAQ

How do I register as a Voice 21 Oracy School?

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Voice 21 Oracy School! We're delighted to be able to support over 1,000 schools on their oracy journeys.

Registrations to become a Voice 21 Oracy School in 2025 are now closed. We will open registrations for 2026 soon! 

If you're interested in becoming a member in 2026, you can register your interest here to keep up to date with our latest news.

How long does the Voice 21 Membership last?

Schools join us for a minimum of one year. Working towards becoming an accredited Voice 21 Centre of Excellence takes a minimum of three years.

School Leads will attend an in-school consultancy day (1 day) and the Oracy Champions will attend their Pathway Programme (2.5 days). They will need time throughout the year to plan, complete tasks and do online modules. They will also need time set aside in the school calendar for Oracy in inset days, staff or departmental meetings to share learning and cascade oracy across the school.

What is included in the membership?
  • Annual impact measurement tools
  • A dedicated School Relationship Officer
  • An in-school consultancy day and one to one support from an Oracy Expert
  • Professional Development through our Pathway Programmes of your choice for Oracy Champions (normally 2 for Primary and 3 for Secondary)
  • Unlimited online learning through the Voice 21 Exchange modules and live open online learning for all staff in your school
  • Peer Open Mornings and networking
  • Exclusive publications, resources, and our Talk on Tuesday Newsletter.
  • Discounted tickets for national events like the Great Oracy Exhibition.
  • The opportunity to become an accredited Voice 21 Centre for Excellence 
  • The opportunity to purchase additional Oracy Champions 
What is the Voice 21 Exchange?

The Voice 21 Exchange is accessible to all Voice 21 members for unlimited, digital oracy CPD. You can find out more about what it looks like in this video.

Can I speak to someone at Voice 21 about a different question?

Yes, absolutely! We'd love to help support your oracy needs. You can get in touch with us via our contact form below.

Contact us

If you have any questions about becoming a Voice 21 Oracy School in 2026, please do get in touch with us below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. We're looking forward to supporting your oracy journey!