Brighter Futures for Children has been working with pioneering charity Voice 21 for four years to help overcome the historic under-achievement of disadvantaged pupils in Reading.

Language and communication gaps are of particular concern in the borough and the aim of Voice 21 is to promote a high-quality oracy education for all pupils. Its central belief is that oracy is a powerful tool for learning and is also a route to social mobility and empowering all students to find their voice to succeed in school and life. This is a shared goal for all pupils in Reading’s schools and the key principles and approaches promoted by Voice 21 dovetail with all other curricula, therapeutic and English/literacy projects currently underway in the borough.

Reading schools with high proportions of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding were invited to participate in a local authority part-funded, pan-Berkshire oracy project in the autumn term 2018. A majority of those schools are now in year four of the project and it will continue in the academic year 2022-23.