A new educational programme has been made for the first time in collaboration with barristers to tackle career stereotypes and improve children’s listening and speaking skills.

The Speak for Success programme targeted at 7–11-year-olds has been launched by the Bar Council – the body that represents all barristers in England and Wales – to improve oracy, an important part of the national curriculum teaching children to develop their spoken language skills to communicate effectively.

The Department for Education has found that 1 in 5 children are not at the expected level for communication and language by the end of their first year at school. Research also shows that children form stereotypes about future careers from as young as 5 years old.

The Speak for Success programme – which is free to use - involves 6 oracy-boosting activities and has been developed in collaboration with barristers, teachers and educational specialists.

The activities also involve real life barristers' stories from different walks of life and practice areas to raise awareness about what barristers do and careers in law.

A successful pilot of the programme of 170 7–11-year-olds found that the children showed improvements throughout the lessons, as well as across lessons.

One teacher based in Wales involved in the pilot said the activities were “the catalyst of a really deep conversation” for some children. Another, based in London, said the lessons helped children listen properly and think carefully about questions. They said: “It's active listening, active thinking... that's only going to help them in terms of their future. A questioning mind is applicable everywhere.”

Barristers demonstrate excellence in oracy in their daily working lives – whether that’s forming a narrative, delivering well-structured arguments or using evidence and persuasive reasoning.

The programme aims to empower children with oral skills and confidence to excel in law or any other career while breaking down stereotypes about the barrister profession.

The available data suggests a disproportionately high number of barristers attended UK independent schools, according to the Bar Standards Board. As of December last year, 19.4% of the Bar (including non-respondents) attended an independent school between the ages of 11 and 18 compared with 6.5% of school children in England.

The Bar Council worked with educational consultancy Hark to develop the programme. Speak for Success, designed in partnership with the Inns of Court, is now being rolled out across England and Wales and can be delivered by teachers, with optional support from barrister volunteers.

Bar Council Chair Barbara Mills KC said: “Our programme will help children find their voice, express themselves clearly and build a foundation for lifelong success.

“Oracy is key to being a barrister: whether we are advocating in the court room, communicating with our clients or negotiating and mediating, barristers must express themselves fluently and grammatically. This is why we felt we were best placed to develop this project.

“Oracy is vital for all young people, not just those considering a career in law. Through Speak for Success we hope to help children understand and use the power of effective communication. This is the Bar giving back, helping children find their voice and build confidence ready for their futures.”

Find out more

The Speak for Success pilot involved 8 primary school teachers. The sessions were delivered to a total of 170 pupils. During the pilot, all but one lesson saw an average of over 80% of students correctly answering the assessment questions, demonstrating that the key skills of the lessons are being picked up by pupils.

Teachers can download the resources on our webpage. We also have a dedicated webpage for barristers interested in getting involved.