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How prevalent are speech and language issues across Cabot Learning Federation and what trends have been observed in recent years?
Speech and language needs are growing significantly across Cabot Learning Federation, with up to 40% of students now struggling with these issues—a worsening trend over the past five years. The pandemic has accelerated this crisis, compounded by parents working multiple jobs with less time for conversation, and children spending more time on screens instead of engaging in traditional play.
The scale of this challenge extends well beyond a single trust. According to Speech and Language UK, one in five children nationally are struggling with talking and understanding words. The Oracy Commission reports that almost two million children in the UK were not at the expected level for language and communication by the end of reception—a staggering baseline for educational inequality.
A perfect storm: pandemic disruption, economic pressure, and screen time
Rachel Simons, Reading Lead and Primary English Lead at Cabot Learning Federation, points to three interconnected factors driving this surge. First, the pandemic disrupted early language development during critical windows when children should have been building communication skills through play and interaction.
Second, financial hardship has reshaped family life. Parents juggling multiple jobs have less capacity to narrate daily activities—a fundamental practice that builds oracy and language comprehension. As Simons notes in the Education: Joining the Dots episode, this reduction in conversational input has measurable downstream effects on how children articulate their thoughts and understand others.
Third, screen time has displaced traditional childhood play. Outdoor play, imaginative games with peers, and hands-on exploration naturally develop communication skills through negotiation, storytelling, and social interaction. When screens replace these experiences, children miss critical language-building opportunities. This shift has created a cohort of students entering school with significantly weaker speech and language foundations.
"If young people struggle to communicate effectively, many will communicate in other ways, often through challenging behaviour."
Rachel Simons — Reading Lead and Primary English Lead at Cabot Learning Federation, a trust of 35 settings across the southwest of England serving children from age two to 19. Simons works within the school improvement team, supporting all schools' adults and learners across primary, secondary, post-16, alternative and specialist provision.
This observation connects language barriers directly to behaviour and wellbeing. When children cannot express themselves verbally, frustration often manifests as disruptive behaviour—masking the true root cause of their struggle. Teachers and parents may misattribute these behaviours to discipline or emotional issues rather than recognising underlying speech and language deficits. This misdiagnosis can delay intervention and deepen the child's educational disadvantage.
The consequences ripple across attendance, learning outcomes, and social integration. A child who cannot participate fully in classroom discussion, group work, or social play becomes isolated. Anxiety builds. Attendance suffers. Reading and writing development—both dependent on strong oral language foundations—lag behind. As discussed in detail in this podcast, schools that have invested in structured oracy work through approaches like Voice 21 show notably higher average attendance rates compared to trust averages, suggesting that communication support has far-reaching effects on engagement and belonging.
Oracy refers to the ability to communicate effectively through speech. It encompasses not just speaking clearly, but listening actively, articulating ideas, participating in dialogue, and adapting communication to different contexts. Oracy is foundational to literacy, learning across all subjects, and social development. Poor oracy creates a cascade of educational and behavioural challenges.
The challenge Cabot Learning Federation and schools nationwide now face is urgent and systemic. The Lost for Words report, which surveyed over a thousand UK teachers, reveals that educators themselves recognise the severity: teachers blame reduced conversation at home, increased screen time, and less reading as primary culprits. Yet many parents and the broader public remain unaware of how widespread and serious this issue has become.
As Simons explains in the episode, the work happening within trusts like Cabot Learning Federation is about more than correcting speech errors. It is about recognising speech and language barriers as a core equity issue—one that affects a child's right to a successful education, their sense of belonging, and their trajectory through school and beyond.
Key takeaways
- Up to 40% of students in Cabot Learning Federation experience speech and language issues, a trend worsening over the past five years.
- The pandemic disrupted critical early language development, while parental time poverty and increased screen time have reduced children's exposure to conversation and play-based learning.
- Speech and language barriers manifest not only as communication struggles but also as behaviour challenges, anxiety, and reduced school attendance and engagement.
- Structured oracy interventions in schools correlate with improved attendance and higher-quality student work, demonstrating the systemic impact of communication support.
See also
What percentage of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust's secondary school pupils come from its own primary schools?
Around 70% of pupils in Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust's secondary schools come from the trust's own primary schools, enabling strong progression and continuity of approach.
What is the Standard Age Score (SAS) and why is it recommended for comparing reading assessment results across students?
The Standard Age Score (SAS) is the score recommended by GL Assessment when making comparisons across any norm-referenced test, as it allows educators to compare reading results fairly across different age cohorts and populations.
How can CAT4 and NGRT be used together to support student transition and identify underachievement?
Combining CAT4 verbal reasoning scores with NGRT reading results allows educators to compare a student's reading performance against their reasoning ability, revealing patterns of underachievement and guiding targeted support.