ThursdayJuly62023thetimes.co.ukNo74141SpeakingfluentlyandclearlywillbeputattheheartofthenationalcurriculumandgiventhesamestatusasliteracyandnumeracyunderaLabourgov-ernment,SirKeirStarmerhaspledged.InanarticleforTheTimestheLabourleadersaysthatthe“almostexclusive”focusonreadingandwritingatpresentis“short-sighted”ashecallsfororacytobegivenpriorityateverylevelofachild’seducation.Theabilitytoarticulateideasiskeyto“gettingonandthrivinginlife”,Starmersays,arguingthatchildrenwithpoorlanguageskillsattheageoffivearesixtimeslesslikelytoreachtheexpectedstandardofEnglishat11.Expertssaythatpoororacyleaveschildrenunabletolearnastheycannotacquirethevocabularytound...