About Oracy Lab®

Oracy Lab® is a UK-based, communication-focused company dedicated to helping people think boldly, speak clearly and make their voice count.

We believe that communication is one of the most powerful skills a person can develop. From the classroom to the workplace, effective communication builds confidence, deepens understanding and creates opportunities.

Our mission is to develop engaging resources, programmes and experiences that help learners and professionals communicate with confidence.

At the heart of Oracy Lab® is a straightforward philosophy: combining educational research, proven pedagogy and practical expertise to create meaningful opportunities for discussion, collaboration, reasoning and communication.

Through a growing range of communication-focused products, activities and resources, we help learners develop the confidence and skills they need to express ideas, explore different viewpoints and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

Beginning with Oracy Lab Primary, our long-term vision is to support communication development at every stage of learning and life through a growing family of communication-focused products and services.

Whether in education, further study or the workplace, our goal remains the same:

Helping people think boldly, speak clearly and make their voice count.

Four women sitting at a conference table in a business meeting, engaging in conversation.
A man in a suit gives a presentation on effective communication to a group in a conference room.
Logo of ORACY LAB featuring a stylized scientific flask with sound wave and speech bubble elements, and the text 'ORACY LAB' beneath.
Four students in school uniforms having a discussion at a table in a classroom, with notebooks and pens in front of them.
A young woman in a business suit sitting at a table in a conference room, conversing with three other women, one of whom is partly visible in the foreground. The women are dressed professionally and appear to be engaged in a discussion.

Meet the Founder

Gareth Coleman is an experienced primary teacher, educator and founder of Oracy Lab®.

With over 12 years of experience in primary education, alongside studies in English Language, Corpus Linguistics, Speech Writing and Social Care, Gareth has dedicated much of his career to exploring the power of communication.

His professional experience provides a grounded perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing children, young people and adults today. From classrooms and assemblies, to courts, conference halls and presentations delivered to hundreds of children and adults alike, one belief has remained constant: communication has the power to build confidence.

Through Oracy Lab®, Gareth combines educational research, proven classroom practice and real-world communication experience to develop engaging resources, programmes and experiences that help children, young people and adults think boldly, speak clearly and make their voice count.

When he's not creating resources for Oracy Lab, Gareth enjoys storytelling, reading, coaching a local children's football team and escaping to the mountains of the Lake District

Qualifications & Experience

  • Qualified Primary Teacher (since 2014)

  • BA (Hons) English Language & The Media

  • MA Social Work

  • PGCE Primary Education

  • Studies in Corpus Linguistics & Speech Writing

  • Public Speaking, Storytelling & Script Writing

  • Children's Story Narrator

  • Creator & Presenter of Storytime with The Professor podcast and YouTube channel

  • Founder & Director, Oracy Lab®

A smiling man with a beard wearing a black knit beanie, a green jacket, and a beige hoodie.
Stylized laboratory flask with sound wave lines inside and a speech bubble base, symbolizing scientific communication or data analysis.