Pupils to be offered British Sign Language GCSE

Details of the course have been published today (21 December). Students will be taught to sign effectively and given an understanding of the history of sign language in the UK.

• Speech, Language and Communication Needs: Special Report

• Signs For Change: Why early and effective support is key for deaf children

The publication follows a 12-week government consultation where parents, teachers and organisations from the deaf and hearing communities provided overwhelmingly positive feedback and supported the introduction of the BSL GCSE.

Susan Daniels, chief executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “After more than a decade of campaigning for a GCSE in BSL we’re delighted we now have the finalised course content published.

“A GCSE in BSL is vital as it will break down barriers and celebrate the rich culture and history of BSL. An incredible amount of work has been undertaken to get to this point, not least from young deaf campaigner Daniel Jillings who fought so hard for the right to study a GCSE in BSL.”

The Department for Education aims to have the exam board syllabus approved from September 2025 and in line with all other qualifications, the GCSE is open to all pupils in years 10 and 11 and will be recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.

Tasha Ghouri, social media influencer and activist for the deaf community, said: “Accessibility is something I massively stand for and it’s amazing that BSL is now a GCSE course and students will soon have the opportunity to learn the foundations of BSL, the history and how it was formed.

“It’s such a beautiful language to learn. Thank you to everyone who has supported this step in the right direction.”