BSL GCSE

Could British Sign Language become a GCSE subject?

MPs in Parliament have been told that introducing British Sign Language as a GCSE subject would benefit schools.

A petition was started asking the public if they believed that entering BSL into the curriculum would benefit education. The petition has since attracted over 32,500 signatures.

Even though the Minister of Education, Nick Gibb, says that there are no current plans for change, MPs are not giving up at getting their view across. The Labour MP Liz Twist believes that this will give “better life chances to deaf young people.”

Research has shown that deaf students continue to underachieve compared to other children, due to being at an unfair disadvantage. In 2016, there was found to be a 28% difference in GCSE results between most students and the hard of hearing, which Liz Twist describes as being “just unacceptable in our day and age.”

We interviewed one of our teachers who specialises in working with students with special needs about her opinion on the matter.

Liz herself has worked with many MPs who communicate in sign language and she understands how much of an effect this would have on deaf students.

A pilot GCSE exam has been trialled and is ready to go, but the Department of Education is refusing to give permission for the test to be trialled in public schools.

Conservative Justin Tomlinson said that, “Deaf 6-year-old actor Maisie Sly’s school in Swindon has embraced sign language, which has inspired many students to take it up.”

Deaf child actor Maisie Sly at the Oscars

We can only hope that the government decides to allow the pilot test to be trialled in schools, benefitting the hearing impaired and helping their futures to improve.


Luke, one of our team caught up with the SENCo at our school and questioned her on her opinions about the potential changes: