The Department for Education has today launched its delayed consultation on the content of a proposed British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE to be taught in schools.
The 12-week consultation will come as a relief to campaigners after it was reportedly delayed twice - in 2022 and then earlier this year.
The qualification has been several years in the pipeline and was prompted in part by a campaign launched by the family of Daniel Jillings, a profoundly deaf teenager from Lowestoft, whose first language is BSL.
His family threatened the government with a legal challenge, saying that the lack of a GCSE in BSL may be “discriminatory and unlawful”.
The GCSE will come too late for the now 17-year-old to sit the GCSE but he told local press in March that he was “happy to know” deaf students would be able to access an exam in their own language in the future.
The DfE has been working with subject experts, schools and others to develop proposed content to ensure that the new GCSE is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.
The department said that the GCSE would be “knowledge-rich, diverse and as challenging as any other GCSE”.
Teachers, employers and the deaf and hearing communities are being asked their views on the new qualification, including the language skills to be studied and the role of history.
The government aims to introduce the GCSE for teaching from September 2025.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said it was “fantastic” that BSL would soon be taught “up and down the country”.
She added: “Good communication is essential both inside and outside the workplace and this historic GCSE will give students a vital life skill valued by employers.
“This new qualification will break down barriers, advance equality of opportunity and celebrate the history and rich culture of BSL.”
Dr Jo Saxton, chief regulator at Ofqual, said: “We want anyone with an interest in this new GCSE subject to tell us what they think about our proposals and whether these allow students the best opportunity to show how well they understand and can use BSL.”
Susan Daniels, chief executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “BSL is a native British language used by tens of thousands of people, so it’s only fair and right that BSL users should have the opportunity to achieve a GCSE in their own, legally recognised language.
“This qualification will help to break down communication barriers between deaf and hearing people and educate more people about the deaf community and culture.”
It is as yet unclear how many schools and colleges will be able to offer the BSL GCSE.
A link to the consultation will go live at 9:30am today (Thursday, June 15).
