Derby school with deaf pupils helps plan for BSL GCSE

Macie said it was fantastic that future deaf and hearing students would have the opportunity to do a sign language GCSE

A school with deaf students says it is excited a sign language GCSE is "finally happening" and is working on plans with the exam regulator.

The government announced in December the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE will be available from September 2025.

Allestree Woodlands School, in Derby, a mainstream school that caters for deaf pupils, has been involved in consultations on how it will be taught.

Student Macie, who is deaf, said she was pleased it would be an option.

Macie, whose four brothers are also deaf and all use BSL, added: "BSL is my first language so it is one thing me having to do an English GCSE, but doing a BSL one would mean so much more.

"It is just fantastic that deaf people will be able to do that now."

Tom Bate said this qualification had been talked about for more than 10 years, so the school was really excited to finally know it was happening

Tom Bate, head of the resource base for deaf learners from Allestree Woodlands School, said the school had been contributing to consultations about how the GCSE would look and be taught, including working with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual).

Mr Bate said BSL was currently taught, mainly, in evening classes by deaf tutors for whom BSL was their first language, but who did not necessarily hold teaching qualifications, such as a PGCE.

He said: "There is still a lot of discussion to be had about how the GCSE will be offered and who it's available to and who teaches it, but we can't take away from the fact this is just brilliant news that a BSL GCSE is finally going to be available."

BSL tutor Katherine Hancock said the new GCSE would be good for friendship groups

Katherine Hancock, a BSL tutor at the school, said: "I can only teach a class of 10 students at the most because I need to keep eye contact with them all, that will have to be thought about."

If it is decided tutors need to hold certain teaching qualifications, it could mean quite lengthy training programmes, which would need to start quickly, she said.

However, she added the BSL GCSE was "fantastic news".

"Hearing children will be able to communicate with deaf children in their class, and it will be good for friendship groups," she said.

"When you learn a foreign language at school, it is unlikely you meet someone speaking that language out and about, you are much more likely to meet a deaf person."