Deaf News: Work resumes on British Sign Language GCSE

Progress on developing a GCSE qualification in British Sign Language has now recommenced, the UK Government has confirmed.

The announcement was made in the House of Commons on Monday, in response to a question from Conservative politician Peter Aldous.

Mr Aldous, who is the constituency MP for deaf campaigner Daniel Jillings, asked: “Will my right honourable friend congratulate Bungay High School, who have just opened a new specialist facility for students for hearing loss?

“Will he give an update for one of those students, Daniel Jillings, who he has met, both on the development of a BSL GCSE and the assurance that this will not be delayed?”

Watch @PeterAldous MP's excellent question in Parliament. It's great to hear that work on the BSL GCSE has been resumed. All thanks to the amazing work of campaigners Daniel and @AnnJillings. #RightToSign #BSL pic.twitter.com/5qbjw0gxna

— NDCS (@NDCS_UK) September 8, 2020

Nick Gibb, the Minister of State for School Standards, joined the Waveney MP in congratulating Bungay High School, and added: “I do remember meeting Daniel Jillings and his mother, who made a very compelling case [for a BSL GCSE].

“As this is a brand new subject at GCSE, we have been taking care to consult experts very closely on the detail of the subject content.

“Because of the COVID pandemic, this has affected the timeline of the GCSE, but my honourable friend will be pleased to know that that work has now been resumed,” he said.

In 2018, the UK Government said it may make an “exception” to its rule of not introducing any new qualifications in Parliament at the time, after Daniel threatened legal action.

Mr Gibb said they would “consider any proposals put forward” for a BSL GCSE, in what legal firm Irwin Mitchell, who represented Daniel and his family, described as a “major turning point”.

Commenting on the latest update, Daniel told The Limping Chicken: “I had been worried about whether the coronavirus would stop the progress of the GCSE, so I am reassured that the progress will continue and hope that the GCSE can be developed with minimal delay.

“The most important thing left to do is to carry on reminding the Department for Education (DfE) that Deaf children are waiting for a GCSE in BSL.”

In a statement issued to this website in August, a DfE spokesperson said the department is “fully committed” to making sure that children with SEND receive support in the early years, school and college.

“Schools have the freedom to include British Sign Language (BSL) in their curriculum if they wish to do so, and we are working towards a BSL GCSE, which will be introduced as soon as possible, subject to meeting GCSE requirements,” they said.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.