British Sign Language GCSE consultation coming ‘shortly’ as government misses ‘early 2023’ deadline (BSL)

The long-awaited consultation on draft subject content for a British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE will be published shortly – The Limping Chicken understands – after the Department for Education (DfE) missed its initial launch deadline of “early 2023”.

It was previously reported that the consultation would take place in the “first half” of 2022, before an update in October said the publication would be delayed again.

Work on the BSL GCSE had also been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with Schools Minister Nick Gibb confirming in September 2020 that work on the new qualification had “resumed”.

While it is not yet known when the consultation will launch, a release in the coming months would mean it has been close to five years since the government first committed to the new GCSE.

In 2018, ministers said they may make an “exception” to its plans not to introduce any new GCSEs before the next general election, after Deaf schoolboy Daniel Jillings threatened the government with legal action.

Speaking to The Limping Chicken in October, Daniel said: “I am really frustrated by this, because I feel that the Department of Education sees the BSL GCSE as a low priority.”

Meanwhile Lindsay Foster, executive director of the sign language qualifications body Signature, urged people to “have the patience required” in order to “get the qualification right”.

“Whilst we share the disappointment that everyone may be feeling, we also appreciate that it’s important to make sure that the scope of the qualification is the best it can be and the delay means the process won’t be rushed.”

It’s understood that there are plans to first teach the BSL GCSE from September 2025.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.