The new BSL GCSE: a small step in the right direction

Emily Bird

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The Department for Education in the UK has unveiled a new BSL (British Sign Language) GCSE set to be taught in schools from September 2025. The move comes after years of campaigning from 17-year-old Daniel Jillings, who has pushed for the subject to be put on the national curriculum since the age of twelve.

According to estimates, over 150,000 people use BSL as their main or preferred language in the UK – around 0.04 per cent of Brits – but this development has been long awaited.

A brief history of sign language

Sign Language dates back to the seventh century, when finger signs were first used as a form of communication. Over the centuries, some royals were known to have been deaf and even communicated with interpreters at court, such as Princess Joanna of Scotland in the 15th century.

“Today, there are over 300 kinds of sign language around the world used by millions of deaf or hard-of-hearing people globally.”

What is now known as BSL became more widely accessible with the publication of texts such as Digiti Lingua and The History of the Life and Adventures of Mr Duncan Campbell, Deaf and Dumb in the 17th and 18th centuries. These texts showed examples of a manual alphabet and picture cards, strongly resembling modern-day BSL.

Today, there are over 300 kinds of sign language around the world used by millions of deaf or hard-of-hearing people globally.

How will the BSL GCSE work?

“The Department for Education is seeking input from teachers and historians to round out the course before its release.”

As with other language GCSEs, students who use BSL as their first language will be welcome to take the GCSE alongside complete beginners. Students will learn 1,000 signs and how to use them effectively in both social and academic settings.

At the time of writing, the curriculum has not yet been finalised. As a result, the Department for Education is seeking input from teachers and historians to round out the course before its release.

One appeal of the GCSE is that it enables BSL users and learners to interact in the same space. Education has the power to unite people, and it is great to see the latter being utilised. The Department for Education’s desire to “help inclusivity in education” is an approach we should look to implement in other areas of UK politics. Although, we still have a long way to go.

A small step forward

Currently, the national GCSE curriculum offers certificates in French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese. While this seems impressive and shows a carefully considered list of some of Europe and Asia’s most business-oriented languages, this is only a drop in the ocean when it comes to representation.

According to the Office for National Statistics, after English, the most common main languages in the UK are Polish, Romanian, Punjabi and Urdu. With Polish speakers totalling 1.1 per cent of the population, perhaps Polish should be the next language taught at GCSE level. After all, education is not based on qualifications alone, but also on cultural and historical understanding. This is a detail the curriculum sometimes forgets.

“The hope is that this positive change to the national curriculum is a sign of more to come.”

After years of campaigning and raising awareness, this is a step in the right direction for the education system.

In recent months, we’ve seen headlines of NHS strikes, Rishi Sunak’s grand plan to make maths a compulsory part of sixth-form study, and growing income disparities due to the cost of living crisis.

The BSL GCSE does not sweep such messes under the rug, but it does show signs of a richer curriculum and a more accurate view of the UK. The hope is that this positive change to the national curriculum is a sign of more to come.

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Featured image courtesy of Kimberly Farmer via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.