The UK is one step closer to the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE being taught in schools, as the government launched its 12-week consultation on the content of the new qualification today and closing on 7th September 2023.
The qualification will include students being taught to communicate effectively with other signers for use in work, social and academic settings, providing them with valuable life skills welcomed by employers. It will also spread the knowledge and understanding of BSL and Deaf history and culture across the UK and enable a more inclusive future for Deaf children and adults, something which International Newcastle supports.
The Department for Education (DfE) has worked with subject experts, stakeholders and schools to develop proposed content for a new GCSE which is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables. The GCSE will be knowledge-rich, diverse and as challenging as any other GCSE.
Views on the new qualification, including the language skills to be studied and the role of history, are being sought from teachers, employers and the Deaf and hearing communities. The government aims to introduce this for first teaching from September 2025.
DfE Consultation on BSL GCSE Subject Content
The Department for Education (DfE) has proposed subject content for new GCSE qualifications in British Sign Language (BSL). If you would like to read and comment on DfE’s proposed subject content, it can be accessed on DfE’s website at the links below:
- Click here to access the consultation documents and explanations (including in BSL videos)
- Click here to read the introduction to the consultation, guidance (including in BSL), ways to respond and to complete the survey on the GCSE subject content proposals
Ofqual’s consultation on assessment of BSL GCSE
Ofqual’s consultation sets out their proposals for how DfE’s subject content for GCSEs in BSL should be assessed and recommends that people respond first to the DfE subject content proposals and then to the assessment proposals.
- Click here to visit Ofqual’s page about the consultation, with written information and explanatory videos in BSL
- Click here to respond to Ofqual’s survey about the assessment of the subject content
Who should respond to the consultation
The consultation is open to anyone who may wish to make representation, but may be of most interest to:
- the Deaf community
- stakeholder representative organisations or unions
- students, including private candidates, who might be interested in taking the new qualification, and their parents and carers
- potential teachers, private tutors and home-educators of the new qualification
- school and college leaders and heads of other types of exam centres
- exams officers
- exam boards and awarding organisations
- those who use qualifications to make selection decisions: higher education institutions and employers
Deaf organisations and support in Newcastle
There are a range of organisations based in Newcastle that support the Deaf community, as well as teaching BSL, Deaf Awareness and learning about Deaf Culture.
- Becoming Visible: A Deaf led organisation which supports activities and projects for Deaf people in the wider community, raising awareness and supporting volunteers. They also manage a BSL/English interpreting agency, offer an extensive range of BSL training courses and has established expertise in BSL media translation. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook (for news, events and activities) and YouTube
- Newcastle Deaf Centre: The Centre has a meeting room, bar, kitchen, dining area and social club room and a private garden. It seeks to bring communities together, offers education and career fairs, as well as hosting talks with academics and research groups. It offers welfare and health advice in BSL, as well as creative activities. The centre relaunches on 5th May 2023 and all are welcome.
- Deaflink: A charity providing opportunities for Deaf people to meet and to learn through forums and groups. They also try and help and support people who are having difficulties accessing services or their rights.
- Newcastle City Council Sensory Support Services: A team provides practical support to people with difficulties with sight or hearing and signposts to wider support services.
- North East Mental Health and Deafness Service: This service is for Deaf and Deafblind people aged 18 years or older who use British Sign Language to communicate and who have mental health problems. They work with the Community Treatment Team (CTT) in local areas.