Students are one step closer to the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE being taught in schools, as the government today (Thursday 21st December) shares the consultation feedback following a 12-week public consultation on the content of the new qualification.
The purpose of the consultation was to gain feedback on the proposed subject content requirements that will form the basis of the new GCSE in BSL.
The consultation showed overwhelming positivity from pupils, teachers, and organisations for the proposed subject content. The responses to the consultation ensure the content is knowledge-rich, diverse in its teaching and challenging to pupils, as well as providing them with a valuable life skill.
The aim is to have an exam board syllabus approved from September 2025.
As part of the next stage of work, Ofqual is now developing draft detailed requirements relating to the assessments. These will form the proposed Subject Level Conditions, Requirements and Guidance that will apply to GCSEs in BSL. Ofqual will consult publicly on the draft regulatory framework in 2024 before it finalises these documents. Once the Subject Level Conditions, Requirements and Guidance have been published, any interested exam boards will be able to develop draft specifications and assessments.
The consultation ran concurrently with Ofqual’s public consultation, which looked to gain feedback on the Assessment criteria of a GCSE in BSL.
The next step for Ofqual will be a second public consultation, which is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2024. Following the second public consultation by Ofqual in 2024, Awarding Organisations will then be able to begin creating a GCSE in British Sign Language against the guidelines provided.
Lindsay Foster, Executive Director at Signature said: “We are pleased to have the results of public consultations and to see that they don’t differentiate too far from what was outlined within the initial public consultation document. We think the parameters of the subject content allow for a really strong GCSE that will give learners the skills they need to be great communicators.
Signature continue to work extremely hard to make sure a GCSE in British Sign language is the best it can be and today is another important milestone on that journey. We will continue to work with and support the Department for Education, Ofqual and other sector partners towards our shared goal.
We look forward to seeing pupils being able to take a BSL GCSE in the future.”
The full consultation responses can be found below:
- The subject content for the new GCSE in BSL available from 9:30am on Thursday 21st December 2023
- The consultation response available from 9:30am on Thursday 21st December 2023
- The Ofqual consultation document