Sutton High School will become one of the first schools in the country to embed British Sign Language (BSL) into its curriculum.
It is envisaged that over one hundred year 7 students at Sutton High School will learn sign language as part of the school’s bespoke ‘Kaleidoscope’ enrichment programme.
The initiative comes as a result of the enormous success of sign language taster sessions given to over 400 Sutton High School pupils during Deaf Awareness Week last month. This resulted in the school committing to teaching all year 7’s sign language with the option to take the official Signature examinations to progress.
Head, Beth Dawson, “Equality, diversity and inclusion sit at the heart of our school culture, and we are always looking for inspiring ways to educate our girls to become fiercely independent. Such has been the enthusiasm for BSL from our girls, embedding it in our timetable is a natural progression.”
The classes will be led by specialist British Sign Language instructor, Feras Al-Moubayed, who is not only an expert in sign language teaching but also an advocate for deaf education and accessibility.
Since starting at Sutton High School Feras has been astounded by the quick results, “We started teaching the girls in October 2023 and in just a few months over one hundred pupils can confidently greet me using BSL since starting to learn sign language. These pupils will be sitting their official Signature 101 exam in June and continuing their BSL journey with BSL 102/103. This will place them in an advantageous position if BSL becomes a GCSE option in future years.”
He adds, “Sutton High School has set a shining example for other schools. While many institutions encounter obstacles in incorporating British Sign Language (BSL) into their curriculum, Sutton High School has shown unwavering determination to include it.”
Says Director of Enrichment and Partnerships, Ben Essenhigh, “Learning BSL benefits students by enhancing their communication skills, promoting inclusivity, and providing them with a valuable life skill. It also improves their confidence, cognitive abilities, and cultural awareness. Effective communication is essential both inside and outside the workplace, and the new BSL GCSE will give students a vital life skill valued by employers. Sutton High students are future leaders; doctors, lawyers and other professionals, and this skill will empower them to include, understand and communicate with people in their communities who are Deaf.”
A parent of one of the BSL 101 students: “My daughter has really enjoyed learning BSL this year. A great addition to the co-curricular schedule!”
The BSL 101 class takes place after School for the ‘academic’ qualification. BSL 101 is available for pupils as a Co-curricular option, expanding to BSL 102 (the follow-on course) in the next academic year. Completion of BSL 103 culminates in a level 1 certificate in BSL.
*The basics of BSL can be learnt in a few months with regular practice, but achieving fluency can take a few years. It is possible to study up to Level 6 (degree level) in BSL. Continuous learning and practice are key just like any language. If you are considering a career as a future BSL interpreter, you will need to have BSL Level 6 and an interpreting qualification. Taking the BSL GCSE will give you a head start!