Primary school children learning sign language as part of curriculum

Pupils at a primary school in Barrow, Cumbria, are being taught British Sign Language (BSL) as part of the curriculum. 

Dane Ghyll Community Primary School swapped out French in October in favour of tutoring in the language, which is used by those with hearing loss.

The school decided to introduce BSL lessons to accommodate student Phoenix, who is hearing-impaired, and was inspired to make the move by the Right to Sign Campaign. 

It also currently has a handful of children with hearing difficulties.

Headteacher Peter Mills told the BBC: “We looked at his classroom at first and how we can make that more suitable for him.

“Then we started looking at it more in a curriculum way, so although it’s teaching them lots, they’re learning about inclusion and it’s developed the school and the school community.”

Janice Lippet, who is deaf, works alongside teachers to deliver the lessons.

Janice said: “It’s so important. It’s fantastic that they’ve got this opportunity and it’s great for them for the future if they meet any deaf person, wherever they might be.”

The school has become one of the first in the country to introduce BSL to its classrooms and even has a BSL pupil’s choir who have been putting on performances.

Staff at Dane Ghyll are hoping other schools will also see the benefits of teaching BSL.

In 2003 BSL was recognised as a language in its own right by the then Labour Government. It is set to be taught at GCSE level in classrooms across the country from September 2025.