British Sign Language: ‘Devastating’ move to suspend GCSE

Campaigners say a decision to suspend the introduction of a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL) in Wales is “devastating”.

Qualifications Wales said the new GCSE, which was due to be introduced in 2027, raised “many practical challenges for the education sector”.

The National Deaf Children’s Society accused the Welsh government of going back on its word by not delivering a GCSE-level qualification.

Pupils will be able to study smaller units in BSL instead, Qualifications Wales said, while the Welsh government said it understood there would be disappointment.

The exams regulator, Qualifications Wales, had already delayed the introduction of the new GCSE from 2026 to 2027.

Challenges included a shortage of qualified teachers and deciding how the GCSE would reflect BSL regional dialect differences.

Qualifications Wales said it had “after careful consideration taken the difficult decision to suspend the development of a made-for-Wales GCSE in British Sign Language”.

Chief Executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society Susan Daniels said: “More people knowing and using BSL is key to breaking down the barriers some deaf young people face.

“To now be told that the Welsh government has gone back on its word, and there will no longer be a BSL GCSE in Wales, is devastating.”

BSL campaigner Sarah Lawrence said: “I do not know why this decision has been made or who was involved, but those involved should hang their heads in shame.

“I am not sure I can put into words how disappointed and angry I am.”

She said old people, who would otherwise suffer isolation through deafness, could instead “embrace their deafness by having a visual language” in the future.

“This is not the end, it is too big an issue to allow an appalling decision to remain unchallenged,” she added.

In England, a GCSE in British Sign Language is being offered from September 2025, and the regulator said awarding bodies would be able apply for it to be offered to learners in Wales.

Instead of the GCSE, Qualifications Wales said BSL units would be available in the new Skills for Life qualification – part of a revamped range of qualifications for 14 to 16-year-olds to align with the new Curriculum for Wales.

It said the units would be “manageable for schools… making good use of the existing teacher workforce”.

It said it would consider, over time, whether a specific BSL GCSE for Wales should be offered in the future.

A Welsh government spokesperson said they understand there will be disappointment.