The British Deaf Association (BDA) welcomes 
today’s launch of a new official consultation

on the long-promised GCSE in 
British Sign Language (BSL),

and applauds the long-awaited progress 
toward recognition and equality in education.

“Let’s be clear, it’s a step in the right 
direction, but there is much further to go,”

signs Deaf CEO Rebecca Mansell. “
After a lengthy period of silence from

the authorities, we appreciate this 
development.”

The BDA statement comes in response to 
this week’s announcement that Ofqual has

launched a further ‘technical’ consultation 
on the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE.

Whilst the GCSE’s content has already 
passed through a 2023 consultation led by

the Department for Education (DfE), 
this week’s initiative focuses on examination

and assessment procedures.

“Only last month in Parliament, 
during Sign Language Week (17-23 March),

MPs from the new All-Party Parliamentary 
Group on BSL quizzed the Minister for Disabled People,

Sir Stephen Timms MP, on the ongoing 
delay with the GCSE,” points out Mansell.

“Sir Stephen spoke of the government’s ‘
continuing commitment’ and of being

‘generally reassured about the progress that’s 
been made and the commitment to deliver’.”

The BDA remains concerned about the long 
delays in the development of the new BSL GCSE.

The previous government target for 
“first teaching” was September 2025,

and the BDA believes that this 
target will be missed by two years.

The reasons for this delay are unclear. 
Whilst the BDA has been expressing the

BSL community’s concerns about the 
GCSE project for many years,

it took Ofqual until this month to directly 
ask to meet the BDA – which is recognised

up to United Nations level as the 
UK’s representative organisation for the

signing Deaf community –
for one-to-one talks.

“Almost everything has happened behind 
closed doors,” Mansell notes pointedly.

“And here we are, with even Ofqual 
acknowledging that an award promised

in 2018 will not actually result in anyone 
receiving a certificate until 2029 at the earliest!”

“BSL is a rich and complex language, 
different in many respects to the spoken

languages already studied at GCSE level. 
We appreciate DfE’s and Ofqual’s diligent