British Sign Language will be taught as a GCSE in England from September 2025, the government says.
The qualification will be open to all pupils, who will learn about 1,000 signs.
Exams regulator Ofqual will review and accredit the syllabus before it can be taught in schools and colleges.
Recognised
The curriculum has been finalised after a 12-week public consultation with input from parents, teachers and organisations from the deaf and hearing communities.
British Sign Language was recognised as an official language in the UK in 2022.
According to the BBC Susan Daniels, chief executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, said she was “delighted” the course content had been published after a decade of campaigning.
The government first said it would consider introducing a GCSE in BSL after a long-fought campaign by 17-year-old Daniel Jillings.
Less isolated
The teenager is profoundly deaf and was born without a cochlea, meaning he cannot use hearing aids or cochlear implants and does not use speech.
Daniel says the GCSE will mean deaf pupils will feel less isolated in school.
The British Deaf Association estimates about 151,000 people use BSL in the UK, with 87,000 being deaf.
