Darwen Vale High School introduced British Sign Language as an option for pupils to study in Years 10 and 11 in September 2009. This was in conjunction with the School of Sign Language in Schools Project.

Here’s what Darwen Vale High School had to say:

This unique opportunity enabled us to enrich our curriculum and extend our Modern Foreign Language provision. Pupils were enthusiastic and open to learn about the course and what it represents in our community. Several Year 10 pupils are researching careers with BSL after only 6 months of the course; seeing success in their qualification already has motivated them to learn. Seeing a deaf tutor communicate and relate their studies to a real-life environment allows pupils to appreciate the purpose and value of such a qualification.

We have made much closer links with two of our local schools as a result of BSL. One primary feeder school houses a Hearing Impaired Unit, and our local special school has several deaf and hearing impaired students. Both these schools are willing to collaborate with us in 2010-11 when we extend our offer of provision. With regards to our staff Continuous Professional Development, one member of our support staff has BSL qualifications, and has been able to fully support the cohort as well as make steps to improving her own learning for the future.

With a national trend emerging of pupils not taking up MFL offer in KS4, the BSL qualification is a logical, practical, work-related step towards combating this situation. Pupils and parents/carers have embraced BSL and we hope that it continues to be a success for future cohorts.