PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Implement British Sign Language as a Mandatory Subject in Education
This petition calls on the UK Government to recognize the importance of British Sign Language (BSL) and implement it as a mandatory subject in education. It is an essential tool not only for enhancing inclusivity in communication, but also for potentially life-saving instances.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
18
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 18/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 18/100,000
Background
In the UK, nearly 151,000 people, including 125,000 deaf adults and 25,000 children utilize BSL as their main language according to government estimates in March 2021. BSL plays a crucial role in our communities - it serves as a lifeline of communication for non-verbal children in schools, aids interactions amidst silences, and can provide pivotal safety aids in situations where talking is not possible. Despite the clear need, BSL is not yet a compulsory part of the national curriculum.