Petition
Implement British Sign Language as a Mandatory Subject in Education
Rejected
18 signatures
What the petition asks
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.
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.
Why it was rejected
There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.
You may wish to sign this petition which calls for a similar action: Make teaching BSL mandatory in all schools
Timeline
| 29 Jul 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 7 Aug 2025 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
18
Status
Rejected
Rejected
7 Aug 2025
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 10 Aug 2026.