There has been some discussion on social media recently about whether or not British Sign Language (BSL) can be taught in primary schools to fulfill the Foreign Languages requirement of the National Curriculum for Key Stage 2.
There's no denying that the ability to communicate via BSL is a useful skill and that teaching it promotes inclusion and diversity. However it is also clear that there are some aspects of the programme of study for Key Stage 2 that can't be completed with BSL.
Last week I contacted the Department for Education (DfE) to ask if BSL can be taught instead of, say, French or Spanish in Key Stage 2. This afternoon I received the following reply:
