Curriculum Vision for British Sign Language (BSL) at St Mary’s C of E Primary Academy

At St Mary’s C of E Primary Academy, the teaching of British Sign Language (BSL) is an integral part of our mission to reflect the identity, culture, and heritage of our community, while promoting inclusivity and preparing our children for a future of empathy, understanding, and lifelong learning.

Vision

The BSL curriculum at St Mary’s is designed to empower our children by providing them with a rich, diverse language experience that extends beyond spoken and written words. Grounded in our Christian values of love, peace, and hope, BSL fosters communication, inclusivity, and a deep sense of connection with others, particularly the Deaf community. By learning BSL, our children not only acquire a new language but also embrace the values of compassion, respect, and equality, ensuring that they grow into empathetic and socially responsible individuals who contribute positively to society.

Alignment with St Mary’s Curriculum Intent

• Reflecting Our Community's Identity and Culture: BSL enables our children to understand and celebrate the unique cultural identity of the Deaf community. In doing so, it enriches their understanding of the diverse ways people communicate and live within our local and global community. By incorporating BSL, we are promoting a curriculum that mirrors the diversity around us and helps children appreciate the different stories and voices in society.
• Promoting Inclusivity: As an expression of our commitment to inclusivity, teaching BSL fosters a sense of belonging for Deaf and hearing-impaired members of our school and local community. Following the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), BSL is a tool for communication that can be accessed by all, enhancing our goal of creating a school where every child feels valued and included, regardless of their background or abilities.
• Empowering Children to Tell Their Own Stories: Learning BSL equips our children with the means to engage in diverse modes of communication, supporting them as they express their own stories and engage with the stories of others. Drawing on Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, the BSL curriculum encourages collaborative learning, where children support one another in developing new communication skills.

Preparing for the Future through Christian Values

• Fostering Love and Compassion: The BSL curriculum reflects our Christian value of love by encouraging children to communicate with and care for others who may communicate differently. By engaging with Deaf culture and learning to communicate through sign language, students demonstrate love in action, embodying empathy and understanding.
• Promoting Peace in Actions: Through BSL, students learn to engage peacefully and respectfully in communication, especially when navigating barriers to understanding. This aligns with our school’s vision of fostering peace in their interactions, preparing them to become patient and respectful communicators in their future endeavours.
• Instilling Hope and Lifelong Learning: The journey of learning BSL opens new pathways for communication and understanding, cultivating hope in the possibilities of human connection. It equips children with a lifelong skill that they can carry forward, whether in personal, professional, or community settings. Curriculum Intent in Action

The teaching of BSL at St Mary’s is a tangible expression of our commitment to empowering children with the skills, knowledge, and values that reflect our community and Christian ethos. Through BSL, we aim to:

• Build cultural capital by broadening children’s understanding of language and communication.
• Create inclusive environments where all students, regardless of their abilities, can learn and communicate together.
• Foster social responsibility by encouraging empathy, understanding, and social justice, in line with Freire’s critical pedagogy.
• Encourage lifelong learning by equipping students with a valuable, practical skill that enhances their future opportunities and fosters a love for diverse forms of communication.

Together, through the teaching of British Sign Language, we prepare our children to step forward with love, peace, and hope in their hearts, ready to embrace a future full of possibility, compassion, and understanding.