All secondary school pupils in England will soon be able to do a GCSE in British Sign Language, the Government has confirmed.
The groundbreaking new GCSE will give pupils at schools nationwide – including those right across Greater Manchester – the opportunity to learn how to “effectively communicate” using British Sign Language (BSL).
Set to provide students with what the Government has dubbed “an important life skill”, and being introduced with the aim of “advancing inclusivity within education”, the news that the new qualification will be available from 2025 comes following a 12-week public consultation.
The Department for Education (DfE) says it received “overwhelmingly positive support” for introducing the new GCSE from parents, teachers and organisations from the deaf and hearing communities – with their responses from the consultation said to be going towards helping ensure the content of the qualification is “knowledge-rich, diverse in its teaching, and challenging”.
The Government is aiming for the BSL GCSE to have exam board syllabuses approved from the start of the academic term in September 2025.
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In line with all other qualifications, the BSL GCSE will be open to all pupils, the Government has confirmed.
It will also be recognised and accepted in all school and college performance tables.
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Set to be an internationally recognised qualification, the Government says that pupils who study the new BSL GCSE will get to develop ways of expressing and negotiating meaning through visual spatial language, as well effective communication and visual memory skills that will be an advantage to them for the rest of their lives.
As well as learning how to sign, the GCSE will also give students an understanding of the history of sign language in the UK to provide them with “a solid foundation” for understanding how the language reached its current form.
“Studying British Sign Language can open so many doors for young people,” commented Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, as the new qualification was announced this week.
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“It will give pupils an understanding of how thousands of people communicate and ultimately even expanding job prospects.”
Ms Keegan said the new qualification will “not only break down barriers and give young people valuable new skills”, but also “celebrate the history and rich culture of British Sign Language.”
Co-op Live confirms cancellations caused by part of air conditioning unit ‘falling from ceiling’
Daisy Jackson
The Co-op Live arena has confirmed the cause of tonight’s last-minute gig cancellation and subsequent postponement of future shows.
Reports said that an object had ‘fallen from the ceiling’ before doors to the public officially opened.
Co-op Live has now confirmed that ‘a component of the air conditioning system’ separated from the ductwork, and stressed that no one was injured.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, the artist who was meant to perform tonight, had said that ‘something happened with the venue while I was at soundcheck today’.
Oak View Group, which owns the venue, said that it had ‘made the necessary call to ensure the full safety of all visitors to the venue to postpone the performance’.
Tim Leiweke, Chairman and CEO of Oak View Group said: “The safety and security of all visiting and working on Co-op Live is our utmost priority, and we could not and will not run any event until it is absolutely safe to do so.
“Today was a very unexpected situation but without a doubt the right decision.
“I deeply apologise for the impact that this has had on ticket holders and fans.”
It’s believed that the issue with the HVAC system was an isolated incident ’caused by a factory defect’.
Co-op Live said: “We were not able to verify that all similar nozzles were free of such defects.
“In conjunction with wider stakeholders, Oak View Group has made the necessary call to ensure the full safety of all visitors to the venue, and to postpone the performance.”
The rest of the nozzles inside the huge arena will now be tested for similar defects.
They said in a statement: “We understand the need to reassure fans over future shows. We are working with artist management and promoters to limit the impact on the opening season schedule.
“Where necessary, we will identify alternate dates, and will continually reassess to provide fans with sufficient notice regarding imminent shows.
“Should shows be cancelled or rescheduled, fans will be contacted by their point of purchase and offered a full refund where preferred.”
Olivia Rodrigo’s two Manchester shows at Co-op Live have been postponed
Daisy Jackson
Olivia Rodrigo’s shows at Co-op Live in Manchester have been postponed after a night of drama for the new arena.
The star was meant to bring her GUTS Tour to the city on Friday and Saturday night.
But the huge 23,500-capacity arena has now confirmed that both of these gigs will be postponed.
New dates will be announced as soon as they’re confirmed.
Co-op Live said in a statement: “Due to an on-going venue-related technical issue, the scheduled performances of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour on 3rd and 4th May are being postponed.
“Ticket holders can either hold onto their tickets or obtain a refund from their point of purchase.
“We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”
The massive arena was supposed to open for the first time to the public tonight with a performance by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
But it was called off at the eleventh hour, with fans turned away from the doors just minutes before they were meant to open.
Co-op Live has now confirmed that the reason for the cancellation was that a piece of the HVAC (air conditioning) system had ‘separated from the ductwork’.
Rigorous testing on the rest of the system now needs to take place before fans can safely be welcomed inside.
Olivia Rodrigo has yet to issue a statement about her Manchester shows on 3 and 4 May being postponed.