Although I'm not sure I'd have taken it at GCSE it would have been brilliant for BSL to be a standard part of the curriculum in primary & secondary school! I once worked with a deaf colleague and it would've been so good if I had more than incredibly basic BSL at that time! I'm also hoping Natural History sticks because it's the kind of thing I have a feeling my 8yo will want to opt for when she's older!
We were taught the BSL alphabet in Brownies and it's 100% the only thing I did there that's stuck (apart from skipping round a fake mushroom and promising to do my best. 🍄)
As the daughter of a teacher named Mrs Coombs, reading this really stopped me in my tracks 🤣
I totally agree with you. I wish I knew BSL (my stepmum taught me turtle and prawn because she remembers those from school) as it's such an important life skill to have.
The only skill I think I can trace directly back to my education days is my Spanish. I got an A* at GCSE but really didn't learn the language properly until I studied it at A Level and I can still understand it and speak a little now, despite not going anywhere near Spain for years.
I currently work with a special school that works with pupils who have had really tough lives and/or don't thrive in mainstream education. They will find a qualification for ANYTHING a student wants to learn - some of them are currently doing astronomy at GCSE!
Wow my daughter would love that. She’s an autistic teenager and her only interest is in all things South Korea so that would be perfect for her. Mainstream school is otherwise shit for engaging kids who have special interests that lie outwith the curriculum
Wow she’d definitely love this then! I completely agree with you, mainstream school works for virtually no one nowadays but particularly those with additional needs.
The school I work with prioritises needs over education and was actually criticised by Ofsted for not following the curriculum accurately enough - they were proud of this because it meant they’re putting their students’ needs first!
Absolutely love this approach. My daughter will probably leave school with little to no qualifications which is so sad when they could be engaging her in subjects that are meaningful to her and enable her to succeed
Although I'm not sure I'd have taken it at GCSE it would have been brilliant for BSL to be a standard part of the curriculum in primary & secondary school! I once worked with a deaf colleague and it would've been so good if I had more than incredibly basic BSL at that time! I'm also hoping Natural History sticks because it's the kind of thing I have a feeling my 8yo will want to opt for when she's older!
We were taught the BSL alphabet in Brownies and it's 100% the only thing I did there that's stuck (apart from skipping round a fake mushroom and promising to do my best. 🍄)
100% would have taken BSL if it was an option. Always wanted to learn. Think it’s a great addition :)
Can’t say my A*s from the 90s have proven that useful in life either 😂
As the daughter of a teacher named Mrs Coombs, reading this really stopped me in my tracks 🤣
I totally agree with you. I wish I knew BSL (my stepmum taught me turtle and prawn because she remembers those from school) as it's such an important life skill to have.
The only skill I think I can trace directly back to my education days is my Spanish. I got an A* at GCSE but really didn't learn the language properly until I studied it at A Level and I can still understand it and speak a little now, despite not going anywhere near Spain for years.
I currently work with a special school that works with pupils who have had really tough lives and/or don't thrive in mainstream education. They will find a qualification for ANYTHING a student wants to learn - some of them are currently doing astronomy at GCSE!
Wow my daughter would love that. She’s an autistic teenager and her only interest is in all things South Korea so that would be perfect for her. Mainstream school is otherwise shit for engaging kids who have special interests that lie outwith the curriculum
Wow she’d definitely love this then! I completely agree with you, mainstream school works for virtually no one nowadays but particularly those with additional needs.
The school I work with prioritises needs over education and was actually criticised by Ofsted for not following the curriculum accurately enough - they were proud of this because it meant they’re putting their students’ needs first!
Absolutely love this approach. My daughter will probably leave school with little to no qualifications which is so sad when they could be engaging her in subjects that are meaningful to her and enable her to succeed
It is such a shame, isn't it? The education system has failed, and continues to fail, so many.
Interestingly I can also sign my name in BSL and sign orange 🍊