Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the accessibility of British Sign Language (a) classes and (b) qualifications for parents with deaf children who are ineligible for the adult education budget.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government understands the great importance of British Sign Language (BSL) for bridging barriers to communication between hearing and deaf people. The department also appreciates the vital need for families with deaf children to be able to access BSL courses, as early access to language is essential to help children learn and thrive.
Funding is available through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) for qualifications in or focusing on BSL up to, and including, Level 2. These qualifications include the Level 1 Award in BSL, which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use, thereby giving them the basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or are expected to meet part of the cost through co-funding.
For qualifications at Level 3 and above, Advanced Learner Loans (ALLs) are available for certain BSL qualifications. Individuals can access information on which qualifications are eligible at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search. More general information about the provision of ALLs is available at: https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan. If undertaking a BSL qualification that leads to a master’s level qualification, eligible students can access a postgraduate loan, as long as they have not previously accessed the postgraduate loan product, or already hold a Level 7 qualification. Several universities and organisations offer such qualifications.
For parents learning BSL on an AEB funded course, there is also additional support available. The AEB provides funding to colleges and providers to help adult learners overcome barriers preventing them from accessing learning. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment, and childcare. Learning support funding also helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
The government has not assessed the accessibility of BSL classes and qualifications for those who are ineligible for the AEB. In areas where the AEB is devolved, it is for the Mayoral Combined Authority or Greater London Authority to decide how funding is spent.
In the rest of the country the Education and Skills Funding Agency manages the AEB. Learners who are employed and earn above the low wage threshold can be co-funded to complete provision up to, and including, Level 2, meaning that government pays a 50% contribution to the course cost. This includes some BSL qualifications. For these learners, the department suggests contacting the education provider regarding enrolment and payment processes. Apart from the statutory entitlements, it is for AEB providers to choose how they wish to prioritise funding within their AEB allocations.
In addition, on 15 June, the department launched a public consultation on the proposed subject content for a new GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL). The aim is for first teaching of the GCSE to take place from September 2025. The aim is that by introducing this new GCSE, more schools and colleges will choose to teach BSL in turn, increasing the number of BSL users and advance equality of opportunity.
The table below contains adult (19+) further education (FE) and skills learning aim enrolments from the 2017/18 academic year onwards that have ‘British Sign Language’ or ‘BSL’ in their aim title. Additional breakdowns are provided for education and training learning, and for learners declaring themselves as hearing impaired. The department does not hold information as to whether the learners taking these aims have deaf children.
Adult (19+) learning aim enrolments with ‘BSL’ or ‘British Sign Language’ in the title
Academic year | Further education and skills | Education and training | Education and training up to level 2 | |
All enrolments | of which hearing impaired. | |||
2017/18 | 2,010 | 1,990 | 1,910 | 90 |
2018/19 | 2,130 | 2,100 | 2,020 | 140 |
2019/20 | 1,520 | 1,510 | 1,430 | 120 |
2020/21 | 1,030 | 1,010 | 970 | 90 |
2021/22 | 1,050 | 1,050 | 1,030 | 90 |
To Note:
1) Figures rounded to the nearest 10
2) Data Source is the Individualised Learner Record.
3) Education and training aim enrolments includes learning funded via the AEB
4) Learners have the option to record a single instance of a primary learning difficulty or disability on the ILR, which we are reporting here. It will not include learners with a hearing impairment that do not wish to declare their disability, or who have multiple disabilities and do not declare a hearing impairment as their primary disability.
5) Aim enrolments are a count of enrolments at aims level (including component aims) for each academic year. Learners are counted for each aim they are studying and so, can be counted more than once. It is not a count of unique learners. Care should be taken when interpreting different learner characteristics as they could be repeated where a learner does more than one aim.
FE within the FE and skills and apprenticeship and traineeships publications covers learners who are studying courses in a FE College, with a training provider or within their local community. It also includes employees undertaking an apprenticeship or other qualification in the workplace. Education and training are mainly classroom-based adult FE that is not classed as an apprenticeship, community learning or workplace learning. It can also include distance learning or e-learning. It includes traineeships and offender learning.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many qualifications in British Sign Language up to Level 2 have been (a) undertaken by and (b) funded through the adult education budget for (i) deaf learners and (ii) the parents of deaf children in each of the last five years.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government understands the great importance of British Sign Language (BSL) for bridging barriers to communication between hearing and deaf people. The department also appreciates the vital need for families with deaf children to be able to access BSL courses, as early access to language is essential to help children learn and thrive.
Funding is available through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) for qualifications in or focusing on BSL up to, and including, Level 2. These qualifications include the Level 1 Award in BSL, which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use, thereby giving them the basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or are expected to meet part of the cost through co-funding.
For qualifications at Level 3 and above, Advanced Learner Loans (ALLs) are available for certain BSL qualifications. Individuals can access information on which qualifications are eligible at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search. More general information about the provision of ALLs is available at: https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan. If undertaking a BSL qualification that leads to a master’s level qualification, eligible students can access a postgraduate loan, as long as they have not previously accessed the postgraduate loan product, or already hold a Level 7 qualification. Several universities and organisations offer such qualifications.
For parents learning BSL on an AEB funded course, there is also additional support available. The AEB provides funding to colleges and providers to help adult learners overcome barriers preventing them from accessing learning. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment, and childcare. Learning support funding also helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
The government has not assessed the accessibility of BSL classes and qualifications for those who are ineligible for the AEB. In areas where the AEB is devolved, it is for the Mayoral Combined Authority or Greater London Authority to decide how funding is spent.
In the rest of the country the Education and Skills Funding Agency manages the AEB. Learners who are employed and earn above the low wage threshold can be co-funded to complete provision up to, and including, Level 2, meaning that government pays a 50% contribution to the course cost. This includes some BSL qualifications. For these learners, the department suggests contacting the education provider regarding enrolment and payment processes. Apart from the statutory entitlements, it is for AEB providers to choose how they wish to prioritise funding within their AEB allocations.
In addition, on 15 June, the department launched a public consultation on the proposed subject content for a new GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL). The aim is for first teaching of the GCSE to take place from September 2025. The aim is that by introducing this new GCSE, more schools and colleges will choose to teach BSL in turn, increasing the number of BSL users and advance equality of opportunity.
The table below contains adult (19+) further education (FE) and skills learning aim enrolments from the 2017/18 academic year onwards that have ‘British Sign Language’ or ‘BSL’ in their aim title. Additional breakdowns are provided for education and training learning, and for learners declaring themselves as hearing impaired. The department does not hold information as to whether the learners taking these aims have deaf children.
Adult (19+) learning aim enrolments with ‘BSL’ or ‘British Sign Language’ in the title
Academic year | Further education and skills | Education and training | Education and training up to level 2 | |
All enrolments | of which hearing impaired. | |||
2017/18 | 2,010 | 1,990 | 1,910 | 90 |
2018/19 | 2,130 | 2,100 | 2,020 | 140 |
2019/20 | 1,520 | 1,510 | 1,430 | 120 |
2020/21 | 1,030 | 1,010 | 970 | 90 |
2021/22 | 1,050 | 1,050 | 1,030 | 90 |
To Note:
1) Figures rounded to the nearest 10
2) Data Source is the Individualised Learner Record.
3) Education and training aim enrolments includes learning funded via the AEB
4) Learners have the option to record a single instance of a primary learning difficulty or disability on the ILR, which we are reporting here. It will not include learners with a hearing impairment that do not wish to declare their disability, or who have multiple disabilities and do not declare a hearing impairment as their primary disability.
5) Aim enrolments are a count of enrolments at aims level (including component aims) for each academic year. Learners are counted for each aim they are studying and so, can be counted more than once. It is not a count of unique learners. Care should be taken when interpreting different learner characteristics as they could be repeated where a learner does more than one aim.
FE within the FE and skills and apprenticeship and traineeships publications covers learners who are studying courses in a FE College, with a training provider or within their local community. It also includes employees undertaking an apprenticeship or other qualification in the workplace. Education and training are mainly classroom-based adult FE that is not classed as an apprenticeship, community learning or workplace learning. It can also include distance learning or e-learning. It includes traineeships and offender learning.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to improve access to British Sign Language classes for families of children who suffer from hearing impairment.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Access to British Sign Language (BSL) classes is funded through the adult education budget (AEB) for qualifications in or focussing on BSL up to and including level 2. About 60% of the AEB has been devolved to mayoral combined authorities and the Greater London Authority, who determine which provision to fund for learners who live in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas.
ESFA-funded AEB qualifications include, for example, the Level 1 Award in BSL which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use, thereby giving them the basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or expected to meet part of the cost through co-funding. Where community learning providers offer BSL courses, those providers are responsible for determining the course fees, including levels of fee remission.
For some BSL courses, Advanced Learner Loans (ALLs) are available, and parents can find more information about which qualifications are eligible at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search. More general information about the provision of ALLs is available at: https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan.
For parents learning BSL on an AEB-funded course, there is also additional support available. The AEB provides funding to colleges and providers to help adult learners overcome barriers preventing them from accessing learning. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment, and childcare. Learning support funding also helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a reasonable adjustment disability passport template to facilitate people with disabilities when changing employers and in recording their workplace requirements.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The DWP has worked with stakeholders to develop a series of Adjustments Passports to support disabled people, and those with a health condition, with the transitions into employment and between jobs. The Adjustments Passport provides the individual with a living document of their adjustments and working requirements, it empowers the holder to have more structured conversations about their disability with their employer, raises awareness of Access to Work, and where an application is made it helps to reduce the need for an assessment.
Since May 2022, a new Health Adjustments Passport has been rolled out in Jobcentres to support disabled jobseekers to have more structured conversations about their disability and in-work support needs with their Work Coach.
In July 2023, the Service Leavers Adjustments Passport was launched to support those leaving the services with an injury, disability, or health condition, with the transition into civilian employment.
Following a successful trial in 3 universities, the Universities Adjustments Passport will be rolled out from September 2023 to support graduates with the transition into employment by signposting to Access to Work, enabling students to make informed career choices and achieve their aspirations.
We continue to develop the concept of the passport and this year we are piloting an Adjustments Passport for young disabled people on vocational programmes and developing a British Sign Language Adjustments Passport.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of deaf children were enrolled on a British Sign Language course in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
British Sign Language (BSL) is an important language for communication for many deaf people and people with hearing impairments. Schools are free to offer sign language programmes to meet the needs of their pupils if they wish. The department does not hold data on the proportion of deaf children enrolled on BSL courses. New subject content for a BSL GCSE has been developed by the department, together with Ofqual and subject experts. The department launched a 12 week public consultation on the draft subject content on 15 June 2023. Details of the public consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/gcse-british-sign-language-bsl-proposed-subject-content. The aim is for the GCSE to be first taught from September 2025.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to help parents of deaf children to be able to learn sign language; and if her Department is coordinating work with local authorities on this issue.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government understands the great importance of British Sign Language (BSL) for bridging barriers to communication between hearing and deaf people. The department appreciates the vital need for families with deaf children to be able to access BSL courses, as early access to language is essential to help children learn and thrive.
Funding is available through the adult education budget (AEB) for qualifications in or focussing on BSL up to and including level 2. These qualifications include, for example, the Level 1 Award in BSL, which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use, thereby giving them the basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or expected to meet part of the cost, through co-funding.
For some BSL courses, advanced learner loans (ALLs) are available, and parents can find more information about which qualifications are eligible at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search. More general information about the provision of ALLs is available at: https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan.
For parents learning BSL on an AEB-funded course, there is also additional support available. The AEB provides funding to colleges and providers to help adult learners overcome barriers preventing them from accessing learning. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment, and childcare. Learning support funding also helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
About 60% of the AEB has been devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Mayor of London, acting where appropriate through the Greater London Authority. These authorities determine which provision to fund for learners who live in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas. It is up to providers to decide what provision they offer. Where community learning providers offer BSL courses, those providers are responsible for determining the course fees, including levels of fee remission.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many parents of deaf children participated in British sign language courses that were funded through the adult education budget in Greenwich and Bexley in each of the last three years.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
About 60% of the adult education budget (AEB) has been devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority, which includes Greenwich and Bexley. Devolved areas decide how to make best use of AEB provision to meet learner needs of their areas and decide which providers to contract with to deliver AEB-funded learning.
According to data held by the department on the Individualised Learner Record, there were 10 adult (19+) education and training learning aim enrolments in the 2021/22 academic year by learners living in the London Borough of Bexley or the London Borough of Greenwich with ‘British Sign Language’ or ‘BSL’ in their aim title. In 2020/21, there were 10 enrolments and in 2019/20 there were 20. The department does not hold information as to whether the learners taking these aims have deaf children. Further clarity on use of the AEB in London may be provided by the Greater London Authority.
These figures do not correspond to learners, as learners may enrol on multiple aims. Additionally, these are funded adult (19+) education and training aim enrolments, so they will include AEB-funded learning, as well as other funding provision, such as advanced learner loans.
Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of British Sign Language classes for parents of (a) deaf children and (b) children with hearing loss who are ineligible for grants under the adult education budget; and what alternative steps the Government is taking to help support those parents to learn how to communicate with their children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The government has not assessed the accessibility of British Sign Language (BSL) classes for those who are ineligible for the adult education budget (AEB). However, the AEB targets a wide range of individuals, including, but not limited to, UK nationals, other non-UK nationals, certain EU nationals and their family members, and individuals with certain types of immigration status (such as refugee status and those with indefinite leave to remain) and some asylum seekers.
Funding is available through the AEB for qualifications in or focussing on BSL up to and including level 2. About 60% of the AEB has been devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority, who determine which provision to fund for learners who live in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas, which includes St Ives Constituency.
ESFA funded AEB qualifications include, for example, the Level 1 Award in BSL which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use, thereby giving them the basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or expected to meet part of the cost, through co-funding. Where community learning providers offer BSL courses, those providers are responsible for determining the course fees, including levels of fee remission.
For parents learning BSL on an AEB funded course, there is also additional support available. The AEB provides funding to colleges and providers to help adult learners overcome barriers preventing them from accessing learning. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment, and childcare. Learning support funding also helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing free British Sign Language classes to the families of all deaf children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Funding is available through the adult education budget (AEB) for qualifications in or focussing on British Sign Language (BSL), up to and including level 2. About 60% of the AEB has been devolved to mayoral combined authorities and the Greater London Authority, who determine which provision to fund for learners who live in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas.
ESFA-funded AEB qualifications include, for example, the Level 1 Award in BSL which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or expected to meet part of the cost, through co-funding. Where community learning providers offer BSL courses, those providers are responsible for determining the course fees.
On 15 June 2023, the department launched a public consultation on the proposed subject content for a new GCSE in BSL. The department’s aim is for first teaching of the GCSE to take place from September 2025. Our aim is that by introducing this new GCSE, more schools and colleges will choose to teach BSL which will, in turn, increase the number of BSL users and advance equality of opportunity.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish an action plan on steps to help local education authorities expand the provision of sign language courses for families of deaf children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Funding is available through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) for qualifications in, or focusing on, British Sign Language (BSL) up to and including level 2. Approximately 60% of the AEB has been devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority, who determine which provision to fund for learners who live in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas.
ESFA funded AEB qualifications include, for example, the level 1 Award in BSL which allows learners to communicate in BSL on a range of topics that involve simple, everyday language use, thereby giving them the basic skills and confidence in production and reception of BSL. It will depend on an individual’s circumstances as to whether they are entitled to free provision or expected to meet part of the cost through co-funding. Where community learning providers offer BSL courses, those providers are responsible for determining the course fees, including levels of fee remission. Some local authorities receive a funding allocation as part of the AEB, depending on the circumstances in each area.
For some BSL courses, Advanced Learner Loans (ALLs) are available. Parents can find more information about which qualifications are eligible at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search. More general information about the provision of ALLs is available at: https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan.
For parents learning BSL on an AEB funded course, there is also additional support available. The AEB provides funding to colleges and providers to help adult learners overcome barriers preventing them from accessing learning. Providers have discretion to help learners meet costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment, and childcare. Learning support funding also helps colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.