{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/781788.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":781788,"attributes":{"action":"Make British Sign Language (BSL) compulsory in high schools in England","background":"The Government should make British Sign Language (BSL) a compulsory lesson in secondary schools across England, ensuring pupils have regular opportunities to learn and develop practical BSL communication skills.","additional_details":"This petition calls for British Sign Language (BSL) to become a compulsory lesson in secondary schools across England. Deaf people face communication barriers every day, yet most hearing people leave school unable to communicate with them. Teaching BSL from an early age would break down these barriers, promote equality and inclusion, improve understanding of Deaf culture and give every young person a valuable life skill they can use throughout their lives.","committee_note":null,"state":"open","signature_count":29,"closing_date":"2027-04-07","created_at":"2026-09-13T10:50:32.838Z","updated_at":"2026-10-09T09:05:10.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-10-07T14:56:23.323Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-09-14T12:56:30.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"Lewis McKenzie","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"DfE","name":"Department for Education","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":29}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Bournemouth West","ons_code":"E14001116","mp":"Jessica Toale MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Bridgwater","ons_code":"E14001126","mp":"Sir Ashley Fox MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Chesterfield","ons_code":"E14001165","mp":"Mr Toby Perkins MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Wiltshire","ons_code":"E14001217","mp":"Danny Kruger MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Worthing and Shoreham","ons_code":"E14001218","mp":"Tom Rutland MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Gillingham and Rainham","ons_code":"E14001246","mp":"Naushabah Khan MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Heywood and Middleton North","ons_code":"E14001286","mp":"Mrs Elsie Blundell MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Ipswich","ons_code":"E14001302","mp":"Jack Abbott MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Kingswinford and South Staffordshire","ons_code":"E14001316","mp":"Mike Wood MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"North Cornwall","ons_code":"E14001385","mp":"Ben Maguire MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"North Devon","ons_code":"E14001387","mp":"Ian Roome MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Preston","ons_code":"E14001433","mp":"Sir Mark Hendrick MP","signature_count":15},{"name":"Ribble Valley","ons_code":"E14001443","mp":"Maya Ellis MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Skipton and Ripon","ons_code":"E14001475","mp":"Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Stalybridge and Hyde","ons_code":"E14001515","mp":"Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP","signature_count":1}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"North West","ons_code":"B","signature_count":18},{"name":"Yorkshire and The Humber","ons_code":"D","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Midlands","ons_code":"E","signature_count":1},{"name":"West Midlands","ons_code":"F","signature_count":1},{"name":"East of England","ons_code":"G","signature_count":1},{"name":"South East","ons_code":"J","signature_count":2},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":5}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}