BSL Interpreter for School

Provision of BSL Interpreter for School Events Saint Benedict CVA

  • Under sections 20 and 29 Equality Act 2010, Deaf people who use sign language have a legal right to request a fully qualified British Sign Language interpreter as a service to the public to assist with their communication needs, as a reasonable adjustment.
  • The Equality Act requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments (changes) to enable someone to access services, and ensure they are not put at a substantial disadvantage.
  • When considering the reasonable adjustment consideration must be given to how effective the adjustment will be, how practical is it for the service provider to make the adjustment and what are the financial or other costs of making the adjustment.

Any parent or student with a hearing impairment is entitled to provision of a BSL interpreter when attending events at Saint Benedict CVA under the Equality Act 2010.

When a school production, performance or presentation is scheduled school will provide a qualified BSL interpreter to enable any students or parents who communicate through BSL to access the activity. For school productions a BSL interpreter will be allocated to one of the evenings the performance is showcased on and parents will be informed which one this is.

If parents who are deaf and use BSL wish to speak to members of school staff school will provide a qualified BSL interpreter when given sufficient notice of the meeting. Attempts will always be made to provide a BSL interpreter for any meeting but if an appropriate interpreter can not be found an alternative meeting time or method of communication will be sought.

When parents evening is organised school will provide a BSL interpreter to be available to support parents.

However if there is more than one parent requiring support, school will not be in a position to provide several interpreters as this is not a reasonable adjustment as it would incur substantial cost to the school. If parents wish to work together to make most effective use of the interpreter(s) available we are happy to support them to do so eg to prioritise pupils whose parents require interpreters having their appointments at certain times for parents evenings.

If parents wish to make their own arrangements for interpreters they are very welcome to do so and the school will accommodate additional interpreters at events where these are booked by parents.