School uses British Sign Language in nativity
BBCPupils at a school in Cornwall have been learning British Sign Language (BSL) as part of their Christmas nativity play.
"All of the staff, the children, they've immersed themselves in learning sign language," said Janine Clemence, a teaching assistant in year four at St Michael's Primary School in Helston.
"To see the children signing like they do it just makes my heart melt, it's wonderful."
British Sign Language (BSL) is not currently part of the national curriculum but schools can choose to teach it.
Several members of staff at the school, including teachers, teaching assistants and receptionists, have qualifications in BSL.
Miss Clemence, who is deaf, said: "A new child might watch me signing and then before you know it they're starting to produce sign themselves.
"That's why it's so important to have a deaf role model in a mainstream school."
Out of the 320 pupils at the school, four of them are deaf.
When some of the children were asked how they felt about learning to sign at school they signed: "We love signing with our friends."
Miss Clemence said: "My vision really is for all mainstream schools to use British Sign Language because British Sign Language is not just for deaf people.
"It is a language that's beneficial in so many way helping children read, helping children communicate in a variety of ways."
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