STUDENTS at Bournemouth’s Talbot Heath School are being offered a sign language course following an inspirational visit from a former pupil.

Professor Anne Baker received a knighthood last year from the King of the Netherlands for her work with linguistics and the deaf community.

After her visit, head teacher Angharad Holloway decided to introduce the course at the independent girls’ school.

She said she believes it is “beneficial to be able to communicate in this way and important to offer this to the school community, where we have pupils with impaired hearing.”

And she added: “It is also beneficial for their understanding of the wider community.”

The ten-week course will allow those taking part to learn the basics of British Sign Language and so far the pupils have learnt the alphabet and a variety of greetings, as well as understanding how the structure of sign language differs from spoken English.

Lower 5 pupil Rosie Cousins said she had found the course interesting so far and added: “I would like to go into teaching when I’m older and felt this was a valuable skill to have as well as being great fun and experiencing a different teaching style.”