“When I meet hearing children who can sign, I feel happy and confident,” says Emmanuel, seven.

“I want to teach everyone British sign language – the whole world.”

Faiza, 11, says: “If children learnt more sign, it would mean I’d try to play with them more. Communication would be easier.

“If my hearing friends didn’t sign, I would feel lonely and sad.”

For these deaf children at Blanche Nevile School in north London, helping hearing peers learn British sign language (BSL) is a chance to break down barriers and make new friends.  More