Teachers at a Bradford primary school have given up their free time to learn sign language so they can offer more help to deaf children.

Girlington Primary is a mainstream school but also acts as a designated centre for youngsters with a hearing impairment, and gets extra funding.

Around 20 of the youngsters are profoundly deaf and are taught in normal classes alongside other children.

They are helped by specialised support staff, including teacher of the deaf Paul Rafter - but other teachers are also keen to get involved. A group of 11 decided to sit night classes in British Sign Language and have now achieved the Stage One qualification.

People with Stage One BSL must have achieved a good standard and be able to maintain a conversation in sign language. Their achievement brings to 19 the number of Girlington staff who are fluent in British Sign Language, either at Stages One, Two or Three (the level reached by interpreters).

"Staff have done it in their own time, and it's a positive, inclusive thing," said head teacher Sue Wood. "I think it's very unusual."

The staff were taught by Mr Rafter, who is himself deaf and communicates with sign language. He is employed at the school to work with profoundly deaf children. "He is a good role model for the children," Mrs Wood said.

The school is one of six in the district designated a centre for special needs children.

"It means we can take more profoundly deaf children than a normal primary school could," Mrs Wood said. "There's a good choice available for families in Bradford. Many people want their children to go into a mainstream school, whatever their special needs are."

The school, which also has Beacon status, has hi-tech facilities to ensure deaf children don't miss out in lessons or in the day-to-day life of the school.

Every classroom and the school hall is equipped with the Soundfield system, where class teachers wear headsets linked to speaker systems. That means children at the back of the class can hear as clearly as those at the front.

All assemblies are translated into sign language.

Acting deputy head teacher Kathryn Swales was one of the teachers to sit the Thursday evening night class to gain the Stage One sign language exam.

"It's very alien at first because you can't write it down, and you are used to writing things down to record them," she said.

"I had three children in my class who were hearing impaired, it was great to be able to practise with them."