Putting Gaelic Education on the Map

21st August 2013

Gaelic Education Map

Highland Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chair of the Gaelic Implementation Group will today launch an online map which shows where the Council provides Gaelic Education in Nurseries and Playgroups, and in Primary and Secondary Schools.

The map is a welcome addition to the Council’s public information resources. It will be particularly useful for parents, both in Highland and those considering moving to the Highlands, to see where they can source Gaelic Education at a glance.

The online map shows where all the Gaelic Nursery and Playgroup provision, both Council and partner centres are based, including the number of children attending each of the centres.

The map displays the areas where Gaelic Primary School provision is located, the number of pupils attending, and the Associated Secondary Schools where Gaelic is taught.

The resource also highlights the Gaelic Secondary provision, including the number of pupils studying subjects through the medium of Gaelic, those studying Gàidhlig as fluent speakers, and those studying Gaelic as Learners.

For those interested in learning Gaelic in their community, outside formal 3-18 education, there is also a contact e-mail address for those who wish to know about Gaelic classes or general Gaelic activities in communities.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chairman of Gaelic Implementation Group said: “This is an excellent resource and I am sure it will be a valuable tool for the public and for parents. The information on the number of pupils in each location also demonstrates the Council’s commitment to Gaelic Education. We are pleased to provide a new service by informing parents of where we currently have Gaelic provision, providing the opportunity for children to receive bilingual education through Gaelic Education”.

The online map available from www.highland.gov.uk also contributes to the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan which aims to create and maintain a sustainable and seamless Gaelic Education provision from Pre-school through to Primary school and on to Secondary education in order to develop a solid foundation for Gaelic Education, language and culture in a strategically placed network of schools across the Highland area.

Earlier Item
30/7/2013
Significant milestone for Gaelic Medium Education in Caithness
The first Gaelic Medium Primary School Department in Caithness is to open at the start of the new school session on Tuesday 20 August, providing the language with a significant boost in the county.

It will be based at Mount Pleasant Primary School, Thurso, which is home to an active Gaelic Medium nursery, with 19 children.

Seven pupils from the nursery have enrolled in Primary 1 and they will be the first to be taught via the medium of Gaelic, under the guidance of Gaelic Medium teacher Mrs Gwen Bowie.

The intention is to expand the numbers, year on year and in seven years' time to enable pupils to continue learning via the medium of Gaelic at Thurso High School.

Council Leader Drew Hendry, said the opening of the primary school unit demonstrated the Council's commitment to promoting Gaelic through education.

He said: "This is great news for Gaelic Medium education and a real breakthrough for the language in Caithness. There is a healthy number of parents wishing to educate their children via the medium of Gaelic, which augurs well for the future. We are delighted to welcome Mrs Bowie to the School and, with an active feeder at the nursery, look forward to the provision developing over the years."

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chair of the Council's Gaelic Implementation Group, added his delight at the significant milestone in the development of Gaelic Medium Education in the Highlands.

He said: "This underlines the Council's stated aims to developing Gaelic Medium Education in our Gaelic Language Plan. Clearly, we are beginning to reap the benefits of Thurso having staged the National Mod in 2010 and also by parents being aware of the significant educational benefits of bilingualism. These, along with other artistic and cultural factors, are seeing more and more parents opting to have their children taught in Gaelic."

Wick Councillor Bill Fernie, formerly chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport committee in the previous administration said,"This has been a long time coming and might hav been in place previously if it had been possible to recruit a Gaelic teacher. now things can move forward and it is likely we will begion to see an expansion of Gaelic in Caithness - long awaited by many parents."

Earlier
4 January 2013
£4 million funding boost for Gaelic

The Scottish Government will provide an additional £4 million to support Gaelic and improve Gaelic schools across Scotland.

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Gaelic College has been awarded £3 million to secure a long term future for the college and surrounding area. The funding will help develop the new village of Kilbeg near the Skye campus to provide more education, residential and business accommodation to ensure the long-term regeneration of the area.

Additional funding of £1 million will be available for local authorities across the country to bid in to through the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund to support new or expanded Gaelic medium education.

Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages Alasdair Allan said:“Sabhal Mòr Ostaig makes an important contribution to the area beyond its obvious tuition and promotion of Gaelic. This funding will help create new opportunities for the college and secure its future and to extend its education, cultural and economic role within Skye and throughout Scotland.

“Ongoing improvements to deliver better facilities and infrastructure for Gaelic medium education demonstrates the increasing demand to support young children develop bilingual language skills as part of their natural development.”

Sheriff Roddy John MacLeod, Chair of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, said:“This is wonderful news for Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and indeed for Skye, and we are most grateful to the Scottish Government for recognising the potential of the Kilbeg project and for allocating such a substantial sum to the first phase of the Kilbeg Village development. This funding will allow us to begin to implement our plans for new facilities for the college and the community and to create the infrastructure required for the creation of the Village.

“The College celebrates its 40th anniversary next year and it is apt that Iain Noble’s vision for Sleat and for Sabhal Mòr Ostaig will be taken to a new level of fruition with the commencement of work on the Kilbeg Village project in the Spring of 2013.”

Professor Boyd Robertson, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Principal, added:

“This most welcome news caps an extraordinary year for Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, one in which the College acquired almost 40 acres of land from the Clan Donald Lands Trust thus enabling future extension of its role as the National Centre for Gaelic and agent of linguistic, cultural and economic regeneration locally and nationally.

“We are deeply appreciative of the support given to the Kilbeg project by the First Minister, Deputy First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.”

The funding is part of the £205 million package of construction and maintenance projects to begin this year announced by Finance Secretary John Swinney in December.

Local Authorities across the country who provide Gaelic Medium Education will benefit from an additional £1 million investment to the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund. In the past the fund has allowed for expansion in GME through building schools, renovation of schools, improvements in facilities, and providing demountable classrooms. In the past the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund has supported projects in Argyll and Bute, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland and North Lanarkshire.

The development of Kilbeg will see the development of the first new village in the Highlands and Islands in over 100 years.

Maoineachadh a bharrachd luach £4 millean mu choinneamh na Gàidhlig airson sgoiltean Gàidhlig agus Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ dol a thoirt seachad £4 millean a bharrachd mar thaic dhan Ghàidhlig agus gus sgoiltean Gàidhlig air feadh na h-Alba a leasachadh agus a leudachadh.

Fhuair a’ cholaiste Ghàidhlig, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, £3 millean gus dèanamh cinnteach gun soirbhich leis a’ cholaiste agus an sgìre mun cuairt oirre san ùine fhada. Cuidichidh an t-airgead le bhith dealbh is a’ toirt gu buil Baile ùr na Cille Bige faisg air a’ cholaiste san Eilean Sgitheanach, far an togar tuilleadh ghoireasan foghlaim, gnothachais agus àiteachan-fuirich a nì cinnteach gun tèid an sgìre ath-nuadhachadh sna bliadhnaichean ri thighinn.

Cuideachd, bidh cothrom aig ùghdarrasan ionadail cur a-steach airson cuibhreann de mhaoineachadh a bharrachd luach £1 millean, tro Mhaoin Calpa nan Sgoiltean Gàidhlig, gus cuideachadh le bhith stèidheachadh seirbheis ùr airson foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig no le bhith leudachadh nan seirbheisean a th’ ann mu thràth.

Thuirt Alasdair Allan, am Ministear airson Ionnsachadh, Saidheans agus Cànanan na h-Alba:

“Chan e dìreach na tha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig a’ dèanamh a thaobh ionnsachadh is brosnachadh na Gàidhlig a tha cudromach ach cuideachd tha iad a’ cur gu mòr ri raointean eile. Cuidichidh an t-airgead seo le bhith cruthachadh chothroman ùra don cholaiste agus cuiridh e a’ cholaiste air stèidh chinnteach, agus bidh e comasach don cholaiste barrachd buaidhe a thoirt air foghlam, cultar agus eaconamaidh an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus na h-Alba.

“Tha mar a thathar a’ sìor leasachadh ghoireasan is thoglaichean airson foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a’ sealltainn mar a tha barrachd is barrachd iarrtais ann gus taic a chumail ri foghlam airson clann a tha togail sgilean ann an dà chànan mar phàirt den ionnsachadh aca.”

Thuirt an Siorram Ruaraidh Iain MacLeòid, Cathraiche Sabhal Mòr Ostaig:

“Tha seo na naidheachd mhath dha-rìribh dha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, agus gu dearbh dhan Eilean Sgitheanach. Tha sinn glè thaingeil, gun do thuig Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ bhuaidh a dh’fhaodadh a bhith aig pròiseact na Cille Bige agus gun tug iad dhuinn sùim cho fialaidh mu choinneamh chosgaisean a’ chiad ìre de Bhaile na Cille Bige. Leis a’ mhaoineachadh seo faodaidh sinn tòiseachadh a’ toirt nam planaichean againn gu buil airson goireasan ùra dhan cholaiste agus dhan choimhearsnachd agus gus am bun-structair a chruthachadh a tha dhìth oirnn ann a bhith togail a’ Bhaile.

“An ath bhliadhna, bidh a’ cholaiste a’ comharrachadh gu bheil 40 bliadhna ann bhon a chaidh a stèidheachadh agus tha e gu math iomchaidh gum bi sinn a’ gabhail an ath cheuma, a thaobh na bha Iain Noble a’ miannachadh airson Slèite is Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, nuair a thòisichear ag obair air a’ phròiseact Baile na Cille Bige as t-Earrach 2013.”

Thuirt am Proifeasair Boyd Robasdan, Prionnsapal Sabhal Mòr Ostaig:“Tha sinn a' dèanamh fìor thoileachas ris an naidheachd seo a tha a' crùnadh bliadhna da-rìribh sònraichte do Shabhal Mòr Ostaig, bliadhna anns an d' fhuair a' Cholaiste seilbh air cha mhòr 40 acair de thalamh bho Urras Fearann Chlann Dòmhnaill a cheadaicheas leudachadh san àm ri teachd air a dleastanas mar Ionad Naiseanta na Gàidhlig agus a buaidh mar mheadhan ath bheothachaidh cànain, cultair agus eaconomaidh aig ìre ionadail is nàiseanta.

“Tha sinn a' cur luach mòr air an taic a chaidh a thoirt do phròiseact na Cille Bige leis a' Chiad Mhinistear, an Leas Chiad Mhinistear agus le Rùnaire a' Chabineit airson Foghlaim agus Ionnsachadh Fad-Beatha.”

Tha am maoineachadh seo mar phàirt de chruinneachadh de phròiseactan togail is obair-ghleidhidh luach £205 millean a thòisicheas am-bliadhna agus a chaidh ainmeachadh le Rùnaire an Ionmhais Iain Swinney san Dùbhlachd.

Bidh an £1 millean a bharrachd a thèid a chur ri Maoin Calpa nan Sgoiltean Gàidhlig gu buannachd ùghdarrasan ionadail air feadh na h-Alba a tha tabhann foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Thuige seo tha a’ mhaoin air cuideachadh le bhith leudachadh foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig le bhith togail sgoiltean, ag ath-nuadhachadh sgoiltean, a’ leasachadh ghoireasan, agus a’ ceannach rùmannan-teagaisg so-ghluasaid. Tha Maoin Calpa nan Sgoiltean Gàidhlig air taic a thoirt do phròiseactan ann an Earra-Ghàidheal is Bòd, Dùn Èideann, Glaschu, air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus ann an Lannraig a Tuath.

Nuair a thèid Baile na Cille Bige a thogail, ’s e a’ chiad bhaile ùr a bhios air a thogail air a’ Ghàidhealtachd o chionn còrr is 100 bliadhna.

Scottish Government on Language Learning - May 2013
See - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/ACE/LanguageLearning