First Gaelic Medium Unit for Caithness
The first Gaelic Medium Unit in Caithness is set to open at the start of the new school session in August. It will be located at Pennyland Primary School, Thurso, where accommodation is available to house the new unit.
The Highland Council is currently advertising for a teacher for the unit and is optimistic that the post will be filled next month.
Pupils will progress to Pennyland Primary following their nursery education at Mount Pleasant Primary, Thurso, which will continue to accommodate the nursery unit.
Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chairman of the Council’s Gaelic Committee, chaired a meeting at Pennyland Primary School on Wednesday night of parents and staff of the Thurso Croileagan (Gaelic Medium Nursery) Also present were Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of the Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee; Hugh Fraser, Director of Education, Culture and Sport and Graham Nichols, Area Education, Culture and Sport Manager.
He said: “The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the future Gaelic Medium provision following requests from parents for Gaelic Medium primary education. Commitment has been received from nine parents and an exercise conducted to identify a Thurso primary school which could accommodate the current demand and have the capacity to cope with increased demand in the future. Parents were advised the Council is fully committed to the provision and that accommodation has been identified within Pennyland Primary School.
“I am very pleased with this development and believe that this is a large step forward in Gaelic Medium provision and look forward to coming back in 2010 to see children from the provision participating in the Royal National Mod.”
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