Gaelic Primary School education set to expand in Inverness area

Support has been given for the expansion of two Inverness Primary schools to accommodate Gaelic education from The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

Members of the committee today (12 November) agreed that Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis be extended by two classrooms to meet emerging accommodation pressures. They also agreed that depending on the outcome of a statutory consultation on the provision of Gaelic Medium education at Glenurquhart Primary School in Drumnadrochit an outline business case would be produced for additional accommodation at the school.

Brian Hemming, Estates Strategy Manager, Education Culture & Sport, informed members that, based on the current school roll of 126 pupils at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis that the anticipated roll projection for the new academic session in August 2010 will place accommodation pressures on the school.

He said: “The original design and specification of the school anticipated that the
it would be extended at some point and that such an extension could be accommodated with relative ease.”

Discussions with the Council’s Director of Finance and Depute Chief Executive will determine how the Bun-sgoil expansion can be progressed within the terms of the Council’s PPP2 contractual arrangements and its related best value funding options. These options will be presented to Members for consideration at the Education, Culture and Sport Committee in January 2010.

Members also agreed on the terms of a statutory consultation process to establish Gaelic Medium provision at Glenurquhart Primary school. The consultation procedure will include: parents and pupils affected and parents of pre-school pupils; Members of Parliament and Members of the Scottish Parliament; and the local Parent and Community Councils. The outcomes of the consultation will be reported to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee early in 2010.

Mr Hemming said: “If the statutory consultation proves a need for Gaelic Medium education in Dumnadrochit it will be necessary to identify suitable accommodation within or adjacent to Glenurquhart PS. The accommodation required is one classroom, one nursery room, ancillary accommodation and external play area for nursery children at an approximate cost of £500,000 for either extension or demountable unit.

He added: “On the basis that there is no funding for this project within the approved ECS Capital programme an outline business case will be produced in early 2010 for consideration within the corporate Capital review process.”