Key to future of second dedicated Gaelic School in Highland
The new Head Teacher of the new Lochaber Gaelic primary school, Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar, received the keys to Highland Council’s second purpose built Gaelic school in the Highlands on Friday 3 July 2015.
Frank Reid, Regional Managing Director for Robertson Construction Northern - contractors for the development at Ardgour Road in Caol - handed the keys for the property over to Head Teacher, John Joseph MacNeil, who takes up post at the start of the new term in August.
Mr Reid said: “We have worked closely with Highland Council on several schools projects in the past and we are delighted to have been involved in delivering a state of the art new school which will provide a bright, modern environment for Gaelic education teaching.”
The new school has four classrooms and nursery facilities, and capacity to be extended. It is arranged around two central courtyards that provide teaching and resource areas, and includes a community room adjacent to a production kitchen, a general purpose art and music room, and offices for Gaelic Development Officers.
Accepting the keys, Mr MacNeil said: “I am extremely delighted and excited to receive these keys to the new school within which I am looking forward to working with pupils, staff, parents and the wider community as we move forward together into our fantastic new community school.”
Councillor Drew Millar, Chair of the Councils Education, Children and Adult Services Committee said: “I am delighted that the Gaelic school in Fort William has now been handed into the care of the Head Teacher. This will be a superb learning environment for bi-lingual education in Lochaber and I wish the staff and pupils all success for the future and look forward now to seeing the next stand-alone Gaelic school coming on-stream in Portree in the near future.”
Leader of the Council’s Lochaber Area Committee, Councillor Thomas MacLennan said: “This is a great move forward for Gaelic Education in Fort William and Lochaber and for the local community as the new community facilities will act as a focal point for locals.”
Welcoming the completion of the school, Chairman of the Council’s Gaelic Implementation Group, Councillor Hamish Fraser said: “Not only does this mark the second purpose built Gaelic school in the Highlands (the first in Inverness), it is also the fourth Gaelic School in the Highlands which is a great achievement for the development of Gaelic Education.”