Council designates first dedicated Gaelic school in Highland

Members of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee today (21 September 2006) agreed to establish a dedicated Gaelic school in Sleat, Isle of Skye, with an English medium department which will be the first school of this kind in Highland.

From August, 2007, a dedicated Gaelic school will be established at Sleat primary School with provision being made within the school for an English medium department for families who wish it. Councillors also agreed that the views of parents, teachers and the advice of officials within the Education, Culture and Sport Service will be taken into account when an implementation plan is drawn up for the change in education provision.

Today’s decisions come about after members heard the outcomes of a statutory public consultation on the proposal to designate Sleat primary School as a dedicated Gaelic School which ran from 18th April to 16th June 2006.

Under the terms of the Education Authority’s agreed procedure to meet the requirements of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the Council carried out the consultation in response to representations from Comann nam Pàrant Sleite (Gaelic parent group Sleat), Comunn na Gàidhlig and other interested individuals to consider the establishment of a dedicated Gaelic school at Sleat Primary School.

Bruce Robertson, Highland Council’s Director Education Culture and Service reported the most current figures for pupils at Sleat Primary School which includes: 46 Gaelic medium pupils of which 12 are in primary 1; 20 English medium pupils of which none are in Primary 1; 11 Gaelic Medium and 4 English medium pre-school pupils (due to drop to 2 after the October holidays).