Gaelic Language Plan 2020-2023

This plan has been prepared under Section 3 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.

Forewords

We are pleased to present this plan for developing the Gaelic language in East Dunbartonshire over the next three years. Through this plan we aim to show a strong commitment to services in the Gaelic language, provision of Gaelic medium education and visibility of Gaelic language and Culture. Our civic crest, established when the Council was formed in 1996, includes the Gaelic motto 'Air Adhart Còmhla' (Moving Forward Together) in recognition of our Gaelic heritage. We believe that this plan is another step forward in delivering opportunities for learning, using and speaking the Gaelic language in East Dunbartonshire.

Councillor Vaughan Moody
Joint Leader East Dunbartonshire Council

East Dunbartonshire Council has traditionally supported the development of Gaelic and this plan aims to further enhance awareness and usage of the language. We have a very successful Gaelic language unit at Meadowburn Primary School/Bun Sgoil Innis an Uillt in Bishopbriggs, were we have seen an overall increase in the school roll over the last three years. We have teachers trained in the Gaelic language in a number of other primary schools and our young people can continue studying Gaelic at Bishopbriggs Academy. We believe this plan is a strong basis on which to increase the number of people of all ages learning and developing their Gaelic language skills in East Dunbartonshire.

Councillor Andrew Polson
Joint Leader East Dunbartonshire Council

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Introduction

This is East Dunbartonshire Council’s second Gaelic Language Plan which sets out the Council’s commitment to increasing the use and learning of Gaelic, and promoting a positive image of the language. It will cover the years 2020-2023 and is a requirement of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament with a view to securing the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland - commanding equal respect to the English language.

One of the key features of the 2005 Act is the provision enabling Bòrd na Gàidhlig to require a public authority to prepare a Gaelic Language Plan. This provision was designed to ensure that the public sector in Scotland plays its part in creating a sustainable future for Gaelic by raising the status and profile of the language, and creating practical opportunities for its use.

This document sets out how we will use Gaelic in the operation of our functions, how we will enable the use of Gaelic when communicating with the public and key partners, and how we will promote and develop Gaelic. It has been prepared in accordance with statutory criteria set out in the 2005 Act, and having regard to the National Gaelic Language Plan and the Guidance on the Development of Gaelic Language Plans.

A draft of this Gaelic Language Plan was published for consultation over six weeks in spring 2018. It was advertised by the Council’s media channels and through Meadowburn Primary School to all parents and staff. Additional contact was made with local groups.

The Plan was written and approved by Committee in August 2018. It was then submitted to the Gaelic Bord (who act on behalf of the Scottish Government) for their assessment. This was returned in November 2018 with several recommendations which required attention and action.

The new Equalities Officer came into post in January 2020 and worked with the Council and Trust services to action the Bord’s recommendations. The Plan was submitted to the Bord on 20th March 2020 and was approved on 21st April 2020.

East Dunbartonshire Area

East Dunbartonshire, which lies to the north of Glasgow, is bounded by the Campsie Fells and the Kilpatrick Hills. It is a significant location for economic, social and environmental development between the city and the gateway to the Highlands through the West Highland Way, and eastwards through the Kelvin Valley. With a population of around 106,000 people, East Dunbartonshire is in the mid-range of Scottish local authorities in terms of population and covers an area of 77 square miles. It comprises a mixture of urban and rural areas – including the suburban and rural settlements of Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Milngavie, Lenzie, Milton of Campsie, Lennoxtown, Torrance and Twechar.

East Dunbartonshire has an outstanding natural environment. It is a flourishing area with relatively high levels of home and car ownership. Educational achievement is high, while unemployment is substantially lower than most other areas of Scotland. East Dunbartonshire is also one of the safest areas in mainland Scotland in which to live. As a consequence, East Dunbartonshire offers a healthy environment with life expectancy rates for men and women well above the national average. However, there are pockets of deprivation across the area. The latest update to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation in 2020 indicates that significant inequalities persist between some of our communities, for example in employment, health, experience of crime and educational attainment. Since 2012 the East Dunbartonshire Community Planning Partnership, which includes the Council, has been adopting a ‘Place’ approach to working. Using a Place approach means that we are pooling resources with other local public bodies and targeting them in geographic communities where people are experiencing poorer outcomes in relation in to the rest of the authority.

East Dunbartonshire Council

East Dunbartonshire Council is one of 32 unitary local authorities in Scotland. It is responsible for a range of services, including education, waste management, maintenance of roads, planning and building control, strategic housing, environmental health and emergency planning.

The Council came into being on 1st April 1996 following Scottish local government reorganisation. East Dunbartonshire Council was formed by joining the former Strathkelvin and Bearsden and Milngavie District Councils. In addition, several functions were transferred from Strathclyde Regional Council (e.g. education and roads).

East Dunbartonshire Council is made up of 22 locally-elected Councillors covering seven wards. The Council is the governing body for East Dunbartonshire's decision making and is the source of all delegated powers to subordinate strategic Committees, Sub-Committees, Boards (with the exception of the Licensing and Planning Boards), Panels, etc. The Committees are:

  • Education
  • Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets
  • Policy and Resources
  • Audit and Risk.

East Dunbartonshire Council employs around 4,000 people in the following areas:

  • Assets and Facilities
  • Customer and Digital Services
  • Education
  • Finance, Audit and Performance
  • Housing
  • Legal and Democratic Services
  • Organisation and Transformation
  • Neighbourhood Services
  • Place and Community Planning
  • Land Planning and Development
  • Roads and Transportation

The Council is also a community planning partner. Community planning is a process where local organisations work to plan and deliver services together - reducing inequalities and improving the overall well-being of communities.

The main aims of community planning are to:

  • Ensure that people and communities are genuinely engaged in the decisions made on public services which affect them
  • Improve the services provided by local service providers through closer more co-ordinated working
  • Help public sector partners collectively to identify the needs and views of individuals and communities, and to assess the best way to deliver them.

Gaelic Use in East Dunbartonshire

According to results from the 2011 Census, 0.9% of the East Dunbartonshire population could speak Gaelic, and 1% of the population had knowledge of the Gaelic Language. The following table 1 provides more detailed information.

Table 1: People with Gaelic abilities

Numbers of people aged 3+ with Gaelic language abilities*

Understands spoken Gaelic but cannot speak, read or write

351

Speaks, reads and writes Gaelic

498

Speaks but neither reads nor writes Gaelic

336

Speaks and reads but cannot write Gaelic

83

Reads and/or writes but does not speak Gaelic

72

All people aged 3+ able to speak, write, read or understand Gaelic

1,340

No knowledge of Gaelic

100,659

All people aged 3+

101,999

Those with Gaelic language abilities reside across the communities in East Dunbartonshire, however, there are slightly higher concentrations in Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch and Milngavie.

Overview of Our Plan

Our vision for Gaelic is an increase in the number of people speaking, using and learning Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire, and the number of situations in which it is used.

Promoting a Positive Image of Gaelic

Ensuring that a positive image of Gaelic is promoted and defended depends on a number of initiatives. It includes ensuring Gaelic is valued and that its important contribution to the social, cultural and economic life of the nation is recognised. The priority areas, outlined below, are important for making progress with this aim. There is an overlap with other priorities, yet these have a particular contribution to make to promoting a positive image of Gaelic. The promotion of a positive image of Gaelic is critical to strengthening the appeal and status of Gaelic in Scotland and abroad. This depends on speakers and non-speakers alike.

Priority areas:

  • Support for Gaelic amongst Elected Members of Council
  • Positive messages about Gaelic, and diversity and inclusion
  • Promoting a positive image of Gaelic and raising awareness through:
    • Gaelic media
    • Gaelic education
    • Gaelic arts

Increasing the Learning of Gaelic

This includes promoting, supporting and expanding Gaelic learning at all levels and in all sectors. The benefits from this are clear. As progress is made with this, it will increase the number of those who speak, read, write and understand Gaelic, and their ability to use Gaelic with confidence. The priority areas listed below are the most important ones where we believe progress can be made. In addition, they have the potential to contribute to other important areas of Gaelic interest and activity.

Gaelic learning is of critical importance for the future of the language.

Priority areas:

  • Gaelic in Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)
  • Gaelic Medium Education (GME) in primary and secondary school
  • Gaelic learner education (GLE) in primary and secondary schools
  • Post-school and Adult Gaelic learning
  • Gaelic medium workforce recruitment, training and supply
  • Resources and support for learning

Increasing the Use of Gaelic

This includes speakers and learners increasing their use of the language. It involves developing more situations where Gaelic can be used. It involves using Gaelic in situations where it has not been used previously and it involves the increased use of Gaelic in public life. The increased use of Gaelic strengthens the community of speakers and contributes to its confidence. This expands opportunities for Gaelic and Gaelic speakers, and increases awareness and the profile of the language. The priority areas listed below are critical for the future of Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire and indeed in Scotland.

Priority areas:

  • Initiatives which promote the use of Gaelic in homes and communities
  • Initiatives which promote the use of Gaelic by young people
  • Gaelic in traditional and new media
  • Gaelic in the arts
  • Gaelic in the workplace
  • Gaelic use in heritage, tourism, food and drink, environment and leisure
  • Initiatives which strengthen language richness, relevance and consistency

Officers Responsible for This Plan

This plan is the policy of East Dunbartonshire Council and has been endorsed both by our Senior Management Team and Elected Members of the Council.

Position with Operational Responsibility Over the Plan

The senior officer with operational responsibility for overseeing preparation, delivery and monitoring of East Dunbartonshire’s Gaelic Language Plan is:

Gerry Cornes
Chief Executive

East Dunbartonshire Council
12 Strathkelvin Place Kirkintilloch
G66 1TJ

0300 123 4510
gerry.cornes@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Position with Day-to-Day Responsibility Over the Plan

The officer with operational responsibility for the day-to-day operation of East Dunbartonshire Council’s Gaelic Language Plan is Fiona Wilson. Questions about the day-to-day operation of the plan should be addressed to:

Fiona Wilson
Team Leader Community Planning and Partnerships

East Dunbartonshire Council
Broomhill Industrial Estate
Kilsyth Road
Kirkintilloch
G66 1TF

0300 123 4510
fiona.wilson@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire

Current Activities Which Support Gaelic Development

East Dunbartonshire Council currently carries out and supports a range of activity in relation to increasing the number of people able to speak Gaelic, encouraging its use and facilitating access to Gaelic language and culture.

Services

East Dunbartonshire Council currently employs 8 FTE employees due to their ability to speak Gaelic. They are all employed within the Education Service.

Education Service

The Education Service has always been at the forefront of Gaelic development within East Dunbartonshire Council. Meadowburn Primary School was established as a Gaelic Medium School for the area in 1988. In 2018, the school community celebrated 30 successful years of Gaelic provision at Meadowburn in the Primary Sector and 20 years of successful provision in the Nursery. Since that time a wide range of education provision in relation to Gaelic has been developed:

  • One Gaelic nursery class at Meadowburn Primary School
  • Gaelic medium primary education at Meadowburn Primary School
  • Gaelic medium secondary education at Bishopbriggs Academy
  • A Gaelic programme in other primaries (involving 25 teachers who have been trained to deliver it)

Gaelic Medium Primary Education

The roll of the unit is increasing and sat at 71 pupils for session 2017-18. There are four full-time teachers. The school is a modern building and the Gaelic Unit occupies high quality accommodation at the heart of the school. Although educated through Gaelic, the children join the rest of the school for assemblies, school trips, extra-curricular activities and general school events. Provision is in place for Roman Catholic children to have access to instruction.

There are many cultural opportunities with considerable involvement in local and national Mods, the Glasgow Gaelic Drama Festival and the media. Pupils are regularly visited by the BBC Gaelic Children’s Programme ‘De a- Nis’ and by the BBC Gaelic Radio Programme ‘Aileag’. Children also have opportunities to learn to play the clarsach, chanter, tin whistle and the bodhran.

Parents are strongly involved in the work of the unit and the wider school. There is a very active Comman nam Parant (Gaelic Parents Group) which works in close collaboration with the school. Parents are also represented on the Parent Council and the Parents’ Association. There is very good communication with the wider parent forum. Parents are regularly consulted and encouraged to become involved with their children’s Gaelic Medium Education. Comman nam Parant holds regular meetings throughout the school year and feeds back to parents on a wide range of school matters. Parents are also kept informed through a range of media, including the school website and Twitter.

Most of the children who attend do not come from a Gaelic-speaking home background. Children travel from across East Dunbartonshire to attend and free transport is provided if the distance is more than one mile from their home.

By the end of Primary 7, children educated through the medium of Gaelic will have covered the whole curriculum and also be fluent in Gaelic. There is a phased approach to the language. For the first three years, the total immersion phase, the whole curriculum is taught solely through the medium of Gaelic with emphasis on oral attainment. By the end of this period, when reading and language skills are well established, English work is introduced. By Primary 7, all lessons are conducted through the medium of Gaelic (50/50 in Literacy) to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to reach broadly equal competence in both languages.

Employees have enjoyed Gaelic professional learning opportunities and are keen to further their own career-long professional learning. The following activities are also available at Meadowburn Primary:

  • Strathkelvin Shinty Club - The club is open to all (boys and girls) in the school and surrounding area. There are currently teams playing under-12s and under-10s in the Central Scotland Shinty League, and the club is working on developing an under-17s and under-14s team.
     
  • Sradagan - A Gaelic youth club for children aged 5 to 11, which runs on a Wednesday night in the school. The youth club has use of the gym hall and a classroom where games can be played, and crafts and various activities take place.
     
  • Festivals - Feis Innis An Uillt is run annually, at the weekend, with funding support from Feisean nan Gaidheal. Subjects include art, Shinty, drama, tin whistle, Gaelic song and dance.
  • Homework Club - This has been developed with the assistance and support of East Dunbartonshire Council. The Gaelic Unit runs the homework club on a Wednesday evening. It is designed to support parents to assist their children with their homework and takes place within the school in a very relaxed and informal basis. This is proving a very popular resource with parents and it aims to continue with the support of funding from the Council.

Gaelic Early Learning and Childcare

Meadowburn Gaelic Nursery was moved to a refurbished room in the school in 2014. Children attend from three years of age and follow the same curriculum as mainstream nurseries, with Gaelic oral development being a predominant focus throughout. At present, morning provision is offered with a maximum of 27 children attending. There is one teacher and there are two early-years workers. The Council will expand provision as part of the early years expansion. This will provide 1140 hours provision in the Gaelic Medium; this is dependent on the recruitment of suitably qualified staff.

In session 2017-2018, Meadowburn Gaelic Nursery has been successful in its application for funding to create an outdoor area. The focus of this initiative is to develop an outdoor area that can be easily and safely accessed by GME learners attending the Gaelic Nursery in order that they can have a fully immersive experience of Gaelic language, not only within the nursery playroom but within an outdoor learning context. Outdoor learning is a fundamental aspect of early learning and development for all learners – it is important that Gaelic Medium learners in the early years have opportunity to experience outdoor learning and to use/hear/practise Gaelic language with their peer group and adults within this context.

Children and young people learn by doing, thinking and exploring, through quality interaction, intervention and relationships - founded on children and young people’s interests and abilities across a wide variety of contexts. These all combine to building the four capacities for each child, namely:

  • Successful learners
  • Confident individuals
  • Responsible citizens
  • Effective contributors

These capacities will be delivered predominantly through active learning and outdoor learning approaches, and will be greatly enhanced by the creation of an outdoor learning area.

Meaningful opportunities for the promotion of literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing will be further enhanced through the development of a dedicated GME outdoor area, with children having the opportunity to practise skills in these curriculum areas though full immersion.

Gaelic Medium Secondary Education

Young people have the opportunity to continue to study and gain a range of qualifications in the Gaelic Language including National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher. In session 2019-2020, current numbers of GME taught are:

S1: 7
S2: 6
S3: 7
S4: 4
S5: 2 (+1 travelling from another school) S6: 2

Total: 28 (+1)

Appointment of Principal Teacher

In order to further enhance Gaelic provision, Bishopbriggs Academy appointed a Principal Teacher of Gaelic in session 2016-2017. This has impacted very positively on Gaelic Medium Education within the secondary as evidenced below.

Enterprise and External Agency Links

The school has made extensive use of enterprise and external agency links in order to highlight the importance of Gaelic in today’s social, political, academic and economic communities. This has taken the form of a range of visitors, local and international, who have visited the school to speak to the young people about the importance and relevance of Gaelic in their lives. This has had a major positive impact on a number of pupils, who had previously been unaware of the opportunities that Gaelic can create for them in their local areas and beyond. In addition, this was successful in instilling a great deal of pride in all of the pupils with whom the visitors spoke. Links have recently been established with the archivist of Canna House (former residence of Margaret Fay Shaw and Dr John Lorne Campbell) on the Isle of Canna, home to one of the world’s greatest banks of Gaelic literature and consequently, pupils will soon have access to previously unpublished and unseen Gaelic texts. Bishopbriggs Academy is now also in the early stages of forming a working relationship with Dalbrae Academy, Mabou, Nova Scotia - with a view to pupils of both schools communicating and then visiting one another in the future.

Transition and links with primary

Within school, regular work experience placements have been arranged with Meadowburn Primary for those pupils considering a career in Gaelic teaching, with pupils assisting in lessons and also running after-school clubs. Bishopbriggs Academy has now opened up a stream of education for learners by tying in with Developing the Young Workforce initiatives to offer a National 4 unit for the Languages for Life and Work award. It is hoped that going forward, they will soon be in a position to open the language up to learners of all ages, along with our native speakers (Gaelic will be offered as part of a wider Scottish Studies award).

After-School Clubs

The Gaelic department has started an after-school Bagpiping Club for all pupils which is proving to be another way to raise the profile of the language within the pupil cohort, including young people who might otherwise have had no exposure to the language. In 2017-2018, the Gaelic department was involved in FilmG and the National Schools Debate in Stornoway.

All of the initiatives and innovations mentioned have already had noticeable results, with almost every eligible pupil from Meadowburn opting to go to Bishopbriggs Academy to continue Gaelic. In addition, several pupils have returned in S5 and/or S6 to re-engage with the language.

The innovation in Gaelic education at Bishopbriggs Academy has largely been in relation to the style in which it is taught, the real-world opportunities which are now a regular occurrence and the expansion of the curricular offering.

Community Learning and Development

Rionnagan Beaga is a Gaelic Toddler Group (0-3) which currently runs on Tuesday afternoons (term-time) at Bishopbriggs Community Church. This introduces families to Gaelic in a fun and interactive environment through song and play. This is organised and run by Meadowburn Gaelic parents. The Council provides support to parents through the Comann Nam Parant in Meadowburn Primary. This includes ensuring effective communication with the community in the provision of Gaelic.

Adult Gaelic learning, which is co-ordinated by the community and for the community, is currently available. Gaidhlig Bheo and Bishopbriggs Gaelic Group both run in local venues. Bishopbriggs Gaelic Group co-ordinates beginner, intermediate and advanced Gaelic classes which take place in Woodhill Evangelical Church every Friday.

With the support of Meadowburn Gaelic Unit, the family activities in East Dunbartonshire also include Gaelic Language Immersion family residential events (Skye) and an annual Gaelic Festival (Feis). East Dunbartonshire Council is also a member of the national Community Learning and Development Review Group for Gaelic.

Library Service

East Dunbartonshire Libraries’ Bookbug Co-ordinator delivers the Scottish Government-funded Early Years Bookbug Programme in East Dunbartonshire. A partnership agreement exists with Scottish Book Trust, East Dunbartonshire’s Education Service and East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Cultural Trust. As part of this agreement, Bookbug Gaelic Packs are available in East Dunbartonshire for children. Bookbug sessions run throughout the week in several locations throughout East Dunbartonshire (Twechar Community Centre, Lennoxtown Library, Bishopbriggs Library, Milngavie Library, Auchinairn Community Centre, Craighead Library, Bearsden Library, William Patrick Library, Hillhead Community Centre, Lenzie Library and Westerton Library) and each session lasts around 30 minutes. Scottish Book Trust has been working in partnership with Bòrd na Gàidhlig to provide free Gaelic books to 4,500 Gaelic-speaking families since March 2013. As well as Gaelic translations of books in regular Bookbug packs, there is also useful information from Bòrd na Gàidhlig for parents who want to share Gaelic with their children.

Bishopbriggs Library offer weekly Bookbug sessions and have a Gaelic section offering fiction and non-fiction stock for adults and children. Meadowburn Primary perform in the library and have class visits.

Engagement With Stakeholders

The 2005 Act requires public bodies to bring the preparation of its Gaelic Language Plan to the attention of all interested parties.

In 2017, we spoke to parents, employees and pupils of Meadowburn Primary School. Information was shared about the current Gaelic Language Plan with all. This was put on to the school website and a link to this was emailed via ‘Groupcall’ to all Gaelic Primary and Nursery parents in order to inform the discussions and feedback. The following questions below were then emailed to the Parent Council in advance of the focus group meeting. Employees and pupils were given an overview of the purpose of the focus groups and the following questions were then posed to all involved.

Questions:

  1. What is working well to promote the Gaelic language within Meadowburn Primary and within East Dunbartonshire?
  2. What should we review / what could we do better?
  3. What are the main issues / concerns?
  4. What more needs to be done to promote the Gaelic language?

The questions and findings can be found at Appendix 1.

A draft of this Gaelic Language Plan was published for consultation over six weeks in spring 2018. It was advertised by the Council’s media channels and through Meadowburn Primary School to all parents and staff. Additional contact was made with local groups. Twenty-one online consultation responses were received and a summary of this can be made available on request.

Next Steps

We have made good progress and it is particularly encouraging to see an increase in the roll of the Gaelic Medium Education unit at Meadowburn Primary School. From this brief review of current services, it is clear that we need to maintain the progress we have made and increase the momentum by means of new commitments where we have scope to achieve them. These have been categorised under the headings of promoting a positive image of Gaelic, increasing the learning of Gaelic and increasing the use of Gaelic. These have been agreed nationally and we are clear about our role as a local authority in helping to achieve these for Scotland. Like the Scottish Government, we have categorised our commitments using these three headings, however, we are aware that some commitments will contribute to more than one.

East Dunbartonshire Council Priorities

Our Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) 2017-2027 is the overarching strategic plan for East Dunbartonshire Council. The LOIP sets the priorities for our organisation and as such drives our decisions on how we plan and deliver services. Our priority areas are: economic growth and recovery; employment and skills; children and young people’s wellbeing; safer and stronger communities; adult health and wellbeing; and older adults, vulnerable people and carers. Linked to these priority areas are six 10-year outcomes that represent the changes we want to see. They are:

  1. East Dunbartonshire has a sustainable and resilient economy with busy town and village centres, a growing business base, and is an attractive place in which to visit and invest.
  2. Our people are equipped with knowledge and skills for learning, life and work.
  3. Our children and young people are safe, healthy and ready to learn.
  4. East Dunbartonshire is a safe place in which to live, work and visit.
  5. Our people experience good physical and mental health and well-being with access to a quality built and natural environment in which to lead healthier and more active lifestyles.
  6. Our older population and more vulnerable citizens are supported to maintain their independence and enjoy a high quality of life, and they, their families and carers benefit from effective care and support services.

Under the LOIP, each department within the Council is required to produce a Business Improvement Plan (BIP), which demonstrates how it plans to align to the LOIP and the direction it will take in the coming year. Progress against these plans is monitored and published on a regular basis using the Council’s ‘How Good is Our Service?’ reporting framework.

Our Policy Development Framework (PDF) is integral to the delivery of projects/services within BIPs. The PDF also assists the Council services to ensure that they are meeting our statutory obligations, including equality impact assessment. The PDF guides services through a checklist and assessment process for corporate risk, equality related impact and environmental related impact. The PDF applies to any new or revised policies, strategies, plans and programmes that are under development. Where a proposed policy implicates Gaelic related service provision, our equality impact assessment procedures make provision for recording and considering evidence and potential impact of proposals on speakers of Gaelic.

Our Action Plan

Our vision for Gaelic is an increase in the number of people speaking, using and learning Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire and the number of situations in which it is used.

Our vision aligns with the national aim to increase the number of people speaking, using and learning Gaelic in Scotland and the number of situations in which it is used.

Our commitments to support this are outlined below. We have also provided a statement of intention to have due regard to the need to mainstream Gaelic language and culture where possible to help ensure Gaelic has a sustainable future in East Dunbartonshire.

Commitments towards the national aim

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland’s heritage, national identity and cultural life. East Dunbartonshire Council is committed to the aim in the National Gaelic Language Plan and has put in place the necessary structures and initiatives to ensure that Gaelic has a sustainable future.

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that the position of Gaelic is fragile and if Gaelic is to be revitalised as a living language across Scotland, a concerted effort on the part of local government, public and private sector partners, and individual speakers is required to fulfil our national aim. Our commitments relate to:

  • Enhancing the status of Gaelic
  • Promoting the acquisition and learning of Gaelic
  • Encouraging the increased use of Gaelic

Core commitments

In its statutory Guidance on the Development of Gaelic Language Plans, Bòrd na Gàidhlig notes that creating the right environment for the use of Gaelic in public life is one of the key components of language regeneration.

The Bòrd has identified core areas of service delivery that it wishes public authorities to address when preparing Gaelic Language Plans, and specific functions within these core areas to be considered, as seen in table 2.

Area

Function

Visibility

Corporate logo

Signage

 

 

 

Employees

Advertising of posts

Recruitment of Gaelic speakers

Gaelic language learning

Gaelic awareness training

Encouraging the use of Gaelic in the workplace and internal

communication

 

 

 

 

Day-to-day Operations and Communications

Telephone service

Written correspondence

Forms

Frontline services to the public

Public meetings

Media and public relations

Printed materials

Website and Social Media

Events & Exhibitions

 

Corpus

Adherence to Gaelic Orthographic Conventions

Observation of correct place names

Translating and interpreting service standards

Commitments Towards the National Aim

The national Gaelic Language Plan focuses on three key headings for development, all of which have a vital contribution to make in increasing the numbers of people learning, speaking and using Gaelic in Scotland. It also identifies priority areas for action within the three headings. We have organised our actions in accordance with these headings below.

1. Promoting a Positive Image of Gaelic

Rationale

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that the status of a language is affected by its presence in the daily environment and the extent to which it is used, valued and perceived to be valued by those institutions that play an important role in our daily lives.

 

Actions Required

Timescale

Success Measure

Lead

1.1

We will continue to promote

parental awareness of community learning groups for adults, and encourage uptake.

 

Ongoing

Positive feedback from

community learning groups regarding uptake.

Education Service

1.2

We will further market the benefits of choosing Gaelic Medium Education (GME) via the Council’s website and in the

Meadowburn School Handbook.

Ongoing

To be agreed

Education Service

1.3

We will review the publicity arrangements to ensure awareness and gauge interest in Gaelic Medium Early Years provision across the Council

area.

Year 1

To be agreed

Education Service

1.4

We will work across Council

services to identify opportunities in culture, heritage, tourism and business development services where Gaelic language or culture can be incorporated.

Ongoing

Evidence of culture,

heritage, tourism or business development projects which we are delivering and feedback from customers. This would be subject to

funding.

Place and Community

Planning

 

East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust

1.5

We will ensure that all EDC employees are made aware of our commitment to Gaelic, and our vision and priorities.

Year 1

Evidence of internal employee emails or memos.

Education service

Place and Community Planning Service

1.6

We will promote GME in the media using text and web-based formats.

Year 1 and ongoing

To be agreed

Education with support from Customer and Digital Services

1.7

We will incorporate an annual Gaelic Day event at Mugdock Country Park as part of our activities following last year’s success.

Ongoing

To be agreed

Place and Community Planning Service

Education

2. Increasing the Number of People Learning Gaelic

Rationale

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that a sustainable future for Gaelic requires more people to learn the language and that attention requires to be focused on home, education and adult learning as the key means of achieving this.

The number of people learning Gaelic is increasing and the Council are requesting a dual qualified teacher of Gaelic to be employed at Bishopbriggs Academy to enhance the Gaelic offer.

Research has highlighted that inter-generational transmission is crucial to maintaining and increasing the number of speakers of a language. In the Gaelic case, most pupils do not live in Gaelic-speaking homes and therefore it is essential to support families so that the language can be used in the home context and that parents can support their children’s learning. The Council will seek partnership support from national Gaelic organisations in this. The general approaches will include:

  • Raising parental awareness of the importance of Gaelic usage in the home
  • Providing advice to parents on how they can support learning
  • Providing language learning classes and encouraging parents to participate.

Currently, the Council provides Gaelic medium early years and primary education at Meadowburn Nursery School. It supports a Gaelic mothers-toddlers group and Meadowburn parents through a homework club for parents and their children. This provision will be reviewed over the term of this plan with particular attention given to expansion with an afternoon session for nursery school age children and mothers-toddlers’ provision in partnership with the national parent advisory service and the Bòrd. The actions we will take to increase the number of people learning Gaelic are listed below.

  Actions Required Timescale Success Measure Lead
2.1 We will ensure that all four Gaelic Bookbug packs are made available to families in East Dunbartonshire who wish them, and increase promotion of this provision. Ongoing Evidence of Increased provision of Bookbug packs East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust (EDLCT)
2.2 We will support employees to build confidence in the judgement of a level within Curriculum for Excellence through moderation Year 2 Increased opportunities to take part in moderation activities at local and national level Education Service
2.3 We will conduct a statutory consultation on the catchment area for the GME in Meadowburn Primary School to include the whole of East Dunbartonshire. Year 2 To be agreed Education Service

2.4

We will increase the number of young people engaging in GME in early years, primary and secondary. This will depend on SG funding, the extension of accommodation at Meadowburn Primary and the recruitment of suitably qualified staff. Year 2 Evidence of increased numbers of children enrolling in GME in early years and primary at Meadowburn Primary School and Bishopbriggs Academy. Education Service
2.5

We will support employees to build confidence in the judgement of a level within Curriculum for Excellence through moderation

Year 2 Increased opportunities to take part in moderation activities at local and national level Education Service

2.6

We will create a Gaelic Hub within Bishopbriggs Academy for sharing knowledge and understanding of the Gaelic language. A Hub is regarded as a school whereby information/resources about the Gaelic Language can be shared within the school, cluster and wider
local authority.

Year 2 To be agreed Education Service

2.7

We will ensure that information regarding GME is available in Gaelic e.g. information about statutory guidance and about Meadowburn Primary School. Year 1 and ongoing Evidence of written materials regarding Meadowburn Primary School being available in Gaelic.

Education Service with support from Customer and Digital Services

2.8

We will continue to be an active part of the Gaelic Consortium and encourage teachers to participate in the GLPS course and those who wish to take Gaelic learning further.
 
Year 1 and ongoing Increased numbers of teachers attending GLPS and numbers of schools taking forward GLPS as part of the 1+2 policy. Education Service
2.9

We will audit parental views on the current support given to encourage their involvement in their children’s GME and make any appropriate
improvements.

Year 1 Evidenced from the school’s self-evaluation processes. Education Service

2.10

We will track the progress of children enrolling in GME. Year 2 Evidence of GME pupil achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels and self-evaluation
processes.
Education Service

2.11

We will expand GME nursery provision at Meadowburn through the development of an outdoor area to develop outdoor play, listening and talking skills, and Gaelic language. Year 1 Evidence of a dedicated outdoor area for Gaelic medium education nursery children and self- evaluation processes which evidence the use
of this area.
Education Service

2.12

We will conduct a feasibility study into expanding 3-5 Gaelic Medium provision - in liaison with Bòrd na
Gàidhlig
Year 2 Outcomes from the feasibility study Education Service

2.13

We will develop provision within the Gaelic nursery to deliver 1140 hours. Year 3 To be agreed Education Service

2.14

The Council will engage with parents through the Gaelic Working Group to discuss ways to support
the expansion of playgroup provision.
Year 2 To be agreed Education Service

3. Increasing the number of people using Gaelic

Rationale

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that a sustainable future for Gaelic requires more people, who have Gaelic language abilities, using the language and that attention requires to be focussed on the local community, heritage and tourism-related services, and other service areas where we can foster an environment where people feel comfortable and confident practising the language.

  Actions Required Timescale Success Measure Lead
3.1 We will support recruitment, retention, education, support and development of Gaelic Medium Education (GME) and Gaelic Language Education (GLE) teachers. Ongoing

Information about recruitment and retention of GME and GLE employees.

Feedback from employees regarding CLPL courses attended or staff development opportunities.

Education Service
3.2 We will work across Council
services to identify opportunities in culture, heritage, tourism and business development services where Gaelic language or culture can be incorporated and promoted within our Gaelic
speaking community.
Ongoing Evidence of culture,
heritage, tourism or business development projects which we are delivering and feedback from customers. This would be subject to
funding.

Place and Community
Planning Service

East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust

3.3 We welcome partnership working with the Gaelic Arts and Culture Officer from Bòrd na Gàidhlig / Creative Scotland. Ongoing Strong working relationship and incorporation of Gaelic Language within East Dunbartonshire. Place and Community Planning Service

Core Commitments

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has identified four core areas of service delivery that it wishes all public authorities to address when preparing Gaelic Language Plans and specific functions within these core areas to be considered. We have organised our actions under these functions, where relevant, below.

Visibility

Rationale

The presence of Gaelic in the corporate identity and signs in a public authority greatly enhances the visibility of the language, increases its status and makes an important statement about how Gaelic is valued and how it is given recognition. Developing the use of Gaelic through signage can also enrich speakers’ vocabularies, raise public awareness of the language and contribute to its development.

  Current Practice Actions Required Timescales Success Measure Lead
V1

Signage

Having received a grant from the Scottish Government, Meadowburn Primary School has recently been refurbished including new bilingual signage within the school.

Signage is considered and, in line with the new Gaelic Day, signage at Mugdock Country Park has been renewed and we have permanent and temporary signs that can be used throughout the year and for Gaelic specific events.

We will introduce bilingual signage in Bishopbriggs Academy, where we are considering creating a new Gaelic Hub.
 
Ongoing Photo evidence of signage

Education Service

Place and Community Planning Service

V2

Civic Logo

East Dunbartonshire Council’s official crest incorporates the phrase Air Adhart Còmhla”, a translation of “Moving
Forward Together”.

Continue with current practice.
There are no current
plans to change the civic
identity or carry out any
rebranding exercise.
However, should this take
place in the future, a
bilingual Gaelic and
English logo will be
adopted. The rebranding
of Council vehicles would
also be taken into
consideration in the
future.
- -  

Employees

In order to deliver services through the medium of Gaelic, it is necessary to develop the requisite job skills and language skills of employees. The provision of language training for employees helps promote adult Gaelic learning and promotes Gaelic as a useful skill in the workplace. The identification of jobs in which Gaelic is a designated skill will contribute greatly to the status of the language and to identifying it as a positive skill to acquire.

The use of Gaelic in advertising also helps recognise that Gaelic should be used in public life and that Gaelic users have an important role to play within a public authority.

Whatever the level of Gaelic skills required it is important that we ensure that Gaelic is a genuine occupational requirement and ensure appointments are made in each case on a fair and consistent basis, and reflect the identified skills needs of the post.

  Current Practice Actions Required Timescale Success Measure Lead

E1

Advertising of posts and recruitment of Gaelic speakers

Within each department of the Council, relevant roles are assessed as Gaelic essential or desirable and their vacancy advertisements define this criteria, and provide information about knowledge and
fluency level required.

Continue with current practice Ongoing Evidence of role advertisements Organisational Transformation Service

E2

Gaelic language learning

We provide any Gaelic language related support to meet the needs of employees which have been identified in our skills gap analysis session during every Personal Development Review (appraisal).

Continue to respond to
employee skills gap requests in a timely manner, ensuring Gaelic training needs are treated with equal regard to other needs.
Ongoing Feedback from
employees accessing Gaelic related learning and development.
Organisational
Transformation Service

E3

Gaelic awareness training

Currently we do not schedule any universal Gaelic awareness training at the corporate level. Our Education Service identifies specialist learning and development for employees in Gaelic language services.
 

We will identify Gaelic awareness options and add to learning and development opportunities, especially our eLearning platform which is available to all employees. Ongoing

Evidence of offer of Gaelic opportunities.

Number of employees undertaking Gaelic opportunities.

Place and Community Planning Service with support from Organisational Transformation Service.

E4

Encouraging the use of Gaelic in the workplace and internal communication

All of our employees who work in Gaelic language services (i.e. GME and GLE) are encouraged to use and promote the Gaelic language in the workplace. There are annual specialist learning and development opportunities available to these employees.

Continue with current practice Ongoing Feedback from employees undertaking Gaelic related learning and development. Education Service

Day-to-Day Operations & Communications

Rationale

The use of Gaelic at the initial point of contact that members of the public have with a public authority increases the visible and audible presence of the language, and contributes to the sense that the use of Gaelic is possible and welcome. In addition to raising the profile of the language, it also creates opportunities for its practical use and encourages members of the public to use Gaelic in subsequent dealings with the public authority.

The use of Gaelic in interactions with an authority by mail, e-mail and by telephone is important in creating practical opportunities for the use of the language, and in contributing to the sense that its use is possible and welcome. The presence of Gaelic in a wide range of bilingual forms and Gaelic-only forms can also greatly enhance the visibility and prestige of the language. The preparation of Gaelic forms, applications and similar documents, can also assist in expanding the range of Gaelic terminology and the awareness of the Gaelic-speaking public of such terminology, thus helping the development of the language itself.

The use of Gaelic in the media and a range of printed material can assist Gaelic development in a variety of ways. It helps increase the visibility of the language, it enhances Gaelic’s status by its use in high profile publications, and it can help develop new, and enhance existing, terminology. The use of Gaelic in the media helps demonstrate our commitment to making important information available through the medium of Gaelic, as well as enhancing the visibility and status of the language. As we are seeing an increase in people accessing information through our websites, strengthening Gaelic will enhance the status and visibility of the language.

  Current Practice Actions Required Timescale Success Measure Lead

O1

Telephone service, written correspondence, forms, frontline services and public meetings

The Council updated its Accessible Information Policy in 2016. This includes strengthened guidance for all customers and employees in relation to information in languages other than English.

The Council’s Accessible Information Policy will continue to ensure that where there is a need for Gaelic interpretation and/or translation this will be provided. This extends to services at reception, on the telephone, in forms and
at public meetings.
Ongoing Evidence of any Gaelic translation requests handled in line with the Policy. Customer and Digital Services

O2

Media and public relations

Articles in relation to Gaelic activity in East Dunbartonshire are sent to local press and made available on the news section of the
Council website.
We will develop and publish at least one feature article about Gaelic language, education or culture each year. Ongoing Evidence of relevant articles on the Council’s webpages.

Various

with support from Customer and Digital Services

O3

Printed materials

GME and more general Gaelic language materials are available in our libraries and online on our corporate website and Leisure and Culture Trust website.

The Council has moved away from the creation and distribution of newsletters and leaflets and is maximising the use of digital
communications.

We will review our GME advertisement materials to update them and present them bilingually where possible. Ongoing Evidence of new GME advertisement materials.

Education Service

with support from Customer and Digital Services

O4

Website and social media

Information about Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire is provided on a general Equality and Human Rights webpage on our corporate website.

There is also some information on Gaelic BookBug Bags and Gaelic books available from the libraries on the
EDLC Trust website.

Create a designated Gaelic landing page on our corporate website, making Gaelic information easier to find through web searches. Year 1 Availability of a designated Gaelic webpage.

Place and Community Planning Service

with support from Customer and Digital Services

O5

Events and exhibitions

At present, Gaelic is often featured in cultural events such as book and arts festivals. Following last year’s success, there will be a Gaelic Day at Mugdock Country Park. This will be advertised in Mugdock’s What’s On guide, through the Council’s social media channels, through community channels such as Milngavie Week, and it will be delivered in partnership with education.

We will continue to feature Gaelic language and culture in culture and library services; however, we will work with local and national partners to investigate the use of Gaelic language and culture to promote tourism and cultural development Ongoing Evidence of Gaelic visibility in events, exhibitions and culture. Education Service

Corpus

Rationale

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises the need to develop new terminology and registers which leads to greater relevance and consistency. For those reasons, steps will be taken to ensure the continued development of the Gaelic language.

  Current Practice Actions Required Timescale Success Measure Lead

C1

Adherence to Gaelic Orthographic Conventions

Any creation of Gaelic
signage and documentation either by the Council or by a translation agency working on behalf of the Council is compliant with the latest rules of the Gaelic Orthographic
Conventions.
We will ensure that
employees delivering the Gaelic language and any contracted agency working on behalf of the Council adhere to the latest conventions.
Ongoing Evidence of use, as
and when applicable.

Customer and
Digital Services

Education Service

C2

Observation of correct place names

None Any creation of Gaelic
place names, either by the Council or by a translation agency working on behalf of the Council, will observe correct place names through consultation with
relevant bodies.
Ongoing Evidence of use, as
and when applicable.

Customer and
Digital Services

Education Service

C3

Translating and Interpreting service standards

Any request to East Dunbartonshire Council for translation or interpretation is treated with equal regard. This is inclusive of heritage languages such as Gaelic and we make provision with no extra cost to the customer.

Instruction for accessing a translation of a publication is provided in Gaelic
under our ‘Other
Formats’ statement, included as standard on all publications.

We will continue to accommodate Gaelic and other heritage languages as we would do community languages. Ongoing Not applicable Customer and Digital Services

Mainstreaming Gaelic

East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that the various priority areas identified in the National Gaelic Language Plan will be primarily implemented through our Gaelic Language Plan, but that opportunities will arise to promote and develop the language through existing policy measures. East Dunbartonshire Council will examine current policy commitments to identify areas where Gaelic can be pro-actively incorporated and the priorities of this plan delivered through additional routes. We see this development as corresponding to the normalisation principle, which aims to include Gaelic as an everyday part of life in Scotland.

Scottish Government National Priorities

East Dunbartonshire Council is committed to achieving the National Outcomes as established by the Scottish Government, and has identified the ways in which this Gaelic Language Plan aims to address Scotland’s National Outcomes. The National Performance Framework provides a clear vision for Scotland with broad measures of national wellbeing covering a range of economic, health, social and environmental indicators and targets. The current National Outcomes are shown below.

Development Area # National Outcome Statement
5 Our children have the best chance in life and are ready to succeed.
4 Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.
3 We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and innovation.
11 We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others.
2 We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people.
6 We live longer, healthier lives
13 We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity.
16 Our public services are high quality, continually improving, efficient and responsive to local people’s needs.
7 We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scotland’s society.

Implementing and Monitoring

Timetable

This Gaelic Language Plan will formally remain in force for a period of three years from the date it was approved by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. By no later than the end of this period we will review the plan, make such amendments as necessary and submit it to the Bòrd for approval.

Publishing and Publicising the Plan

This Plan was written and approved by Committee in August 2018. It was then submitted to the Gaelic Bord (who act on behalf of the Scottish Government) for their assessment. This was returned in November 2018 with several recommendations which required attention and action.

The Plan was submitted to the Bord on 20th March 2020 and was approved on 21st April 2020.

East Dunbartonshire Council’s Gaelic Language Plan will be published bilingually on our website. This Plan will be publicised online and offline using different channels. It will be accessible electronically on the Council’s website. The Council’s community planning partners will be made aware of this plan and directed to the electronic document. It will also be provided to all community councils, protected characteristic interest groups, and other fora as appropriate. We will:

  • Issue a press release announcing the plan
  • Make copies of the plan available in our public offices, libraries and reception areas
  • Make the plan known to employees via East Dunbartonshire Council’s intranet – ‘The Hub’ and Glow
  • Distribute copies of the plan to Gaelic organisations
  • Distribute copies of the plan to other interested bodies, including Meadowburn Gaelic Unit
  • Make copies available on request.

Resourcing the Plan

Activities within this plan will be resourced through existing budgets and any funds successfully awarded by external bodies such as Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Big Lottery Fund.

Monitoring the Plan

The plan will be monitored on an annual basis by an officer working group and will report on progress to committee and to Bòrd na Gàidhlig for information, as and when required to. The impact of the action plan will be evaluated after three years, with outcomes reported to Committee and Bòrd na Gàidhlig, thereafter published on the Council website and publicised. There are currently no plans to recruit a Gaelic Language Development Officer as Gaelic language policy falls within the remit of the Equalities Officer and Gaelic language provision falls within the remit of Education.

Informing Other Organisations of the Plan

East Dunbartonshire Council will inform other organisations, and in particular third parties and Arms-Length Organisations with whom it works to deliver services, on how they might be encouraged to operate in the spirit of the activities outlined in this newer iteration. This is usually done via notifications on the East Dunbartonshire Council website and through circulation of the Plan to key partners.

Internal

Email communication to all East Dunbartonshire Council employees will request their support for the implementation of the new Gaelic Language Plan 2020-2023. A link to the draft copy will be contained in the email.

Appendix 1 - Stakeholder Engagement Feedback

Collated responses from Gaelic Parental, Employee and Pupil Focus Groups at Meadowburn Primary and Nursery – June 2017

Information was shared about the current Gaelic Language Plan with all. This was put onto the school website and a link to this was emailed via ‘Groupcall’ to all Gaelic Primary and Nursery parents about this in order to inform the discussions.

The questions below were then emailed to the Parent Council body in advance of the Focus Group Meeting.

Employees and pupils were given an overview of the purpose of the Focus Groups and the following questions were then posed to all involved.

Parent Focus Group

1. What is working well to promote the Gaelic language within Meadowburn? And within East Dunbartonshire?

  • We have a very successful and well-attended Toddler Group (Rionnagan Beaga)
  • We have a very keen and enthusiastic Parents Association (Comann nam Pàrant)
  • The second generation of Gaelic speakers (academy pupils, previous pupils) are returning to assist with Gaelic clubs, work experience, etc. (Some of them are keen to become Gaelic teachers)
  • Pupil numbers in the primary have grown by 23 (from 49 to 72) in the last five years (2012-2017)
  • In the next three years, the smaller classes will leave P7, making way for the younger, larger classes, resulting in more growth
  • We believe EDC could have a Gaelic school in the future

2. What should we review / what could we do better?

  • We welcome the statutory consultation on the catchment area for the Gaelic Unit at Meadowburn to include the whole of East Dunbartonshire
  • We feel there has to be a clear pathway from the Toddler Group to the Academy and that parents and children can feel secure in the knowledge that they can continue with Gaelic education from Toddlers or Nursery to the Academy
  • If the catchment area is extended across East Dunbartonshire, then we feel that children who continue with Gaelic should be guaranteed a place at the Academy. We feel this is vital for further development and growth of the language

3. What are the main issues / concerns?

  • Our Toddler Group currently has 50 children who hope to carry on with Gaelic learning at Meadowburn. Therefore, the Gaelic nursery will potentially soon be full
  • Could Gaelic waiting lists be processed quicker in order to identify the need for expansion?
  • We feel there is much more that can be done to promote Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire. Many people have heard of the Glasgow Gaelic School but not so many have heard of Bun Sgoil Innis an Uillt.

4. What more needs to be done to promote the Gaelic language?

A Gaelic Development Officer should be appointed who is fluent in the language. We feel that this person could

  • Develop Gaelic in East Dunbartonshire by advertising on social media
  • Update the Gaelic leaflet/ information on the Council website
  • Liaise with schools and toddler groups
  • Help to secure funding for extra-curricular clubs, etc
  • Link effectively with Gaelic agencies such as CNAG and BNG
  • Develop a summer programme of Gaelic activities
  • Develop Gaelic in the community
  • Identify and promote Gaelic professional learning for teaching employees and much more

5. Do you have any other relevant points?

  • The Gaelic Unit (Primary School) will be 30 years old next session and the Gaelic Nursery will be 20 years old. This is a good opportunity to publicise/promote Gaelic in the area/across East Dunbartonshire
  • A new principal teacher of Gaelic has recently been appointed at the Academy who, along with providing fluent classes, has just started a Gaelic learners S5 class and is hoping to deliver other subjects through Gaelic
  • The Academy has a very supportive head teacher who is keen to expand Gaelic provision at the Academy

Gaelic Speaking Employee Focus Group

  • We need a Gaelic Development Officer
  • HMIE advise utilising Gaelic in the community and we are keen to take this forward, but feel that we would like some support with this
  • We are concerned about the recruitment of Gaelic teachers and feel that this reduces the flexibility in our school (when employees are absent, on courses, etc.) and it reduces the opportunities for team-teaching, etc
  • Gaelic-speaking classroom assistants/support assistants are crucial – concerns that these posts need to be protected
  • We would like more professional learning opportunities to be made available which are relevant to GME teachers & support staff

Gaelic Pupil Focus Group

  • We would like more Gaelic clubs for children
  • It would also be good to have Gaelic clubs where you could take your non-Gaelic speaking friends along
  • We enjoy our school experience and don’t feel like we miss out on anything because we are doing Gaelic
  • We like ‘phrase of the week’ at assembly and hearing the mainstream children using their Gaelic
  • We would like more Gaelic at whole school assemblies