Council to consult on Gaelic medium provision at Skye school

Members of the Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee
yesterday (Thursday, 16 September 2010) agreed that a statutory
consultation be undertaken on converting Staffin Primary School into
Gaelic medium school with an English medium unit.

Committee members were informed that as at August 2010 there were 25
Gaelic medium pupils and 5 English pupils enrolled at Staffin primary
School and that the proposed change is supported by both English and
Gaelic medium pupils.

Ron MacKenzie, Highland Council’s Head of Support Services with the
Education, Culture and Sport Service outlined some of the educational
and community benefits of the proposal including:

* providing increased opportunities to develop the Gaelic language
both within the environs of the school and outwith in the wider
community;

* increased numbers of participants involved in the development of
the Gaelic language and culture within communities;

* the provision of extra-curricular activities in Gaelic; and

* an emerging pride in the language of the school resulting in it
being more likely to be used in settings outside of the classroom such
as the playground, dining areas and assemblies.

The statutory consultation will be carried out in accordance with the
requirements of the Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act 2010. The
consultation period, which will last for 6 weeks, will be advertised in
the local press within the next few weeks.

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