Gaelic Medium Education - Secondary Gaelic Provision (OUTCOME REPORT)

1.0

Background to the proposal

1.1

The Education and Communities Committee meeting of 27 March 2023 approved that officers develop a proposal for establishing an offer of Gaelic Secondary Education provision for the academic year beginning August 2024 within Inverclyde Academy and bring the final proposal for statutory consultation back to the Education and Communities Committee.

A statutory consultation is not required to establish a GME provision such as that being proposed at Inverclyde Academy however a statutory consultation is required to delineate the catchment area for this provision.

2.0

PROPOSED CHANGES

2.1

The proposal is that a catchment area is established for Gaelic medium secondary education.  The catchment area would cover the whole of the Inverclyde local authority area.

2.2

Any pupil who wishes to pursue Gaelic medium education at Inverclyde Academy would live in the catchment area if they live in Inverclyde.  If they live over 2 miles from the school they will be entitled to transport in accordance with Inverclyde Council Transport Policy.

2.3

Inverclyde Academy is a non-denominational secondary school and pupils who attend will be deemed to have chosen a non-denominational education. 

3.0

The Consultation Process

3.1

The formal consultation on the proposal within this document will be undertaken under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 as amended.  The consultation requires to run for 30 school days and will start on Monday 2 October 2023 and will end on Friday 10 November 2023.  Written representations must be received by this date in order to be taken into account.

3.2

All secondary schools will be affected by this proposal.

3.3

Public Meeting

There will be two public meetings held on:

Wednesday 25 October 2023 at Inverclyde Academy at 6.30pm

Wednesday 1 November 2023 at Whinhill Primary School at 6.30pm

The meetings will provide those in attendance with an opportunity to:

• Hear about the proposal
• Ask questions about the proposal
• Express views about the proposal

A note will be taken of the views expressed during the public meeting and of any questions asked.  In addition to the public meeting, written representations including online responses will be able to be made during the consultation period.

3.4

Who will be consulted?

Statutory consultees:

• The Parent Council of affected schools
• The parents/carers of the pupils at the affected schools
• Parents whose children are expected to attend the affected schools within 2 years of publication of the proposal document
• Pupils (where they are considered to be of suitable age and maturity)
• Council employees at the affected schools
• Trade Union representatives
• Church representatives
• Bòrd na Gàidhlig
• Community Councils

Other stakeholders who will be contacted:

• Education Scotland
• Elected Members
• Local Members of Parliament and local members of Scottish Parliament
• General Public (Inverclyde)

Consultees will be informed that in order for their views to be taken into account, they must complete and submit a copy of the Consultation Response Form. Interested parties are invited to respond to the proposal by making an online submission using the link:

www.inverclyde.gov.uk/yoursay (or by clicking on the link in the Other Websites section of this page)

Alternatively, written submissions should be made using the form attached in the Documents section of this page no later than Friday 10 November 2023.

Accessing the proposal document

The steps listed below have been taken to ensure that the proposal document is widely available.

• Notice of the proposal and of publication of this proposal document will be placed in the Greenock Telegraph to engage with the general community

• The proposal document has been published on the Inverclyde Council website at www.inverclyde.gov.uk/yoursay or by clicking on the link in the Other Websites section of this page.

• This document can be made available in alternative forms or translated by contacting Education Services on (01475) 712853

• The proposal document will also be available for inspection at all educational establishments, Council Customer Contact Centre and libraries

Pupil consultation will take place through representatives of Pupil Councils.

4.0

Involvement of Education Scotland

The Council will provide the proposal document to Education Scotland at the start of the consultation period.  When the consultation period has ended, Inverclyde Council will collate all of the written and oral representations.  Thereafter, the following information will be provided to Education Scotland:

• A copy of relevant written representations made to Inverclyde Council on the proposal (or summary of them if agreed within Education Scotland)
• A summary of oral representations made at the public meetings
• Other relevant documentation, as far as is practicable

Education Scotland will prepare a report on the educational aspects of the proposal taking account of the above, the Educational Benefits Statement contained in this proposal document and in so far that Education Scotland considers them relevant, any written representations made directly to them.  Education Scotland may also visit the schools affected by the proposal and make reasonable inquiries of persons there and of such other persons as they consider appropriate.  Education Scotland require to send their report to Inverclyde Council no later than 3 weeks (or longer if agreed with Inverclyde Council) after having received the information from Inverclyde Council.

5.0

Consultation Report

After receiving Education Scotland’s report, Inverclyde Council will review the proposal taking account of relevant written representations received during the consultation period, oral representations made during the public meeting and Education Scotland’s report.  Inverclyde Council will then prepare and publish a consultation report which will include a recommendation on the proposal.

Inverclyde Council will notify on the publication of the consultation report, which will be made available on Inverclyde Council’s website, in schools and at Inverclyde Council’s Customer Contact Centre.

The consultation report will be published 3 weeks before it is formally considered by Inverclyde Council.

6.0

Inaccuracies or omissions

Where inaccuracies or omissions are discovered within this proposal document, Inverclyde Council will determine whether relevant information has been omitted or, if there has been an inaccuracy.  Appropriate action will then be taken by Inverclyde Council which may include issuing corrections, issuing a corrected proposal document or an extension of the consultation period.  In any of these events all relevant consultees (and where applicable the notifier(s) of any omissions or inaccuracies) and Education Scotland will be advised of the appropriate action.  Notifiers of any omissions or inaccuracies will also be given the opportunity to make representations if they disagree with Inverclyde Council’s determination of and any action on the matter, which may result in Inverclyde Council making a further determination / decision on the matter.

7.0

Implementation Date for the Proposal

7.1

It is expected that the proposal, if accepted, would be implemented from the start of term August 2024. 

8.0

EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS – ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSAL

8.1

Inverclyde Council is firmly committed to delivering a high-quality education provision in learning environments fit for learning and teaching in the 21^st Century.  Environments that nurture ambition and aspirations, improve attainment and achievement, and create and widen opportunities for all children and young people to achieve their full potential and move into positive and sustained destinations when they leave school.  Inverclyde Council also demonstrates its strong belief in the value of education through financial investment to allow full implementation of Curriculum for Excellence and Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and supporting programmes and activities that focus on removing barriers to learning and closing the attainment gap.   

8.2

Inverclyde Council is committed to the promotion of Gaelic.  The Council recognises the importance of Gaelic to our national culture and heritage and as such, is delighted to present our second Gaelic Language Plan 2023/28.  As a Council, we are committed to supporting Gaelic and will seek to further promote its development within Inverclyde over the life of this plan. 

Through the implementation of this Plan, we aim to support the delivery of the National Gaelic Language Plan 2018-23 and meet our responsibilities under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. 

Our long-term vision is to nurture Gaelic within Inverclyde to ensure a supportive environment, recognising the importance and value of the language.  Governance of the Plan will therefore be provided by the Corporate Equalities Group which will help to ensure that this work is mainstreamed within all services and promote Council wide ownership of its delivery.

8.3

All Inverclyde schools remain open to all pupils and will continue to have an inclusive and respectful ethos which helps every pupil to achieve their best.  The establishment of a catchment area for Gaelic medium secondary education means that pupils who wish to pursue Gaelic medium education will not have to submit a placing request.  This is of an educational benefit to the pupils because they can be assured a place at the school rather than requesting a placing request.

8.4

Inverclyde Council has well established Gaelic Medium Education provision within Whinhill Primary. There is primary provision and a nursery class. Currently pupils who wish to continue Gaelic in secondary education make a placing request to the Glasgow Gaelic School. There is a high demand for places within the Glasgow Gaelic School, due to the expansion of Gaelic Medium provision within the city. As a result, placing requests may not be granted in the future, as was initially the case for the academic year 2020/21.

8.5

The Council undertook a statutory consultation in 2022 to establish the catchment area for the Primary Gaelic Medium provision in Whinhill Primary; this is now the whole of Inverclyde Council. Transport is provided in line with the Council’s School Transport Policy for children, who are eligible. This ensures equality of access to Gaelic Medium Education for all children in Inverclyde. This may result in an increase in the number of children attending the Primary GME provision within Whinhill Primary as this option becomes more widely known and accessible to parents.

8.6

The approved Gaelic Plan for Inverclyde Council 2023-28 has the high-level aim of Increasing Learning in Gaelic; in relation to Secondary Gaelic Provision, it states: Explore opportunities, in partnership with Bòrd na Gàidhlig and with neighbouring authorities, within the first 18 months of the plan and make appropriate recommendations and if necessary, take applicable steps to develop Gaelic Medium Education provision at secondary level within the Inverclyde Council area.

8.7

The provision of secondary Gaelic Medium Education has been developed over time. GME provision within a secondary school is the most common provision of Gaelic Medium Education in the secondary sector in Central Scotland.

8.8

8.9

As is the case within other GME provisions located in a secondary school, only some subjects are delivered through the medium of Gaelic. Pupils will be able to progress and develop their Gaelic language skills. The Gaelic Medium provision will provide the opportunity to promote and develop the Gaelic Language across and out with the school.

Pupils will be able to progress and develop their Gaelic language skills, with the aim being to deliver a sufficient proportion of the curriculum through the medium of Gaelic at the secondary stages to enable young people to continue to develop their fluency in Gaelic through immersion. The exact curriculum delivery model will only be determined once a suitable teaching candidate has been appointed to post. This is due to not knowing if a suitable candidate will be able to teach Gaelic as well as a second or even third subject. However, it has to be sufficiently substantial to impact on young people’s fluency.

8.10

8.11

Establishing Secondary GME provision within Inverclyde Academy would provide opportunities for collaboration across and out with the West Partnership to develop the provision in the short, medium and long term. Provision of professional learning for staff, through a collaborative approach, would develop the knowledge and skills of staff, including senior leaders, to understand and fully develop an inclusive ethos to ensure that Gaelic has equal status with English in the school environment.

Establishing Secondary GME provision within Inverclyde Academy would comply with the legislative requirements, which places a duty on authorities to promote and support Gaelic Medium Education, as far as is reasonably practicable.

9.0

RESPONDING TO THE PROPOSAL

9.1

Section 3 of this document provides details on how to access a copy of the proposal document.

9.2

Interested parties are invited to respond to the proposal by making an online submission using the link:

www.inverclyde.gov.uk/yoursay (Or via the link in the Other Websites section of this page)

Alternatively, written submissions should be made using the form available to download in the Documents section of this page no later than Friday 10 November 2023.