Highland councillors welcome report which says Gaelic and cultural development in the region is progressing well
An-diugh chuir Comhairlichean na Gàidhealtachd fàilte air aithisg an Àrd-Oifigeir Donna Manson do chomataidh nan Goireasan Corporra a tha a’ comharrachadh an adhartais a thathar a’ dèanamh a thaobh na Gàidhlig agus leasachadh cultarail san sgìre.
Chaidh iarraidh air Comhairlichean an-diugh (20 Samhain 2019) beachdachadh air an aithisg agus an aithisg aontachadh, agus thathar an dùil gum bi seo buannachdail a thaobh leasachadh na Gàidhlig ann an sgìre na Gàidhealtachd. Tha seo a’ buileachadh nan gnìomhan agus nam prìomh chomharran coileanaidh a tha sa Phlana Ghàidhlig ùr.
Thuirt an t-Àrd-Oifigear Donna Manson: “Tha sinn a’ dèanamh ath-sgrùdadh iomlan air a’ churraicealam agus bidh sinn ag obrachadh còmhla ri buidhnean nàiseanta agus prìomh luchd-compàirt a thaobh seo. Leanaidh sinn air adhart a’ mìneachadh seo ann an aithisgean san àm ri teachd, a’ toirt tuairisgeul air an obair leantainnich a thathar a’ dèanamh agus mar a tha sinn a’ coinneachadh nan amasan ro-innleachdail againn. Tha e tlachdmhor dha-rìribh a bhith a’ faicinn an adhartais air leth a thathar a’ dèanamh ann an sgoiltean na Gàidhealtachd. Tha sinn cuideachd a’ cur fàilte air an taic a tha sinn air fhaighinn o chionn ghoirid a thaobh nan gnìomhan is nan tachartasan againn uile.”
Thug an aithisg am follais gu bheil proifeiseantaich fhoghlaim a’ faighinn taic bho oifigearan gus ceangal a thogail le leasachaidhean poileasaidh is stiùiridh ionadail is nàiseanta, mar phàirt de chlàr-gnothaich leasachaidh leantainneach.
Tha obair Eadar-Ùghdarrais agus Eadar-Bhuidhneach a’ cur taic ri leasachadh leantainneach ghoireasan Feumalachdan Taice a Bharrachd a tha ag uidheamachadh phroifeiseantaich leis na sgilean is na goireasan a tha a dhìth orra gus feumalachdan ionnsachaidh fa leth a choinneachadh. Tha seo an-dràsta a’ gabhail a-steach a bhith a’ leasachadh prògram leughaidh Gàidhlig.
Tha co-obrachadh gus taic a thoirt do bhith a’ comharrachadh, a’ leasachadh is a’ sgaoileadh ghoireasan foghlaim a tha a’ cur ri solar foghlam Gàidhlig fhathast na phrìomhachas bunaiteach is leantainneach.
Mar stiùiriche nàiseanta ann an Litearras a’ Tighinn am Bàrr, tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd airson dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil an cleachdadh as fheàrr, far a bheil sin iomchaidh is freagarrach, air a ghluasad gu seòmraichean-teagaisg FtG, a’ sìor chur ri leasachaidhean litearrais na Gàidhlig, agus tha seo a’ gabhail a-steach dòigh-obrach ‘Gàidhlig an toiseach’ far a bheil sin comasach.
Tha dòighean-obrach stèidhichte gus an t-ionnsachadh Gàidhlig àrd-inbhe, a tha mar làn-chòir aig clann is daoine òga, a lìbhrigeadh air stèidh mhaireannach. Tha oifigearan deiseil airson co-chonaltradh tìmeil a dhèanamh le Iarrtasan Measaidh Foghlam Bun-sgoile tron Ghàidhlig sam bith agus a rèir nan cinn-ama reachdail. Thathar a’ comharrachadh Sgìrean-sgoile FtG Bun-sgoile agus Àrd-sgoile foirmeil thar an Ùghdarrais Ionadail, mar phàirt de Cho-chomhairleachadh Reachdail agus a’ com-pàirteachadh nam prìomh luchd-compàirt uile air stèidh leantainneach.
Chaidh taic a thoirt dhan Oifigear Foghlaim Gàidhlig a thaobh stòrasan leasachaidh, leabhraichean, clàran-bìdh sgoile agus stuthan deasbaid sgoiltean airson foghlam Gàidhlig, agus chaidh tachartas dreuchdan Gàidhlig a chumail san Dàmhair 2019.
Tha leasachadh leantainneach a thaobh soidhnichean dà-chànanach cuideachd a’ meudachadh follaiseachd na Gàidhlig agus a’ togail ìomhaigh na Gàidhlig ann an sgoiltean, san àite-obrach agus sa choimhearsnachd as fharsainge.
Sheall fios air ais bho shuirbhidh buaidh thidsearan a rinneadh o chionn ghoirid gun robh a’ mhòr-chuid de luchd-freagairt ag innse gun robh barrachd misneachd aca ann a bhith a’ bruidhinn a’ chànain, a’ cleachdadh stuthan planaidh is stòrasan Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, a’ cleachdadh òrain, gheamaichean is sgeulachdan is eile. Chaidh innse gun robh misneachd a’ fàs cuideachd a thaobh a bhith a’ teagasg cànan bunaiteach agus a’ toirt seachad stiùiridhean sa chlas, leis a’ chuid as motha de luchd-freagairt.
Tha fios air ais proifeiseanta a’ leantainn air adhart mar phàirt riatanach de phròiseasan leasachaidh. Tha fianais air a chruinneachadh tro phròiseasan fèin-mheasaidh, ann an co-bhann le luchd-obrach teagaisg, luchd-obrach Thràth-bhliadhnaichean agus luchd-compàirt iomchaidh.
Thathar an-ceartuair a’ deasachadh Sgrùdadh Foghlam Gàidhlig na Gàidhealtachd 2019/20 airson a thaisbeanadh do phrìomh luchd-compàirt. Bheir am pròiseas seo seachad fianais buaidh airson Phròiseactan Leasachaidh, an dà chuid a rinneadh o chionn ghoirid is leantainneach, fhad ’s a thathar cuideachd a’ daingneachadh an ath cheum ann an Dealbhadh Leasachaidh airson Foghlam Gàidhlig, làmh ri prìomhachasan ionadail is nàiseanta.
Tha co-chonaltradh le Prìomh Luchd-compàirt air cothroman Foghlam Adhartach agus dreuchdail sa Ghàidhlig a mheudachadh, a’ gabhail a-steach dhreuchdan a tha a’ cur taic ri bhith a’ leudachadh solar Tràth-ionnsachaidh is Cùraim-chloinne Gàidhlig.
Tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a’ sìor cho-chonaltradh le còmhraidhean nàiseanta a thaobh a bhith a’ leudachadh chuspairean àrd-sgoile ann am FtG agus mar a dh’fhaodas seo taic èifeachdach fhaighinn taobh a-staigh chuingealachdan ionmhasail agus luchd-obrach.
Tha àireamhan iomlan sgoilearan ann an solar foghlam Gàidhlig ann an sgìre na Gàidhealtachd air meudachadh a-rithist ann an ceithir a-mach à còig buidhnean-aoise, an coimeas ris a’ bhliadhna roimhe.
Ann an Sgoiltean-àraich/Ionadan ann an 2018/19 bha 307 sgoilear, an coimeas ri 287 a’ bhliadhna roimhe. Ann am Bun-sgoiltean ann an 2018/19 bha 963 sgoilear, an coimeas ri 923 a’ bhliadhna roimhe. An am Foghlam Gàidhlig Àrd-sgoiltean (Fileantaich) ann an 2018/19 bha 374 sgoilear, an coimeas ri 341 a’ bhliadhna roimhe. Ann an Àrd-sgoiltean (Cuspairean tron Ghàidhlig) ann an 2018/19 bha 282 sgoilear, an coimeas ri 259 a’ bhliadhna roimhe.
Highland councillors today warmly welcomed Chief Executive Donna Manson’s report to the Corporate Resources committee that highlights the progress being made in relation to Gaelic and cultural development in the region.
Councillors were today (20 November 2019) asked to consider and approve the report, which is expected to have a positive impact on Gaelic development in Highland. It implements the actions and key performance indicators in the new Gaelic Language Plan.
Chief Executive, Donna Manson, said: “We are having a complete curriculum review and will be working with national groups and key partners on this. We will continue to set out in more detail in future reports, describing the work ongoing and how we are meeting our strategic aims. It is really pleasing to see the tremendous progress being made in Highland schools. We also welcome all the support we have had recently in all our engagement and activities.”
The report highlighted that educational professionals are supported by officers to engage with local and national policy and guidance developments, as part of an ongoing improvement agenda.
Inter-Authority and Inter-Agency work supports the ongoing development of Additional Support Needs resources that equip professionals with the skills and resources to meet individual learning needs. This presently involves the development of a Gaelic reading intervention programme.
Collaboration to support the identification, distribution and development of educational resources that enhance Gaelic education provision remains a core and ongoing priority.
As a national leader in Emerging Literacy, Highland Council seeks to ensure that best practice, where relevant and appropriate, is transferred into Gaelic medium classrooms, further enhancing Gaelic literacy developments; this includes a ‘Gaelic first’ approach where possible.
Mechanisms are in place to deliver the high-quality Gaelic learning that children and young people are entitled to, on an ongoing basis. Officers are prepared for timeous engagement with any Gaelic Medium Primary Education Assessment Requests and according to statutory timescales. Primary and Secondary GM Catchment Areas are being formally identified across the Local Authority, as part of an extensive Statutory Consultation exercise and involving all key partners and on an ongoing basis.
Support was provided to the Gaelic Education Officer in the form of Gaelic education development resources, books, school menus, schools debate materials, and a Gaelic careers event was held in October 2019. The ongoing development of bilingual signage also increases the visual presence and raises the profile of Gaelic in schools, the workplace and the wider community.
Feedback from a recent teachers’ impact survey showed that most respondents replied showing an increase in confidence with speaking the language, using the Highland Council planners and resources, using songs, games and stories etc. Confidence was also noted as increased with teaching core language and giving out classroom instructions, by most respondents.
Professional feedback continues to be a crucial to improvement processes. Evidence is collated through self-evaluative processes, in collaboration with all Teaching staff, Early Years Practitioners and relevant partners.
The Highland Gaelic Education Audit 2019/20 is presently being prepared for presentation to Key Partners. This process will contribute impact evidence for recent and ongoing Improvement Projects, while also underpinning the next phase of Gaelic Education Improvement Planning; in parallel with local and national priorities.
Engagement with Key Partners has promoted Further Education and career opportunities in Gaelic, including posts that support the expansion of GM Early Learning and Childcare provision.
Highland Council continues to engage in national dialogue regarding the expansion of secondary subjects in GME and how this can be effectively supported within financial and staffing constraints.
The year on year pupil totals in Gaelic education provision in Highland has again increased in four of the five age-groups, compared to the previous year.
In Nursery/Partner Centre numbers are 307 for 2018/19, compared to 287 the previous year. Primary School Pupil numbers are 963 in 18/19, compared to 923 the year before. Second School Pupils Fluent Gaelic are 374 in 2018/19 compared to 341 the previous year. Secondary School Pupils Subjects Through Gaelic is 282 in 18/19 and 259 the year before.