Visit the Gaelic version of this page at A’ leasachadh Curraicealam na Gàidhlig anns an Àrd-sgoil – Àrd-sgoil Greenfaulds

Improvement questions

• How effectively are we using staff who are fluent in Gaelic in delivering Gaelic Medium Education, and are staff able to develop their skills through Professional Learning opportunities?
• How effective is our use of digital technologies to enhance learning, deliver the curriculum and develop skills for learning, life and work?
• What does equality and equity look like for the children and young people in Gaelic Medium Education?
• The General Teaching Council for Scotland’s Professional Standards apply in English Medium Education and Gaelic Medium Education, with four bespoke references to Gaelic across standards. How will you ensure these references are embedded in your setting?

Explore this exemplar

What was done?

• Greenfaulds High School developed its Gaelic Curriculum by taking full advantage of the flexibility of Curriculum for Excellence, and by increasing over time its staffing from 2.2 FTE to 5.6 FTE. This enabled the expansion of the number of subjects delivered through Gaelic to 10 subjects, with plans to expand further in the future.
• This approach created more immersion opportunities in the Broad General Education as well as supporting the offer of subjects delivered through Gaelic in Senior Phase.
• Initially, Greenfaulds mapped the skills, experiences, qualifications and interests of staff with a Gaelic teaching qualification. This supported the school in identifying opportunities to expand the curriculum. They supported staff in accessing accreditation and Career Long Professional Learning to allow the expansion of the Gaelic medium curriculum. Developing from an initial offer of French and Social Subjects, the suite of subjects has expanded to include Maths, Science and Music.
• The Gàidhlig Faculty has also been forward thinking in terms of using digital technology to deliver learning, teaching, and assessment in Gaelic Medium Education.
• Greenfaulds worked closely with the Local Authority and the Third Sector to expand extra-curricular activities, including both drama and music through the medium of Gaelic to enhance learning across the curriculum.
• The school has developed Gaelic Learner Education within the school, and acts as a hub for learners from across North Lanarkshire.

Why was it done?

• Greenfaulds High School is the secondary school hub for Gaelic Education in North Lanarkshire and over 100 learners are educated in Gaelic Medium Education.
• Greenfaulds High School was inspected in 2018 and the inspection report recognised several strengths and identified some areas for development in terms of curriculum development.
• Greenfaulds High School’s aim was to increase the proportion of learning across the curriculum through Gaelic for young people, resulting in increased fluency and confidence in using Gaelic, both in-school and in the wider community.
• There was also the need to articulate clearly how Gaelic Medium Education was taken forward as part of the whole-school curriculum.
• The COVID-19 pandemic also gave impetus to developing already existing digital resources for learning, teaching and assessment in Gaelic Medium Education to support young people.
• The development of Gaelic Learner Education was identified as a way to develop young people in English Medium Education’s understanding about Gaelic language and culture, and to foster a Gaelic-positive whole school ethos.

Impact

• The Gaelic Medium Education Curriculum is learner centred and young people enjoy the expanded curriculum offer. Feedback and assessment have shown that learners have improved in fluency due to the increase in opportunities for immersion in a wide range of areas.
• There is a culture of leadership where teachers feel confident in creating bespoke immersion opportunities which respond to pupil voice and are young people led, for example a Dungeon and Dragons club in Gaelic.
• Teachers feel empowered and have developed professionally with the support of the school.
• Increased tracking and monitoring of progress in Gaelic, and the proportion of the curriculum delivered in Gaelic is allowing for the planned strategic development of the Gaelic curriculum.
• The whole school has a better understanding of the place of Gaelic within the school community and Gaelic is embedded in whole-school planning.
• Partnership working in Gaelic Medium Education with Community Learning and Development colleagues and groups such as FilmG has influenced positively English Medium Education practice in the school.
• Increased Positive Destinations for young people, in particular into those where Gaelic is used. Former pupils have returned to the school to work as staff members in the Gàidhlig Faculty.

​Videos

Greenfaulds HS Designing the Gaelic Curriculum (short version)

Greenfaulds HS Designing the Gaelic Curriculum (extended version)

Useful information

Greenfaulds High School (glowscotland.org.uk)

PDF file: Greeenfaulds High School School Improvement Plan (glowscotland.org.uk) (29 KB)

Advice on Gaelic Education/ Comhairle mu Fhoghlam Gàidhlig | Self-evaluation | National Improvement Hub

What Scotland Learned | Scotland Learns | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot)

How good is our school? - HGIOS 4 | Self-evaluation | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot)

How good is our CLD | HGIOCLD | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot)