Visit the Gaelic version of this page at Àrd-sgoil Gheàrrloch - A’ leasachadh fileantas agus litearrachd sa Ghàidhlig ann an daoine òga

Improvement questions

• How well do all staff and learners in the school understand the importance of well thought out approaches to developing young people’s knowledge and use of language through immersion in Gaelic?
• How does our current curriculum design and timetabling support and provide opportunities for immersion opportunities outwith the core Gaelic subject offer?
• To what extent are young people encouraged to speak and use Gaelic for a range of purposes through the curriculum and to add to the ethos for Gaelic in the school?
• How does our school ensure that Gaelic immersion is delivered as part of a coherent 3-18 curriculum for all Gaelic Medium learners and that support is provided to retain Gaelic-medium educated young people in immersion until they leave school?

Explore this exemplar

What was done?

• Gairloch High School revised its Gaelic curriculum to maximise participation and motivation for young people in both Gaelic Medium Education (GME) and Gaelic Learner Education (GLE).
• To enhance the curriculum, the school increased engagement with partners such as FilmG, the National Gaelic Debates, Spòrs Gàidhlig, Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG), and the local Developing Young Workforce group, DYW West. Staff also increased the use of content related to Gaelic language media in both GME and GLE courses.
• The staff of the Gaelic Department developed digital resources for delivering learning on-line, allowing for remote learning and working from home when this was required. These resources also supported preparation for assessment and collection of feedback from young people on attainment and enjoyment of the curriculum.
• Young people in both GME and GLE focused on developing their use of Gaelic language in a range of social contexts. In GLE this was achieved via a weekly conversation with a peer, revising and reviewing basic vocabulary. The resources for this allowed for self-directed and differentiated learning through conversation with a variety of support methods including English prompts, Gaelic key word prompts, and full Gaelic key word prompts. Examples of this can be found in the Gairloch High School Appendix (PDF file, 870 KB). This approach supported the development of vocabulary, skills and grammar, leading to increased fluency and confidence.
• Young people in GME engaged weekly with Gaelic language media, developing literacy skills in a progressive manner, for example through writing summaries after listening to content from TV, Radio and on-line sources. They shared their work in on-line digital spaces with peers, and this peer-assessment promoted increased collaboration.

Why was it done?

• The Gaelic teaching staff were keen to see an increase in the number of young people studying Gaelic (Learners).
• Staff wished for young people to be more aware of the positive destinations in Gaelic available to them. Inspection recognised that the school needed to support this better through linking with Skills Development Scotland, other schools and partnerships.
• Inspection identified that Gairloch High School’s strategic planning should recognise the importance of the Gaelic language to the school’s community and that the school has two mediums of learning. Inspection recommended that Gaelic Education be a part of core functions such as vision, values, aims and curriculum rationale in order to become integral to the life and work of the school.

Impact as a result of actions taken

• The majority of young people in the school are engaged in learning Gaelic via GLE or GME.
• The school has introduced Gaelic as the second additional language (L3) for all young people in English Medium Education and uptake of Gaelic (Learners) courses in senior phase has increased.
• All young people in Gaelic Medium Education Broad General Education achieve the fourth curricular level in Gaelic.
• All young people progress to studying Gàidhlig in the senior phase as National Qualifications.
• Feedback forms from young people show a high level of satisfaction with most giving positive feedback to learning and teaching, and curriculum design.
• Young people recognise being skilled in Gaelic can lead to positive destinations. On leaving school, a number of young people have moved from both GME and GLE into positive destinations in Gaelic, using the language as part of their everyday life, including the workplace. The school has created a bank of profiles about some of these former students. DYW West provides career talks for young people with Gaelic employers.
• Participation in FilmG has allowed young people to develop creativity skills, learn about positive destinations in the media industries and achieve regular success in the short film competition.
• Spòrs Gàidhlig events in 2019 and 2021 have given young people the opportunity to explore how Gaelic can be used in environments outside of school. In partnership with Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG) all young people are offered activities that enable them to use Gaelic in fun and enjoyable social settings beyond the classroom.
• Young people perform well at the National Mòd in a range of competitions. Young people from Gairloch High School have won national writing competitions for the last four years.
• Young people, working with the Gaelic teacher, provide Gaelic content for the school newsletter and the local community radio station, Two Lochs Radio.
• Bilingual signs are incorporated throughout the school, including the new school values.
• Many of the resources developed by the Gaelic teacher have been developed further in partnership with Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig and published and distributed nationally.

Useful information

Reports page | Inspection reports | Education Scotland

PDF file: Gairloch High School Standards and Quality Report 2019/20 (618 KB)

PDF file: Gairloch High School Handbook (3.9 MB)

Iain agus na Drogaichean - Notaichean an Tidseir - Fileanta (storlann.co.uk)