Millbank Primary School

Millbank Primary School’s Gaelic |Medium (GM) department opened in August 2006 and currently comprises 2 classrooms, GM1-3 and GM4-7. There is a warm, welcoming and friendly ethos within the department. Children often mention how they feel part of a “family”. The department itself is an integral part of the school sharing guidelines and policies in all aspects of learning, teaching, assessment and behaviour management.

GM pupils have regular opportunities to join their peers in English Medium (EM); eg at weekly school assemblies, participating in school visits, during sports activities and school performances; where Gaelic is woven in through song, poetry and conversation.

Recently, a new project was introduced entitled, “Caraidean Cànan” (Language Friends) which involves GM pupils preparing activities and sharing these with friends in EM classes. This is a hugely successful initiative with children talking very positively about their experiences and involvement.

In GM education, Gaelic is not taught formally as a lesson, instead it becomes the everyday language of the classroom with children encouraged to use Gaelic as often as possible from their first day in P1. During the initial three years of immersion the pupils become fluent in speech and learn to read and write in Gaelic. They are introduced to English reading and writing in Primary 4.

Day to day classroom learning is enhanced with a wide variety of other experiences, provided in Gaelic, which offer the children the opportunity to see and hear Gaelic being spoken by others and not just as a ‘classroom language’. Opportunities may include:

• Drama sessions with Feisean nan Gàidheal
• Music sessions with Feis Ròis
• Outdoor/sporting activities with Spòrs Gàidhlig
• Participation in the Gaelic football cup (Cuach na Cloinne)
• A trip for Gaelic speaking P6/7 pupils to Edinburgh
• Participation in Inverness Provincial Mòd

For further information about Gaelic Medium at Millbank Primary School, please contact the school directly on: millbank.primary@highland.gov.uk

If you wish to chat informally with families who already have children in Gaelic Medium Education in Nairn, please contact CnP via their Facebook group.

Nairn Academy

For children who have been educated in the medium of Gaelic at Primary School and who are fluent speakers, the subject of Gàidhlig is offered at Nairn Academy. The course in S1-3 aims to develop the four skills: writing, reading, talking and listening. At senior level, pupils can study Gàidhlig at National 3/4/5, higher and advanced higher.

Gaelic is also offered as a subject to learners in S3 and the school are aiming to expand on this in the future. Gaelic culture is an important element of all the courses where pupils learn about literature, music, media and history.

The staff at Nairn Academy are continually striving to offer as wide a variety of experiences in Gaelic language and culture as possible and have regular visits to the school from guest speakers. Students have also participated with enthusiasm and success in a number of projects over the past few years including:

• Inverness Provincial Mòd and the National Mòd
• The Gaelic Teacher’s Association annual writing competition
• FilmG
• The annual national Gaelic debate

For further information about Gaelic Medium at Nairn Academy, please contact the school directly on: nairn.academy@highland.gov.uk