Gaelic-Medium Education (GME), is available at nursery, primary and secondary levels. We also run Gaelic parent and toddler groups at various locations in the city. For more information visit the Cròileagan Dhùn Èideann Facebook page here.
https://www.facebook.com/croileagan/
Edinburgh’s first dedicated Gaelic Medium Education nursery and primary school, Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pairce, opened in Aug. 2013 in the Leith area of the city. The school attracts a wide range of families from across the city and the wider Lothian area. Although pupils starting at P1 do not need to have prior knowledge of Gaelic, attending a Gaelic-medium setting for pre-school years is highly advantageous and so is strongly recommended. Learners need to develop strong language skills to fully access our rich curriculum with confidence. To achieve this, we adopt an immersive model which means Gaelic is the main language of the classroom and the school, from the earliest stages. To allow for the best outcomes for all our learners, we would only admit pupils later than Primary One if their skill and confidence in Gaelic language are demonstrably at a level that would allow them fully to access the curriculum and take part in school life with confidence.
The nature of the immersive model means that GME does not lend itself well to flexi-schooling. To be best placed to support pupils thrive in a GME environment, all parents are strongly encouraged to committing to engage with learning the language themselves. School staff are happy to advise and support families with their Gaelic learning.
Pupils should register for a nursery or school place in the usual way. Taobh na Pàirce runs regular open afternoons for prospective nursery parents, where all families will receive a very warm welcome.
Please contact the school for further information.
Currently, pupils who have studied at Bun Sgoil Taobh na Pairce transfer to James Gillespie’s High School, at the end of P7, to continue with GME.
For general enquiries about GME provision in Edinburgh you can contact us via out dedicated mailbox at gme@edinburgh.gov.uk