A NEW Gaelic primary school for the greater Fort William area could be sited at Camaghael near Lochaber High School and the town’s new medical centre.
Highland Council’s education committee last week agreed to establish a Gaelic Medium School to serve Fort William and another to serve Portree.
A public consultation in Lochaber received 100 responses, virtually all of which were positive, showing strong support in the area for a new Gaelic school, which has been served for the last 14 years by the Gaelic medium unit in St Mary’s primary.
Council officials will now prepare detailed proposals on preferred sites for the new schools and funding discussions are planned with the government and Bord na Gaidhlig.
Council leader Dr Michael Foxley, who represents Fort William and Ardnamurchan, said: ‘Gaelic medium education has been served well by St Mary’s but there is a need to grow in scope, size and impact our provision in the greater Fort William area.
‘We need to impress upon parents and children the advantages of bi-lingualism within the European context. We will need to seek additional funding for both schools and we will form a small group of dedicated members, parents and council staff to further discussions.’
Councillor Hamish Fraser, chairman of the council’s Gaelic Committee, who represents Skye, said: ‘I congratulate the council for moving forward the Gaelic plan which is another historic and important decision which reinforces the commitment to the Gaelic language.
‘The hard work now begins in establishing the correct locations, securing adequate funding from our partners in order that, when these schools are built they will be established for greater benefit for our children and the wider community.’
Councillor Foxley added; ‘Both my children have received a first-class, rounded education at the Gaelic medium unit at St Mary’s and I have the very highest regard for the staff there.
‘Having said that, there is a real need to grow numbers because of the definite advantages of a bi-lingual education. We need to find a location where the size of the school can be incrementally increased as that demand grows. This school should have community facilities for the wider Gaelic community including facilities for Feis Lochabair, the local Mod as well as a Gaelic library and resource centre.
‘In my opinion, the cost of this school can be reduced if it shares playing fields with another school. My preference is therefore that the school be located in the Camaghael area so that it can access the playing fields of Lochaber High School.
‘This will reduce the cost of establishing the new school and it will also make transport arrangements easier for parents with older siblings attending Lochaber High School.’
