Thurso primary is set to host new Gaelic unit
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THE first Gaelic medium unit in Thurso is poised to be established if Highland Council can find a teacher to take the new class.
Parents have been pressing for several years to have the opportunity for local primary pupils to be taught exclusively in the language and it has emerged their campaign could soon come to fruition.
The local authority is hopeful of enrolling 10 children so the unit can be launched in August, after crunch talks with parents last week.
Mount Pleasant primary already has an independent Gaelic nursery – Croileagan Inbhir Theorsa – but is now inching closer to a Gaelic medium unit within the building, if a teacher can be sourced to take the pupils.
Almost 800 primary age pupils in the Highlands are now being taught exclusively in Gaelic, a rise of 7.8 per cent compared to five years ago, but the council is determined to increase that total by building new schools and setting up more dedicated units.
Thurso was pinpointed as a key area for development in the council’s second Gaelic language plan.
Caithness and Sutherland area education manager Graham Nichols said at least seven primary one pupils have been identified to be taught in the unit and he is confident a teacher could be found.
"There is sufficient demand from parents and pupils who want Gaelic medium education in Thurso and we’ve identified the accommodation where this can be developed," he said.
"All this is now dependent on whether we are able to recruit a teacher. If we can put somebody in place after the summer then the unit will happen.
"There have been problems recruiting teachers in the far north in core subjects such as English and other secondary subjects – the further north you get, the more difficult recruitment seems to be.
"But the council is the largest Gaelic-speaking authority in Scotland and we’re making every effort to meet this demand as part of the Gaelic language plan."
An internal advert is being run in an attempt to attract an individual to start at Mount Pleasant in August.
Mr Nichols is aware of criticism from councillors in Caithness regarding Gaelic not being historically relevant due to Caithness’s Norse heritage, but he insists the demand is present.
"I wouldn’t argue with the criticism about Gaelic being taught in Caithness – all we’re doing is reacting to a demand.
"There are a number of teachers working for Highland Council who speak fluent Gaelic but do not teach the language and we are hoping we can achieve success by attracting an individual to take the position within our own ranks."
Kenneth Murray, the council’s Gaelic development manager, met the parents and said the talks were very positive.
"We are working with the parents and the local school to look at establishing the unit," said Mr Murray.
"We are looking at starting with about 10 pupils but there are around 20 in pre-school so we are looking at sustainable provision.
"It is very important but there has always been a lot of support for a Gaelic medium unit."
Gaelic teacher shortages in the region were brought into focus at the end of last year following the authority’s long-running problems in recruiting a Gaelic-speaking head teacher for its flagship primary school in Inverness.
There has also been a lack of teachers for secondary school provision but it is understood there are not the same shortages for class teachers of the language.
Mount Pleasant head teacher Suzanne Fraser is aware that there had been calls for Gaelic provision and said she supports the move.
"I had heard from a parent that they were considering building a Gaelic medium unit, but that is as much as I know," she said.
"There are a number of parents that would be keen to see this introduced in Thurso. Obviously we have the Gaelic nursery based at the school, so any developments would be welcome."
Croileagan Inbhir Theorsa manager Julie Manson was unable to comment on the issue.
