ARGYLL and Bute Council offers Gaelic-medium education at seven of its primary schools. Those who attend are taught entirely through Gaelic during their first three years of school. This immersion in the language means that children do not have to be fluent in Gaelic when they begin.
After primary three, English is gradually introduced but Gaelic remains the predominant language of the classroom until the end of primary school and beyond, enabling them to become bilingual.
Councillor Robin Currie said: ‘The curriculum is full of Gaelic songs, stories, rhymes and drama-based activities. It provides children with a fun way of learning the language. The majority of families who choose Gaelic-medium education don’t speak Gaelic at home but that isn’t necessarily a barrier to learning as there’s lot of support for parents, carers and children within the Gaelic community.