Category Archives: Education

Take part in survey on the future of schools leadership in Argyll and Bute

We are currently running a survey to gather views from the community on proposed changes to the way schools are led in our Council area – proposals which are quite similar in many ways to the temporary arrangement that our own school has been operating under with Oban High School for the past two years.
 
You will find more information about the survey within the survey introduction. Please note that all submissions are anonymous. We will ask about what group you belong to within the community, but individual responses cannot be linked back to a named individual.
You will find links to information about the Council’s proposal and the school’s latest HMIE report in the introduction, or you can follow the links below.
 
To search for the HMIE Report: https://education.gov.scot/education-scotland/inspection-reports/?orderBy=dateDescending
 
The Council’s ‘Empowering Our Educators’ information page: https://empoweringoureducators.co.uk/

Upcoming Gaelic events and activities – March 2021

#cleachdiaigantaigh – Argyll & Bute

Comann nam Pàrant have been working with partners to create a timetable with a wealth of Gaelic sessions and activities to support Gaelic Medium Pupils. This has been done under Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s hashtag, #cleachdiaigantaigh.  The timetable is put together by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and hosted on the Comann nam Pàrant website.

If anyone would like any further information about Comann nam Pàrant or what we do within Argyll to support Gaelic Medium Parents please email innes@cnag.org

 

Fèis na Càisge (5-9 Giblean)

Tha clàradh fosgailte airson bùthan-obrach ciùil, seinn is dràma do dh’òigridh thairis làithean-saora na Càisge air a stiùireadh le oidean dòigheil nam Fèis.  

Gheibh sibh tuilleadh fiosrachaidh an seo. 

Easter Fèis (5-9 April) 

Booking is now open for online Gaelic and English medium instrumental, song and drama workshops for young people, led by fun and friendly Fèis tutors. Workshops are free with donations welcome.

Please find further information here.  

GME Videos, Comann nam Pàrant Nàiseanta     

Comann nam Pàrant have released six new informative and concise videos about Gaelic Medium Education. The videos will look at GME at each stage from 0-18 and how families and schools dealt with lockdown.

The six videos will be released on Comann nam Pàrant’s Social Media Channels and are available on the Comann nam Pàrant website.

Comann nam Pàrant – GME Videos (parant.org.uk).  For more information please contact, innes@cnag.org

Gìog-ort!

Stòrlann have released a series of ten short Gaelic films for use in the home. You can view the first short film in the series online at https://www.gaidhlig-nan-og.scot/, click on Keek-a-Boo.  ‘Gàidhlig nan Òg’ is a great place to look for songs and rhymes to support children in early years.

“Cofaidh is Cabadaich”

Bidh “Cofaidh is Cabadaich” aig Dùn Ollaidh is Ionad Gàidhlig Furan a’ tachairt air Diardaoin an 1d den Ghiblein eadar 1.30f is 3f air Zoom. Airson clàradh, cuiribh fios gu jamie@dunollie.org

Feuch gun sgaoil sibh am fiosrachadh seo gu neach sam bith a bhiodh airson a bith an làthair.

The next Dunollie and Furan “Cofaidh is Cabadaich” session will take place on Thursday 1st April between 1.30pm and 3pm on Zoom. To register, e-mail jamie@dunollie.org

For other news, events and opportunities please head over to the Argyll Gaelic Forum.

Tiree fury at library cut

Tiree High School Parent Council and Tiree Community Council have issued a press release in response to the proposed cuts to the library service, which will result in the loss of library facilities in Tiree.

Tiree High School Parent Council, Tiree Community Council, and local residents of Tiree are furious over the Council cut to their library service, joining the community of Mull who are also up in arms about the proposal. Argyll and Bute Councillors decided, as part of their budget for next year, that Tiree, along with Mull and Iona, should lose their secondary school libraries. This decision has sent shock waves through the community, as the librarian on Tiree also serves the thriving primary school and the wider community.

Paul le Roux, Vice-Chair of the Tiree Parent Council told the Oban Times, “We are appalled by this short-sighted decision. The Scottish Government has made the improvement of literacy and numeracy a priority, yet Argyll and Bute want to take our only public access to books away from this island community by removing our librarian at a time when use of our library by the community and children is growing year by year.”

A Tiree resident, who has children at the school but asked not to be named, said, “Tiree High School library caters not only for the High School, but also for the island generally, including Bookbug for under 5s. This is a community that cannot head down the road to another public library – it is our only library. Buying books online is not a replacement for a public library service. Not only does it cost money, but on the one hand we are encouraging children to reduce their screen time, while taking away the opportunity to be able to offer them a good old-fashioned book in its place. Tiree will be losing our library while Argyll and Bute council reassures us that their hanging baskets will be protected – although I haven’t seen many of those on Tiree.”

Dr John Holliday, Convenor of Tiree Community Council, said, “The Community Council is outraged by this decision by Argyll and Bute, which is possibly in breach of their statutory obligations. If this cut goes ahead our nearest public library will be a four hour ferry ride and an overnight stay away. Our librarian, as part of our community school, provides a wonderful service for older members of the community, for many of whom their day out to the library is one of the high points of their week. It works both ways; the school pupils benefit from the books that the Library Service sends out to Tiree. The Council cuts have been described as ‘salami slicing’; this is throwing the whole sausage away.”

The two bodies are calling upon Argyll and Bute council to engage with the Tiree High School Parent Council and Tiree Community Council and to rethink their decision to deny their community this valuable resource.

A petition has already been set up to gather support for all libraries affected in Argyll and Bute. You can sign it here https://www.change.org/p/shout-out-for-school-librarians-in-argyll-and-bute

Please also consider liking the Mull and Iona libraries Action Group on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MullandIonaLibrariesActionGroup/

Sign the petition save Argyll & Bute Libraries

Along with Mull and Iona, Tiree is at risk of losing its only library. This is the one situated in Tiree High School. Council Cuts will axe the librarian post at the school. It is a valuable community resource, and Tiree Community Council is supporting the Mull and Iona Library Action Group (MILAG) in their endevours.

Please sign this petition to show your support:

https://www.change.org/p/shout-out-for-school-librarians-in-argyll-and-bute