Evaluating the Quality of Gaelic Education
Introduction by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education
I am privileged to introduce this inspection report, which supports improvement in Gàidhlig Education. Its publication is timely aligning with the ambitions of new legislation, The Scottish Languages Act 2025 and Education (Scotland) Act 2025, both of which signal national commitment to the growth of Gàidhlig.
His Majesty’s Inspectors of Education in Scotland (HMIE) report publicly on the quality of Gàidhlig Education. They evaluate the impact of national policy and guidance and make professional judgements about the quality of children’s and young people’s learning, fluency, attainment and achievement. HMIE identify what is working well and what needs to improve in Gàidhlig Education in Scotland. Our synthesis of inspection findings informs the professional advice shared with the teaching profession, Scottish Ministers and their officials to improve national policy and practice.
Teachers of Gàidhlig have an important and privileged role to deliver positive outcomes for children and young people. This is while also contributing to meeting targets to sustain and secure the future of the Gàidhlig language. During the period covered by this report, senior leaders, teachers and practitioners navigated exceptionally challenging circumstances, including recovering from the pandemic. This report recognises teachers’ creativity and commitment in closing gaps in attainment and immersion, improving attendance, supporting health and wellbeing; and raising attainment, particularly those most impacted by the cost of living.
The Gàidhlig sector is optimistic and unrelentingly ambitious for the future of the Gaelic language. Scotland's National Census 2022 showed that the speakers with some Gàidhlig in Scotland has increased from 87,000 to 130,000 between 2011 and 2022. The number of people who can speak Gàidhlig fluently is much lower - about 69,710 speakers nationwide, an increase of 21% from 2011. Beyond school, young people and adult learners are embracing new approaches such as technology to learn Gàidhlig. Educators’ use of previous inspection findings have helped raise standards and expectations in immersion. This new report, Evaluating the Quality of Gàidhlig Education: actions to raise standards, quality and equity in 3-18 Gàidhlig Education is designed to drive further improvements and strengthen the quality of Gàidhlig Medium and Learner Education.
Attainment remains positive in the senior phase for young people who continue with Gàidhlig. The Statutory Guidance on Gaelic Education, 2017 is resulting in useful changes, such as setting distinctive catchment areas for Gàidhlig Medium Education. Parents are clearer on placing arrangements when requesting Gàidhlig Medium Education. The Scottish Government’s plans for Gàidhlig Education are raising expectations and visibility of Gàidhlig in education. The Scottish Government, in their response to Professor Kenneth Muir’s report, ‘Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision', affirmed that Gàidhlig is a driver of change in education. The Scottish Government’s announcements on a refocused Education Scotland, June 2024 confirms the national organisation’s remit for improving the curriculum for Gàidhlig and English Medium Education. This clarifies a gap over time on who leads the curriculum for Gàidhlig Education. However, it remains unclear who will advance the strategy required to enact and extend curricular provision for Gàidhlig in Scotland. The new legislation, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 - UNCRC on children’s rights gives high priority to Indigenous languages and its speakers. The inspectorate has strategic duties to integrate Gàidhlig within our work to assist in growing Gàidhlig in Scottish education. HM Inspectors are committed to fulfilling these legislative duties for Gàidhlig with rigour and consistency.
Despite progress, the Gàidhlig sector does remain fragile. Low uptake for curriculum courses in the senior phase, particularly for Gaelic (Learners) is critical. In areas where there is high demand for Gàidhlig Medium Education, strategic leaders in local authorities must be more proactive in ensuring sufficient places in Gàidhlig schools. Having too few places for Gàidhlig Medium Education restricts growth and continuity for learners as they move across 3-18 education. In other geographical areas, there is capacity to increase numbers in Gàidhlig Medium and Learner Education within existing resources. Barriers to growth of Gàidhlig, include budget pressures, education workforce recruitment challenges and negative societal attitudes by some towards showing linguistic respect to Gàidhlig. These are significant areas that must be addressed.
HM Inspectors give a clear message in this report on the importance of well-paced change for Gàidhlig. Collective and individual responsibility and accountability is required for ensuring that the education system makes a tangible difference to the survival of the language. This is our common purpose.