Gaelic- Medium Education

Gaelic-Medium Education

Gaelic-medium education (GME), is available at nursery, primary and secondary levels.  There are Gaelic parent and toddler groups and playgroups across the city.

Edinburgh’s first dedicated Gaelic nursery and primary school, Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pairce, opened in Aug. 2013 in the Leith area of the city. The school attracts a wide range of families from across the city and the wider Lothian area. Although pupils attending the school do not need to have prior knowledge of Gaelic, it is strongly recommended that they attend a Gaelic-medium setting for their pre-school years. In addition, parents with no Gaelic themselves are encouraged to engage with learning the language themselves.

Pupils should register for a nursery or school place in the usual way. Taobh na Pàirce runs regular open afternoons for prospective nursery parents, where all families will receive a very warm welcome.

Please contact the school for further information.

Pupils who have studied at Bun Sgoil Taobh na Pairce transfer to James Gillespie’s High School, at the end of P7, to continue with their GME. In response to the increasing demand for GME, the City of Edinburgh plans to further develop it’s secondary GME provision by opening a dedicated GME Secondary school from 2024. Details relating to specific location etc. will emerge after further consultation.

Additionally, pupils from across the Lothians entering S5 or S6, who wish to study Gaelic at secondary level, can, depending on space and availability of courses, enrol at James Gillespie’s High School to study at National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses.  ked