Gaelic and Scots Education
Gaelic Education
Three of our primary schools have offered Scottish culture, language and history projects. Dallas Primary School has offered this in February for the past couple of years in January and February while Newmill and Botriphnie Primary Schools linked their project to St Andrew’s Celebrations in November 2023 with plans for a project in term 3 2024/25.
There is a Gaelic and Scots MS Team where Moray staff can meet, discuss and make resources available to colleagues in a supportive manner.
If you would like any further information please contact Willem Smit, Lead officer for Gaelic and Scots Education at – willem.smit@moray.gov.uk
Dallas Primary School
The school operates a three year rolling curricular learning cycle. Each year in Term 3, the pupils learn and explore Scotland and its culture.
During Year 1, pupils learn about the Languages of Scotland through literacy and social studies contexts. Learning may include creating a radio programme for Keith Community Radio/ making a film about the languages of Scotland to share. An example of this learning can be found on the school Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/DallasPrimarySchool/videos/
During Year 2, children apply Gaelic learning within their expressive arts by writing and performing a short play or movie including Gaelic Language. An example can be found in this short film, written, filmed and edited by the children. https://youtu.be/TsEaf-c2Tt4
During Year 3, pupils learn about the features of traditional Scottish music, their instruments and place in Scotland’s culture, in partnership with Feish. They also learn about the poetry and life of Robert Burns and learn about the Scots language during Term 3.
For further details, please contact the Headteacher of Dallas PS, Mairi Grant mairi.grant@moray-edunet.gov.uk
Scots Education
Scots as a language is offered by seven primary and one secondary school as a second or third language, and has been for some time. As the dialect of many of our learners and staff is Doric, it is relatively easy to incorporate Scots language and culture into curricular areas and provides a medium for curricular projects. These schools include Botriphnie, Keith, Lhanbryde, Milne’s, Mosstowie, Newmill, Rothiemay, St Thomas in Keith and West End Primary Schools. Keith Grammar School offers Scots as an option in S1 to S3 due to popular demand.
If you would like any further information please contact Willem Smit, Lead officer for Gaelic and Scots Education at – willem.smit@moray.gov.uk
