Gaelic education at Drummond Community High School

How you can get involved Proposal to move Gaelic education to Drummond Council has proposed that Drummond Community High School becomes the school where Gaelic-speaking children receive their secondary education. The initial proposal would involve moving Gaelic provision from James Gillespie’s to Drummond. The school site would be shared between current pupils and Gaelic- speaking pupils. However, if demand for Gaelic education continues to grow, the council has made it clear that Drummond could become a dedicated Gaelic school. This would mean that local children (who did not speak Gaelic) would no longer be able to go to Drummond. Drummond parent council predicts that, with the addition of Gaelic-speaking children, Drummond will reach capacity in 2022. It is not clear what arrangements would be made for non-Gaelic-speaking children at that point.

What can parents do? If you’re concerned about these proposals, there are a number of things you can do:  Contact Drummond parent council via [email protected] to be kept up-to-date with developments;  Follow the Drummond Community facebook and twitter pages for updates - www.facebook.com/DrummondCommunity/ Twitter: @DrummondCommuni;  Come along to the council’s public consultation event about the proposal, scheduled for Tuesday 27 February, 6-8pm at Drummond Community High School;  Speak or write to your local councillor to let them know your concerns. If your children are interested, why not get them involved too? There’s a template letter on the next page.

Each council ward in Edinburgh is represented by several councillors. You can contact them all. Find out who represents you at http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/councillors. Contact details for all the relevant councillors, plus local Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and Members of Parliament (MPs) at Westminster are at the end of this letter.

Many parents at Drummond Community High School will live in the Leith Walk Ward. [insert date]

[insert your name] [insert your address]

Dear [insert name of elected official]

Drummond Community High School

I am writing to you with regards to the above. I am a local resident and have concerns about information from the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC), regarding potential future plans for the school.

Although I am not against the introduction of curriculum subjects or developing the school role, I oppose the proposal to move Gaelic medium education (currently facilitated at James Gillespie’s High School, JGHS) to Drummond Community High School. Moreover, I firmly oppose the suggestion that in time Drummond Community High School may become a full immersion Gaelic High School.

I am against the above proposals for the following reasons:

 The timing of the proposal and consultation process has not given parents of students, students, staff and the local community adequate time and the opportunity to consider the impact of these proposals, formulate suggested alternative options and mobilise to express any concerns. This is their democratic right.  CEC’s own projections for the school in terms of student numbers in addition to those in GME secondary education, would result in Drummond exceeding capacity in 2022. This leaves children in the local community who are not in GME secondary education, without a local school.  Current and prospective students who have disabilities such as dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder and other additional learning needs currently have these additional needs met positively by Drummond Community High School. This is achieved through the school’s ability to accommodate any strategies due to the school’s size, culture, environment and links with the language units in feeder primary schools. Has an equality impact assessment been considered? If not, how would this proposal impact on the statutory requirement to accommodate reasonable adjustments for these vulnerable students?

I understand that JGHS also has capacity issues, hence the proposal, but I am firmly against moving this problem from one community to another at the expense of current and future students, and the continued success of our community high school which serves our local community well.

As [my local councillor/a member of the Education, Children and Families Committee/my local MSP/my list MSP/my local MP], I ask you to consider the views of those living in the constituencies affected in making representations on this matter as is expected of you in your role as an elected representative.

Kind regards,

[insert name] SEND TO:

Local Councillors Leith Walk – Councillor Lewis Ritchie – [email protected] Leith Walk – Councillor Marion Donaldson – [email protected] Leith Walk – Councillor Amy Mcneese-Mechan – amy.mcneese- [email protected] Leith Walk – Councillor Susan Rae – [email protected]

City Centre – Councillor Karen Doran – [email protected] City Centre – Councillor Claire Miller – [email protected] City Centre – Councillor Joanna Mowat – [email protected] City Centre – Councillor Alastair Rankin – [email protected]

Leith – Councillor Chas Booth – [email protected] Leith – Councillor Adam McVey – [email protected] Leith – Councillor Gordon Munro – [email protected]

Craigentinny/Duddingston – Councillor Ian Campbell – [email protected] Craigentinny/Duddingston – Councillor Joan Griffiths – [email protected] Craigentinny/Duddingston – Councillor Jon McLellan – [email protected] Craigentinny/Duddingston – Councillor Alex Staniforth – [email protected]

Members of the Education, Children and Families Committee Councillor Ian Perry – [email protected] Councillor Eleanor Bird – [email protected] Councillor Mary Campbell – [email protected] Councillor Alison Dickie - [email protected] Councillor Stephanie Smith – [email protected] Councillor Maureen Child – [email protected] Councillor Gavin Corbett – [email protected] Councillor Callum Laidlaw – [email protected] Councillor Lewis Ritchie – [email protected] Councillor Jason Rust – [email protected] Councillor Louise Young – [email protected]

MSPs Edinburgh North & Leith - Ben Macpherson – [email protected] Edinburgh Central – Ruth Davidson – [email protected] Edinburgh Eastern – Ash Denham – [email protected]

Regional MSP – Jeremy Balfour – [email protected] Regional MSP – Mile Briggs – [email protected] Regional MSP – Kezia Dugdale – [email protected] Regional MSP – Neil Findlay – [email protected] Regional MSP – Alison Johnstone – [email protected] Regional MSP – Gordon Lindhurst – [email protected] Regional MSP – Andy Wightman – [email protected]

MP Edinburgh North & Leith – Deidre Brock – [email protected] Edinburgh East – – [email protected]

You can also engage with your local representatives via twitter, FaceBook and by attending their surgery