Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Is it discrimination
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Letter on behalf of Linda Fabiani
Culture and Gaelic Division
T: 0131-244 6445 F: 0131-244 0353
E: Linda.Roberts@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
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Our ref: 2007/0037238OR
12 November 2007
Dear
Thank you for your e mail of 31 October to Linda Fabiani, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, concerning the Little Scholars Nursery in Glasgow. I have been asked to respond.
I understand that the main campus of Langside College, within which the Little Scholars Nursery is located, is due to relocate to new premises in December 2008. This may have consequences for the continued operation of the nursery.
As far as I know, Glasgow City Council, which currently allocates funding for the provision of Gaelic-medium education in the nursery, is considering how the authority may respond to demand for Gaelic nursery provision in that area of Glasgow, should it be the case that the Little Scholars Nursery cannot be accommodated within the new college campus.
I realise that you and other parents have already voiced your concerns about the Little Scholars Nursery to Glasgow City Council. I would, however, recommend that you continue your dialogue with the Council, so that it can arrive at as well an informed decision as possible when considering the options available to it for the provision of Gaelic-medium education for this age group in the south side of Glasgow.
Yours sincerely
Linda Roberts
Culture and Gaelic Division
Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ
www.scotland.gov.uk
Thursday, 8 November 2007
HOW ARE YOU ALL FEELING?
DEMORALISED AND WANTING TO THROW THE TOWEL IN, I KNOW I SHOULD BE
FOCUSING ON HOW TO OBTAIN WHAT WE WANT FOR THE FUTURE BUT IT FEELS THAT
IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT AND UPHILL STRUGGLE WHERE WE MAY NOT
HAVE ANYTHING AT THE END, AND I AM ASKING MYSELF IS IT GOING TO BE
WORTH IT?
IF A PRIVATE BUSINESS WAS TO TURN AROUND AND SAY WE WILL TAKE OVER THE
GME NURSERY AT LANGSIDE I WOULD JUMP AT A PLACE IN IT.IT IS NOT A LONG
TERM SOLUTION BUT ON A SELFISH NOTE IT WOULD GIVE ME WHAT I NEED FOR
THE NEXT 3 YEARS, AND I KNOW I AM NOT ALONE IN THINKING THIS.
IF OUR CHILDREN WERE IN A PRIVATE 0-5 ENGLISH NURSERY AND IT WAS
CLOSING WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER PRIVATE 0-5 NURSERY. THE COUNCIL
WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN THIS AND I THINK WE HAVE TO REALISTIC ABOUT
HOW MUCH THEY CAN BE INVOLVED AT PRESENT GIVEN THE CURRENT GUIDLINES.
Minutes of Parents & Staff Meeting on 30/10/07
Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga Parents & Staff Meeting 7:00 pm, Tuesday 30 October 2007 Held at Little Scholar’s Nursery DRAFT MINUTES |
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PRESENT | |||||
Karen Barlow | Parent | Anemorè MacKenzie | Parent | ||
Pat Donald | Parent | Gordon Miche | Parent | ||
Jackie Hoy | Parent | Marie Morgan | Parent | ||
Fiona Kinnaird | Parent | Iain F Nairn | Parent | ||
Cathie MacAuley | Parent | Michelle A Nairn | Parent | ||
Janet MacDonald | Staff | Johnny Rodger | Parent | ||
Douglas McDougall | Parent | Marianne Rodgers | Parent | ||
Dave MacGillvery | Parent | Catriona Scallion | Parent | ||
Marion MacIness | Staff | Shirley Tees | Parent | ||
Angela MacKay | Parent & Staff | Anne Wilson | Staff | ||
APOLOGIES | |||||
Morag Connor | Parent | Kenna McCusker | Parent | ||
Stephen Connor | Parent | Francis MacGregor | Parent | ||
Kenneth Graham | Parent | Martin MacGregor | Parent | ||
Leanne Graham | Parent | Elaine MacInnes | Parent | ||
Iona Jack | Parent | Kathleen MacKay | Parent | ||
Murdo Kennedy | Parent | Margaret MacNeil | Parent | ||
Stuart Kinnaird | Parent | ||||
ACTION | ||
1 | Comann nam Pàrant (CnP) The work of CnP in supporting the parents and staff of Little Scholars is very much appreciated but this meeting has been called as there is a need for both parents and staff to have a distinctive voice in negotiations on the future of Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga. The purpose of this meeting is to allow us to gather our views in order that we can express them clearly to CnP and Glasgow City Council. | |
2 | Meeting on 7 November 2007 Jim Whannell and Peggy Macintosh of Glasgow City Council and Catriona McNeil of CNAS will be attending next week’s meeting. | |
3 | Current Position Some parents who have contacted their MSPs and councillors have received general reassurances that alternative provision will be made but no specific information has been given and parents are greatly concerned that that the alternative provision offered may not be suitable for their needs and those of their children. | |
4 | Holmlea Nursery The council have stated that they are looking at the feasibility of setting up a Gaelic nursery in the premises currently occupied by Holmlea Nursery on Holmlea Road, a short distance from the current location of Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga. A move to these premises would be welcomed by the parents provided that the new provision was offered on a like-for-like basis including maintenance of the current hours and age range. | |
5 | Timescales Though the closure of Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga is planned for December 2008, it is vital that firm arrangements for future provision of its services are put in place as soon as possible. The parents recognise that Gaelic nursery staff can be hard to recruit and they are therefore very concerned about the possibility of current staff leaving as a result of their future employment being insecure. | |
6 | New Gaelic Provision at Lyoncross Nursery The new Gaelic nursery provision being introduced at Lyoncross nursery, though a welcome addition to Glasgow’s Gaelic nursery provision in its own right, is not in any was a suitable alternative to the services currently being provided by Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga. The travelling distance to Lyoncross, the hours available at the nursery and the absence of 0 – 3 yrs provision all make this totally unsuitable for the parents and children of Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga. | |
7 | Parent Representation The parents wish to be represented at any future meetings with Glasgow City Council. 6 member of the group were selected to form a steering group who will act as key contacts and representatives of the parents in communications with CnP and Glasgow City Council. The members of this steering group are (in alphabetical order):
The steering group will meet on Monday 5 November to prepare for the meeting on Wednesday 7 November. | Steering Group |
8 | Current Roll & Waiting List Any alternative provision should maintain the current nursery roll and waiting list. | |
9 | Current Staff The current staff at the nursery have been told by Glasgow City Council that the Council does not have an obligation to offer them employment in any alternative provision that is offered to replace the current services being provided by Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga. The parents are very concerned that a sudden change to a new group of unfamiliar staff would be a significant and disruptive change for their children and they feel strongly that the current staff should be transferred to the new facility so that the children have the continuity of the staff moving with them when their surroundings change. In light of this, the parents wish to request that the move to alternative premises should be carried out as a takeover of Sgoil Araich Na Sgoilearan Beaga that would be subject to Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) Regulations in order that the current staff can be maintained. | |
10 | 0 – 3 years Provision The staff and parents would like to make clear to the Council the importance of the 0 – 3 years provision in attracting parents to Gaelic Medium Education (GME). Children’s language skill develop significantly before they turn 3 years of age and parents and staff both feel that pre-3 GME is a huge benefit to the children in developing their Gaelic. A number of parents, who do not have a Gaelic speaker in the home, stated that that they would not have chosen Gaelic Medium Education if it had only been available from 3 years of age. The pre-3 provision of GME was essential to them as they would not have felt comfortable in intensively introducing their child to a new language at age 3. The subsidy provided for 0 – 3 years places is provided by the Scottish Government via Glasgow City Council. | |
11 | Further Questions & Comments Anne Wilson will place a box for questions and suggests in the nursery. If anyone would like to raise any additional issues at next Wednesday’s meeting, they should put a note in the box by Monday (5 November) and the Steering Group will check the box on Monday evening. | A Wilson Steering Group |
12 | Date of Next Meeting Arrangements for the next meeting are as follows: Date: Wednesday 7 November Time: 7:30 pm Venue: Little Scholars Nursery |