A brand new nursery unit will be built in Skye’s Sleat peninsula to accommodate both English and Gaelic medium, Highland councillors agreed today.
The council’s chief executive said the decision was based on the best interests of children in the face of considerable community tension.
One option was to adapt the existing building with a new unit for Gaelic and the older one used for English, served by separate entrances, or to build a completely new facility with one entrance and shared facilities.
The row over Gaelic and English medium provision in Sleat has divided the local community since 2006.
Highland Council’s chief executive Donna Manson said the matter remained very sensitive.
She said a public consultation took place over the summer, but matters had been unable to be resolved locally, resulting in a ‘very tense’ public meeting earlier this week.
She said: “We found that the polarised views have remained since a council review in 2006.
“The most distressing fact was that parents told us their children had been affected, and they used very strong words – discriminated – turning up to events where if they were taking place in a particular language they were asked not to attend.
“These children all go up to Portree High School to learn and grow together, and we are recommending a position that we think has to be in the interests of the whole school community.
“The option of upgrading the existing school would mean that one group of children would get a brand new nursery building and another group would get an upgrade of part of the building, due to the way Gaelic is funded.”
Mrs Manson said she believed there is a need for mediation in the community in terms of the impact the row is having.
She said: “It is very rare to go to a community meeting with such tensions and to be quite upset to hear about the impact it’s having on children. Other Gaelic-designated schools on Skye with an English medium unit don’t have the same tensions.”
Councillor Alister Mackinnon said the tensions and attitude which he had witnessed in three meetings was unacceptable.
He said: “Gaelic is very important for the Highlands but we all have to work together.”
Depending on capacity, the new nursery could cost up to £704,000, funded by the Scottish Government.
The council will also committing £250,000 to make a new car park improve safety and security at the original site, along with minor improvements to the former school house now used as a classroom/teaching space.
The works will be undertaken with the Bun-Sgoil Shlèite community in order to improve community relations and seek greater collaboration.
