The Attainments of Pupils Receiving Gaelic-medium Primary Education in Scotland
Published by Scottish CILT on behalf of the Scottish Executive Education Department.
Summary of Findings:
1. The research was concerned with the attainments of pupils receiving Gaelic-medium primary education in Scotland. The specific research questions were:
Research Question 1:
Do the attainments of pupils receiving Gaelic-medium primary education match national attainment targets in Gaelic at P3 and P5, and in Gaelic and English at P7?Research Question 2:
How do the attainments of pupils in Gaelic-medium primary education in mathematics and environmental studies (science) compare with national attainment targets?Research Question 3:
What contextual factors in the home, school or community are perceived by parents, headteachers and representatives of local authorities as influencing pupils' progress and attainments in Gaelic-medium and English-medium education at primary school?
2. Data was gathered from the 34 primary schools that had Gaelic-medium education up to and including Primary 7 (there being 17 others but during the lifetime of the research these schools would not have classes that had arrived at P7).
3. In order to answer research questions A and B (above), the research team drew on data from the national AAP assessments for Science (1996), Mathematics (1997) and English (1998) and on the 5-14 assessments for Gaelic, English and Mathematics (1996-98). Pupils receiving Gaelic-medium primary education were compared with pupils receiving English-medium education in the same schools (5-14 and AAP), in other schools in the same authority (5-14) and nationally (AAP).
4. In respect of question C (above), contextual data were collected by questionnaire and by interview from staff in primary schools and from parents of Gaelic-medium pupils. In addition, two local authority advisers in Gaelic were members of the project committee that advised the research team.
5. The 5-14 Assessments generally showed that:
A. The attainments of Gaelic-medium pupils (including those for whom English was the main language of their home and in that sense their first language) on whom assessment data were available matched the national attainment targets set out in the 5-14 Guidelines for Gaelic at P3, P5 and P7.
B. When compared with pupils taught through the medium of English (in the same schools and in schools without Gaelic-medium classes) Gaelic-medium pupils do not appear to be disadvantaged in terms of their attainments in English and mathematics in P5 and P7. This trend was maintained when the attainment outcomes of two sub-samples of Gaelic-medium and English-medium pupils were analysed longitudinally as they moved through the schools from P3 to P5 and from P5 to P7 respectively.
C. By P7 Gaelic-medium pupils' attainments in Gaelic tended to be slightly below their attainments in English, suggesting that there is scope for further development in the Gaelic language competences, particularly Gaelic writing.
D. There did not appear to be clear or consistent differences in attainments within the overall sample of Gaelic-medium pupils according to factors such as 'gender', 'size of school' or 'size of class'.
6. The AAP assessments generally showed that by the end of primary education:
A. Gaelic-medium pupils were not at a disadvantage when compared with pupils educated through English in the same schools or with the national average.
B. Gaelic-medium pupils performed less well in science than English-medium pupils, but much better in both mathematics and English. Performance in schools with Gaelic-medium and English-medium classes was above the national average in both science and mathematics, but equalled it in English.
C. Differences at P4 and P7 followed the same pattern. Differences at P7 tended to be greater than those at P4 but, as these are based on results from fewer pupils than at P4, this finding needs to be treated cautiously.
D. In schools with Gaelic-medium classes, boys tended to do better than girls in science, whether in Gaelic-medium or English-medium classes. Boys in these same schools did less well than girls in English. Gaelic-medium boys did better than Gaelic-medium girls in mathematics, but English-medium did less well in this subject than English-medium girls.
E. Gaelic-medium pupils of both sexes did less well than their English-medium counterparts in science, but did better than their English-medium counterparts in English. Mathematics showed an alternating pattern, with Gaelic-medium boys doing better than English-medium boys but Gaelic-medium girls doing less well than English-medium girls.
F. Given the above variability of the findings, two possible conclusions are suggested. The weaker conclusion is that the performance of Gaelic-medium and English-medium pupils is at a similar level but that from subject to subject there is variation in which of the two actually does better. The stronger conclusion is that the Gaelic-medium pupils generally perform better than their English-medium counterparts, but science is one exception to this.
7. The findings from the Headteacher's surveys suggested that:
A. Gaelic-medium parents could be described as being marginally more likely to be involved at the home-school interface, helping with fund-raising, organising social functions and helping with resource based needs. They have been rated as marginally more likely than the body of English-medium parents to be interested in educational issues and in experiencing a sense of partnership with the school. This in itself may contribute to Gaelic-medium parents as a body being perceived as largely 'middle class', though occupational data were not obtained, an analysis of free school meals entitlement supports this general perception by headteachers of the two parental bodies.
B. The Gaelic-medium classrooms are perceived to be marginally better equipped than the English-medium classrooms within the same schools, but across the curriculum they were less extensively resourced.
C. The above picture is also supported by the responses provided by the headteachers when asked to comment on integration, and their own perceptions of the two groups of parents as a body. Over two-thirds felt their school was well integrated. For the most part, the headteachers perceived more similarities than differences.
D. Integration was enhanced by sharing aspects of schooling. This was described most frequently as being related to aspects of the curriculum, and could happen when Gaelic-medium and English-medium children came together for specialist teaching either from teachers based at the school or from those who visited on a regular basis. This also applied where activities could be undertaken on a whole-school basis, such as assemblies and outings.
E. A good proportion of the headteachers also commented on their conscious efforts to work towards a united ethos, and also referred to the role of teachers, parents and indeed pupils in this.
F. One in five headteachers perceived Gaelic-medium parents to be more politically and educationally aware and active on behalf of the language per se, and in relation to the educational experience of their children. Also some of the heads referred to class differences and the different cultural backgrounds associated with the two groups of parents.
G. The headteachers also acknowledged that some differences were inevitable as, for example, where an environment of Gaelic language immersion was specifically sought beyond the classroom. This related to Gaelic- youth clubs, Sradagan groups, and other similar activities. The heads felt that such activities could sometimes be perceived as exclusive.
8. The findings of the Survey of Parents of Gaelic-medium Pupils suggest that:
A. Parents of Gaelic-medium children had a strong sense of their own heritage and saw Gaelic-medium education as addressing this for themselves and for their children.
B. They were concerned that Gaelic-medium education should be continued and put on a more secure footing, with particular reference to the following:
- teacher supply;
- teacher support and professional development, particularly where it related to delivery of the whole curriculum;
- continuity - within schools, across schools, and into the secondary phase of Gaelic-medium education.
C. They also felt that they could so with more support in helping their children acquire and use more Gaelic.
D. A large majority was satisfied with the quality of the educational experience provided for their children.
9. Overall, it was concluded that pupils receiving Gaelic-medium primary education, whether or not Gaelic was the language of their home, were not being disadvantaged in comparison with children educated through English. In many though not all instances they out-performed English-medium pupils and in addition gained the advantage of having become proficient in two languages.