A’ Tighinn à Bun-sgoil

An t-slighe bhon Bhun-sgoil / Pathway from Primary

All children who progress through P1 to P7 at Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pàirce transition to S1 at James Gillespie’s High School. JGHS is the only secondary school in Edinburgh offering Gaelic Medium Education, and all GME pupils join the Darach community when they arrive.

Sgoilearan / Pupils

• All pupils must continue to study Gàidhlig until the end of S4
• All pupils who choose to study History or Modern Studies must continue through the medium of Gaelic until the end of S4
• All pupils must continue to study GME subjects until the end of S2
• There is no blended GME pathway available at JGHS — pupils must take all available GME subjects, as they will be timetabled with their GME peers across both campuses
• Pupils cannot transfer from GME to English Medium Education (EME) whilst at JGHS

An Sgoil / The School

Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pàirce may occasionally request consultation from JGHS staff to provide GME families with additional information about the transition to secondary.

JGHS works closely with both settings, alongside pastoral support staff, educational psychologists and other relevant partners, to provide comprehensive guidance to families — ensuring every family is confident that their chosen educational pathway will support their child’s development and wellbeing.

Pàrantan / Parents

Parents play a crucial role in their child’s educational journey. Regular engagement with the school ensures awareness of academic performance, social development, and overall wellbeing.

It’s important for parents to share observations from home that might affect learning, and to discuss any additional support their child might need. Being proactive — collaborating on solutions and staying informed about the GME pathway — can significantly contribute to a child’s success.

Withdrawing from GME

If parents wish to withdraw their child from GME but wish for them to continue attending JGHS in the English Medium stream, they must apply for a space via Edinburgh City Council as a non-catchment placement. Pupils should attend their local catchment secondary school until a space at JGHS (EME stream) becomes available.

Similarly, if in catchment, parents should stipulate to Council School Placements that they wish their child to attend JGHS in the EME stream. This is not an automatic process.