Aibu to think there is advantages to Gaelic schools eg Irish/Welsh/Scottish medium education? Thinking of sending dc to one... All opinions appreciated

[MammabearX1]

Hi, I'm in Ireland & the best local shool in the area is a Gaelscoil (all subjects done through irish language)
DH & I have barely any irish from the leaving cert. Please tell me aibu to consider irish medium for dc?
Please tell me about
-the benefits of attending a Gaelic medium school

• does English or maths suffer
• are the children usually more driven seeing as it was a conscious choice by the parents?
• my family consider the Gaelscoils extremely snobby, I can't understand this as they are not fee paying...
• please tell me about irish speaking secondary schools. Do children who go to the Irish secondary schools generally get more points.

Thanks in advance..

Partly I think it depends on how much Irish is likely to be spoken outside and after school and if overall benefits override any risk of English not being as good. It seems like there are really clear benefits in Wales where some jobs do ask for Welsh. I’ve got a friend in a public policy role that says she would have really struggled without Welsh fluency. She uses her welsh every day.

Many Welsh speakers I have known at work are fluent in three or four languages. As a Welsh learner, I’m not surprised. If anyone can bend their minds round English and Welsh, they are going to be good at languages.

Take Cerys Matthews as an example. Her wiki entry states that she speaks: Welsh, English, French and Spanish.

My DC have had Welsh medium education all through primary and secondary. It hasn't held them back - the eldest is currently studying both Welsh and English Literature amongst his A level subjects. They are completely bilingual with neither language really taking preference, they switch easily between the two.

I also had a Welsh medium education. My parents aren't Welsh speakers. Every job I've had in Wales as an adult I've needed a good level of fluency in Welsh.

I'm very much of the opinion that two languages means twice the opportunities.

My 3 are going/went to a welsh medium school.

DD’s now in college/uni and got excellent GCSE grades (A-c) both got A in Welsh and English language. Both did all their GCSE in Welsh.

The only place DD 2 if finding challenging is the course she does in college is English although Welsh is available the course is English orientated. She can name every bone in the body in Welsh but needs google translator to help her! No big deal anyway.

If they are to work this side of Offas Dyke, they need that Welsh

@thevassal we’re in Gwynedd with no English language primaries. Neighbouring Anglesey has only one predominantly English language primary. I have been severely limited here with job hunting in my profession/public sector because I’m not fluent in Welsh - and I fully support that Welsh speakers deserve services in their first language. If young people want to stay here and have a decent job, speaking Welsh isn’t a “naice” extra, it’s mandatory.

One thing to watch is your confidence if we get more home learning. My friend's child started reception in a welsh medium school last September. The family are english speaking. Remote learning has been really difficult because the parents can't understand the work set or the live lessons. They've done their own thing but it's been hard.

Every job I've had in Wales as an adult I've needed a good level of fluency in Welsh.

I really think that depends where you live in wales and what job you do.

I live in Wales but not far from the English border and I've never needed Welsh for any job I've done. I work for the NHS now and Welsh is desirable but not essential.

But obviously if you live further in then i can imagine it changes as its more Welsh speaking.

Really does depend on how Welsh speaking your area is

Also our county only has 4 Welsh medium primaries and only 1 high school.

I do think that is quite poor. Its a small county yes but should be more

@AfterSchoolWorry

I've been told if you don't speak Irish don't bother. Apparently all the Gaeilgeoirs will look down on you.

No idea if it's true tbh.

Apparently this is the case in this particular school... Also we didn't give our dc Irish names!

I work in West Belfast. They are very popular with hard line republicans. For that reason I wouldn’t have my child going to one as I would be concerned about brain washing. Just being totally honest and maybe my worries are unfounded.

@MissMarks

I work in West Belfast. They are very popular with hard line republicans. For that reason I wouldn’t have my child going to one as I would be concerned about brain washing. Just being totally honest and maybe my worries are unfounded.

Wow. Seriously? Brainwashed into what dancing without moving their arms? I assume the poster would have said if she was in Northern Ireland. Across the national borders to the South and to the west of Belfast, everyone learns Irish in school. Unfortunately not many retain much of it. As other posters have pointed out, Gaeilscoileanna are known for high levels of educational attainment. If we have to give up languages that might have certain connotations to their use then we'll all have to speak esperanto.

To be honest we're only contemplating sending our dd as it's got a huge wait list, dd received an offer & it's apparently the very best school in the area..

It probably isn’t the school for you. It doesn’t sound like you would consider the school otherwise.
Listen to you gut. You child will be in primary school for 8 years. Choose a school that YOU regard more highly.

Our kids went to Gaelscoil. Personal experience was that it was a very good school, they had a good experience, and did not suffer any disadvantage with respect to English language skills (even though I always get a sense it was a "2nd class" subject there?). DH has no Irish, and it was not a big issue really.

I did notice one BIG difference I found with my DSis who's kids went to school through Welsh, was that their kids often spoken Welsh in general life. For example, when they'd visit us they'd sometimes speak Welsh, were proud to share "this is how you'd say it in Welsh", etc. Our kids went through the Gaelscoil system, but never had any interest to speak it outside of a school context.

Yes- I am only talking about Belfast- not the south, where I appreciate things are different and it isn’t political.

Ooh great thread OP I'm wondering the same. GRMA.

@MissMarks I've just moved from North to South and it's completely different. I considered sending DS to a naíonra in Belfast but decided against it even though I speak Irish as I'm not brave enough to speak it out loud, even in Falls Road.

I don’t think there would be any issue with speaking it on the Falls- my concern as I said was more that a lot of the Irish schools in Belfast seem to be closely associated with Sinn Fein and certainly the families I know who send their child have strong republican backgrounds- whatever floats their boat but I would prefer my children were in a more integrated education system.

Being bilingual will be a huge asset for your children. Regardless of how "mainstream" the 2nd language is, it broadens their minds, gives them a different perspective on life and improves their all-round language and communication abilities.

@MissMarks I see now you were talking about your specific circumstances, but it read to me like the OP was trying to have a conversation about Celtic language medium education and that you were inserting sectarianism where it wasn't relevant like the earlier poster making comments about Catholicism. It just happens a lot when discussing Irish and I think it's such a shame that so many are prejudiced against the language, like the case of the family in Coventry who weren't allowed an Irish language inscription on their mother's headstone because it was ruled people might think it was a political slogan.

Back on topic I've been trying other languages on duolingo and I have found my experience of Irish really useful, there's some words that are similar eg scríobh in Irish skriva in Swedish. And I think the knowledge of other types of grammar and language structure is very useful. I've found it very transferable to computer programming which is all about syntax.

Only talking about it from a Scottish perspective but @partyatthepalace nails it that it’s for middle class parents who don’t want to or can’t pay private school fees. By its very nature of applying and committing to support their education, these schools require engaged parents who prioritise education. I’m sure it’s different in Wales and Ireland where there are more native speakers.

It’s not Gaelic in Wales, it’s Welsh. A completely different language.

Rita- sadly the Irish language has become politicised in the North.

@MissMarks

Rita- sadly the Irish language has become politicised in the North.

Yes but it's only in the North and the North is an anomaly in the UK as Welsh and Gaidhlig are both recognised and protected as local languages. I just thought the case of Northern Ireland was too specific to be relevant to the discussion of Celtic language medium education. Your original comment seemed unnecessary and a dig at the Irish language and those who speak it. I'll stop derailing now sorry OP.

Does English or maths suffer
Yes, it certainly can. Well certainly with English - if you consider it they are less exposed in school to it - vocabulary can be less broad (which could be counteracted if they read a lot at home). Also, with English, if your child might have a difficulty (such as dyslexia) it can be really difficult for them. Maths can be a struggle anyway, but through Irish it might be harder especially if you can't back it up at home (knowing the terms in Irish etc) Also if they go on to a secondary school which teaches in English then they will have a spell of having to relearn terms. (This can happen in subjects even if they go to Secondary school and then move to third level.)

Are the children usually more driven seeing as it was a conscious choice by the parents?
No.

My family consider the Gaelscoils extremely snobby, I can't understand this as they are not fee paying...
Can be, not sure I'd say extremely, I think the level of snobbery depends on the area. What might give you the answer is to ask yourself why do you want them to go? Is it because you think it's better or for other reasons? Do you think it's important that Irish is used everyday

Please tell me about irish speaking secondary schools. Do children who go to the Irish secondary schools generally get more points.
I don't think so - but they will get a % for doing the exam in Irish, so that helps! On a side if they go to an English speaking secondary school you will find that whilst they will do well in Irish lessons their grammar might not do so good, You will have to keep an eye on that throughout primary - it's like using everyday English - they grammar might be off

Remember, if your Irish isn't great you will find helping with homework hard. This may have more of an impact than you realise. All their reports will be in Irish and all their performances will be too.

Also, Irish schools are often the 'best' (performing) because any child with extra education needs don't tend to go there or leave to go to another school that can facilate them