SCOTLAND'S first primary school with lessons conducted entirely in Gaelic and English being taught as just another subject, is to be established in Glasgow with support from the Scottish Office.
City councillors have approved the provision of a free-standing Gaelic medium school in East Woodlands with a capacity for 231 pupils, together with a nursery class.
Labour group leader Councillor Frank McAveety said last night: ''The parents have for some time been pressing for the creation of a Gaelic medium school, rather than a Gaelic medium unit. They believe there are now sufficient numbers to justify the provision of a school.
''Our decision recognises the Gaelic community has identified a demand for a free-standing Gaelic medium school. I get many letters from Gaelic parents saying they want more than just a unit in a mainstream school.''
The Gaelic medium unit at Sir John Maxwell primary school, Pollokshaws, is to close in June, with pupils and teachers transferring in August to the new school at the former Ashley Street nursery building in East Woodlands.
Gaelic medium education was introduced in Glasgow in 1985 when a special unit was established at Sir John Maxwell primary. The roll now stands at 101.
Three years later, a unit for secondary pupils was established in Hillpark secondary school, where the roll for Gaelic medium teaching stands at 45.
If a second unit or a free-standing school were not to be provided in the near future, numbers at the Sir John Maxwell unit would have had to be capped.
In Highland region, it is understood there are 17 Gaelic medium units within mainstream schools but no free-standing Gaelic medium schools. In the Western Isles, there are several Gaelic units within mainstream schools.
While it is recognised good progress in the development of Gaelic language and culture was being made within the units, parents felt it would be beneficial for children to be educated in an environment wholly given over to the development of Gaelic language and culture, rather than one where English was the main language of the playground.
However, English would still be taught in the curriculum to ensure children developed a facility in both languages by the time they were ready to progress to secondary education.
The Gaelic parents' group, Comann an Parant Glaschu, has conducted a survey which produced an overwhelming view in favour of a Gaelic medium school.
It is likely to follow the examples of schools in Wales and Ireland, where all subjects of the curriculum are taught through the medium of Welsh or Irish. Such schools are thought to provide the kind of linguistic and cultural ethos which parents feel is necessary for full acquisition of the language.
It is envisaged this approach, in the long term, would also help to preserve and sustain an important part of Scotland's heritage.
It is expected the Scottish Office will provide grant aid for the refurbishment of the building as a Gaelic medium primary school and pre-five unit.
Funding has also been requested to support the running costs and any additional staffing costs until the school receives full revenue support grant in 2001/2.
Confirmation has been received that the Scottish Office will offer maximum support for the proposal through the Gaelic specific grant. This will be necessary for the start-up costs of the new school and to support the staffing required for the increased numbers envisaged.
The present staffing allocation and material resources at Sir John Maxwell primary would be transferred to the new school as the basis for the development.
Members of staff in the existing Gaelic unit will have the option of transferring to the new school or of being deployed within other schools in the city. The post of head teacher of the new school, together with any subsequent staffing vacancies, will be advertised nationally. Transport will be provided for pupils attending the new school, the council says.
A spokesman for the city's education department said: ''This is a valuable development for the city. Glasgow has been developing specialisms within its secondary schools and this is an opportunity to develop a further specialism within the primary sector.''
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