Scottish Languages Act 2025

22 Gaelic education delivery planning

(1) The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 is modified as follows.

(2) In section 3 (Gaelic language plans)—

(a) after subsection (4) insert—

“(4A) If the relevant public authority is an education authority, its Gaelic language plan must also set out the authority’s plan for the provision in its area of—

(a) Gaelic learner education and Gaelic medium education in the authority’s provision of school education,

(b) opportunities to learn or use the Gaelic language in the authority’s provision of further education, and

(c) opportunities for pupils in Gaelic medium education to use the Gaelic language in social, cultural and recreational activities.”,

(b) after subsection (6) insert—

“(6A) If the relevant public authority is an education authority, it must also consult—

(a) His Majesty’s inspectors of schools (that is to say, the inspectors of schools appointed by His Majesty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980),

(b) the body known as Comann nam Pàrant (Nàiseanta), and

(c) other education authorities with which the authority might collaborate,

on the matters to be included in its Gaelic language plan as mentioned in subsection (4A).”,

(c) in subsection (8), after paragraph (a) (as inserted by section 4(3)(b)) insert—

“(b) make further provision about the matters which an education authority must include in its Gaelic language plan under subsection (4A),

(c) make different provision for different—

(i) purposes,

(ii) types of authority,

(iii) areas (including different parts of an area in relation to which an authority exercises its functions).”,

(d) after subsection (8) insert—

“(9) In this section—

(a) the following expressions have the meanings given by section 135(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980—

• “area”, in relation to an education authority,

• “education authority”,

• “further education”,

• “pupil”,

• “school education”,

(b) “Gaelic learner education” means the teaching of the Gaelic language to, and learning of the language by, pupils to whom education is provided primarily by means of the English language,

(c) “Gaelic medium education” means teaching and learning by means of the Gaelic language.”.

(3) In section 7(3) (review of plans), for “(6)” substitute “(6A)”.