Two Aberdeenshire schools have struck gold after receiving a prestigious national award for achievement in sports.
Both Glenbervie and Rothienorman Primary Schools will be recognised this week for innovation and achievement in physical education and extra-curricular sport.
The Gold School Sport Award from sportscotland is designed to engage schools to continuously improve physical education whilst encouraging links between them and their communities.
Stewart Harris, chief executive of sportscotland, praised the schools and said: “I would like to congratulate all of the staff and pupils at Glenbervie and Rothienorman for putting physical education and sport at the heart of their school and local community.”
To gain gold status an extensive external assessment is carried out by an independent panel of experts. There are currently only 158 gold schools across Scotland.
Head teacher at Glenbervie School, Jenny Glennie, said she was honoured to be getting the award after working for six years towards first bronze and then silver.
Mrs Glennie said: “Our pupil parliament has a lot of say in what we try – we have recently been receiving tuition from the bowling club in Drumlithie and have had sponsorship to pay for buses to take up swimming lessons.
“We have also had considerable support from the PE specialist and an active schools coordinator to set up after-school clubs and re-establish our netball, badminton and cross-country teams.”
Rothienorman Primary School has been receiving skipping tutoring, Nordic ski-ing and Judo sessions. All staff and pupils recently also took-up a pedometer challenge.
Class teacher and PE specialist, Eilidh Whytock, said: “It’s been a great boost for the school and we have tried lots of new things – we have even now started a Nordic ski-ing club because of the taster session.”
The award aims to put sport at the heart of each school and the wider community, encourages schools to engage young people to strive to reach their potential.