A primary school in Moray, dedicated to sport, has become the first in the region to strike gold.
West End Primary School in Elgin has set the benchmark for its emphasis on promoting physical activity.
And now, a special flag has been presented to the school by Sport Scotland to celebrate its gold school sport award.
Children enjoyed themselves with basketballs, badminton rackets and colourful cones after receiving the honour at a surprise assembly.
Head teacher Gordon Barron explained that sport had become an integral part of everything done at the school
He said: “The main thing we want to do is make everything fun, so physical activity has a lot to do with that.
“It’s not just about the children, though. The staff get involved, along with parents and outside clubs. It’s really about involving everyone in it.
“We try and introduce them to as many sports as possible, whether it’s trampolining, badminton or netball. Hopefully, one of them will stay with them through their whole lives and help them stay healthy.”
The school uses Scottish country dancing, orienteering and skiing to build bonds, as well as teaching leadership and teamwork skills.
Forres Academy has also received the same recognition from Sport Scotland for its dedication to physical activity.
Alan Clark, regional development manager for the national agency, praised the efforts at both schools for encouraging healthy lifestyles.
He added: “It was absolutely clear sport was at the centre of everything done at West End.
“Sport shouldn’t just be about top-level athletes and that is why it is so important schools encourage participation.
“The gold award recognises the high quality of education that takes place at the school and the amount of opportunities given to pupils, either at lunch time or after-school clubs.”
