Highland Schools Set To Showcase Scottish Education

Issued By THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

Two Highland schools are in the running to scoop a top education award next weekend.

Alistair Tait of Fortrose Academy has been nominated for the UK Teaching Awards Teacher of the Year in a secondary school, following his success at the Scottish Education Awards in June 2006, where he was crowned Teacher of the Year.

Raigmore Primary are up for the Teaching Award for Healthy Schools after they won the Scottish Education Healthy Living Award at the same ceremony.

They will join Education Minister Peter Peacock and two other Scottish nominees at the televised London event on Sunday, October 15.
 
Alistair said: "After 38 years at the chalk face at Fortrose Academy and now in my final year of teaching, it has been a great thrill to have been nominated for this award. My wife and I are very much looking forward to our weekend in London."

Moira Leslie, Raigmore Primary's headteacher said: "We are thoroughly delighted and very excited to be representing Scotland at the UK Teaching Awards. We have a long standing commitment to promoting healthy living and I am convinced that we won the Scottish Education Award because healthy living for us is not a short term project or initiative  - it really is a sustainable way of life." 

Mr Peacock said: "Scotland's schools are full of excellence - Alistair and everyone at Raigmore are outstanding examples of the type of dedication and talent that I see in schools across the country.

"It's fantastic to have the opportunity to celebrate the success of Scottish education, to recognise and reward it and to encourage every school and every teacher to strive to be the best. I want to congratulate them both on their nominations and, of course, I will be cheering them and the rest of our Scottish nominees on!"