The school received the STEM Nation Award from Education Scotland for work in teaching and promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.

Balmalloch was praised for prioritising STEM within the School Improvement Plan, which has helped to ensure high-quality practice is fully embedded across the school.

“We are delighted to receive the STEM Nation Award, highlighting the importance of STEM in our school," said Ruth McCarthy, Head Teacher of Balmalloch Primary School and Nursery Class.

“This was a team effort led by Mr Paterson and Miss McNeill and the Young STEM Leaders but supported through each of our pupil voice groups,” she added.

“Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths are at the heart of our learners' experiences from nursery to Primary 7, stemming from a desire to equip our children with the skills required for the 21st century and putting that into practice.”

Education Scotland highlighted the range of STEM activities throughout the curriculum, including outdoor learning, as a strength. The learning available at the school relevant to local labour markets and the positive impact STEM has had on young people by providing inspiring opportunities to improve engagement and develop a wide variety of skills were also identified as strengths.

Education Scotland developed the award to celebrate and build on effective practice in these subject areas; it has five key elements:

• Leadership in STEM - celebrating effective leadership at all levels, including children and young people leading STEM learning.
• STEM family and community learning - recognising commitment to family learning and practice helps build the STEM capital of learners and their families.
• Employability and STEM partnership working - celebrating sustained collaboration between settings and their STEM partner(s) to develop learners’ STEM and employability skills.
• STEM curriculum and learner pathways - recognising the work of settings in developing an inspiring STEM curriculum and associated learner pathways.
• Equity and equality in STEM - celebrating the work settings are undertaking to address the issues of equity and equality in STEM.