More than 300 young people from across South Ayrshire have been recognised for completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at a special ceremony in Ayr Town Hall. The event, organised by South Ayrshire Council’s Thriving Communities Health and Wellbeing team, celebrated the achievements of young people who had completed their Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. Parents, carers, school staff and members of the wider community were among those in attendance as participants were hono

Young learners in the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere have been celebrating spring with peers in Sweden through an innovative learning exchange taking place through March and April. Pupils at Ballantrae and Colmonell primary schools have connected with children at schools in Kristianstads Vattenrike UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, using the social platform Discord to share photographs of their favourite outdoor spaces and the seasonal changes taking place. Faith H

Staff and pupils at a North Ayrshire school are burying a time capsule as part of celebrations marking its 50th anniversary. Skelmorlie Primary school turns 50 this year and the time capsule will contain: a letter from each class and Early Years for future children, explaining what it is like to be a pupil in their class in 2026. This will include a mixture of writing and drawing class photographs showing the children as well as their classroom environment and a letter from t

Its as part of the upcoming launch of Ayrshire360. East Ayrshire Leisure Trust has been evolving and expanding in recent years, and from April 2026 the organisation will move forward under the new Ayrshire360 collective. The change represents more than a rebrand, with organisers describing it as a unified vision focused on creating opportunities across East Ayrshire and strengthening local communities. The ambitious initiative aims to help generate £7 million worth of additio

A long anticipated moment has arrived for the Alloway Railway Tunnel project, with the unveiling of a dramatic new mural scene that brings one of Scotland’s most famous literary moments vividly to life. The latest artwork reveals the climactic finale of Tam o’ Shanter , depicting Tam and Meg in full flight across the bridge, pursued by a frenzy of witches. The scene captures the tension, energy and fear of the poem’s closing moments, set just a short distance from the real B

The Scottish Maritime Museum is inviting visitors to take part in World Museum Selfie Day 2026, encouraging people of all ages to explore Scotland’s maritime heritage while joining a global celebration of museums and culture. Marking the annual event, the museum is welcoming the public to its historic Linthouse building in Irvine , offering visitors the chance to discover stories of shipbuilding, seafaring, and industrial innovation that have shaped Scotland’s coastal commun

Students from Auchenharvie Academy have been given an insight into the world of aircraft engineering during a visit to Prestwick Airport, hosted by Ryanair Engineering , delivered locally by Prestwick Aircraft Maintenance Ltd . The visit included a guided tour of the hangar facilities alongside an introductory presentation outlining day-to-day operations, career pathways and the skills required to work in the aviation maintenance sector. Pupils were able to see aircraft engi

A football-focused support programme delivered by Killie Community is helping to improve school attendance and reduce youth offending across Ayrshire, with new figures highlighting significant gains in engagement and behaviour among participating young people. The Pitchin’ In initiative, which uses football as a gateway to structured support and learning, has recorded a marked improvement in outcomes during its most recent delivery. Average school attendance among participan

North Ayrshire’s flagship Additional Support Needs school, Lockhart Campus, has recently celebrated the milestone of its four-year partnership with Developing the Young Workforce Ayrshire (DYW). The Business Breakfast celebration, held on Friday 28 November at Lockhart Campus, opened with a speech from Depute Head Teacher John Herd celebrating the school’s flourishing four-year partnership with DYW Ayrshire. The breakfast shone a spotlight on the incredible work of dedicated

School Captains Alyssa and Aaron from St Joseph's Academy, and Acting Head of Campus Angela Buchanan, welcomed guests from the Council to their Campus recently to enjoy a fresh, sustainable school meal. Leader of the Council, Councillor Douglas Reid was joined by Councillors Elaine Cowan, Graham Barton, Linda Mabon and Neill Watts; Head of Facilities and Property Management Andrew Kennedy and Assistant Director of Education Graham McGinn for lunch. They joined the queue with

South Ayrshire Council has appointed Kier as the main contractor for the design and construction of a new Girvan Primary School and Early Years Campus - a landmark £33m investment in the region’s educational facilities. Located on the existing Wesley Road site, the new campus will be the first purpose-built facility in Girvan Primary School’s history. The two-storey building will feature modern classrooms, flexible breakout spaces, a dining area, and a sports hall equipped wi

A Montgomerie Park Primary pupil has appeared in a new national video raising awareness of anxiety in young people and how it can affect school attendance. Lochlan Brown at Montgomerie Park The film, produced by Parent Club, the Scottish Government’s official resource for parents and carers, was released last week and features Primary 7 pupil Lochlan Bowie. Lochlan first discovered his confidence for drama during lockdown, creating videos with the help of his parents Marianne

Take A Bow Development Trust is celebrating the completion of their £2.7m acquisition and re-development for the Former New Farm Loch Community Centre in Kilmarnock. The work by Take A Bow, has saved and transformed the former community centre and has created a dynamic and exciting new facility for local people. Take A Bow was established back in 2012 by Martyn Hay and Natalie Boyce to provide preforming arts classes for young people in Kilmarnock and surrounding areas.

Pupils at Carrick Academy have buried a time capsule in the grounds of the new Maybole Community Campus for future generations to open. Image - South Ayrshire Council In 2024, during the demolition of the former Carrick Academy building in Maybole, a time capsule dating back to 1925 was discovered. The contents of the time capsule were carefully inspected and preserved by the Ayrshire Archives, details of which can be found in our blog: https://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/artic

Barassie Primary School has celebrated the launch of a brand-new children’s picture book created in partnership with local author Lorraine Johnston. The book, titled Who or What is Frooglesprot?, was officially launched on Friday 24th October at a special event held in the school’s library. Lorraine worked closely with both staff and pupils to bring the project to life, providing story guidance and illustration notes to the school’s Primary 7 class, who produced all the origi

James Hamilton Early Childhood Centre (ECC) is celebrating an outstanding inspection report from the Care Inspectorate, which described...

Loanhead Primary has been praised by inspectors after making major improvements across the school. Photo: East Ayrshire Council A new...

Mossgiel Organic Dairy has confirmed it has lost its contract to supply milk to East Ayrshire’s schools, ending a four–year partnership...

The Meadows Private Day Nursery in Mossblown is celebrating after receiving a highly positive inspection report from the Care...

North Ayrshire Council is encouraging families to take up the offer of free school meals for secondary school pupils in S1, S2 and S3, if...