Once again, independent schools walked off with the top accolades at this year’s Scottish School Magazine Awards, sponsored by, among others, TESS.
Dollar Academy’s The Galley took no fewer than three prizes - the major magazine of the year title, as well as impressing the judges with the best artwork and best editorial content.
Kilgraston School produced a highly-innovative and imaginative magazine on a single theme of food and health to savour success as winner of the special chairman’s award and the best design category.
Former rugby internationalist and broadcaster John Beattie, who hosted the awards ceremony at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh last Friday, summed up the qualities in Dollar Academy’s winning magazine - “excellent editorial, impressive articles, imaginative design, superb cover, a magazine that is packed full of creativity and passion”.
It is difficult to move in Scottish education these days, of course, without finding a link to Curriculum for Excellence. And Sandra Ewen, team leader of the Scottish Government’s Determined to Succeed programme, did not disappoint.
The awards, she suggested, were an example of the new curriculum in action - “bringing life to learning and learning to life”.
The awards, which are run by the Professional Publishers’ Association Scotland and attracted entries from 55 schools, also allow room for individual talents to be recognised.
The category winners will be offered the chance of work experience with the various sponsors of the competition, including TESS. And each will receive a QuarkXPress design package, worth pound;1,700, to lay out their school magazine. The overall winners from Dollar Academy will be invited to attend the Scottish Magazine Awards, which will be held in Edinburgh in November.
neil.munro@tes.co.uk
Scottish School Magazine award winners
- Magazine of the Year, Gold: Dollar Academy, ClackmannanshireThe Galley
- Silver: Trinity High, RenfrewshireTrinity Times
- Bronze: Coatbridge High, North LanarkshireRare Beast
- Chairman’s award:
Kilgraston School, PerthshireThe Habit - good food issue
- Best commercial strategy:
Trinity High, RenfrewshireTrinity Times
- Best design and layout:
- Kilgraston School, PerthshireThe Habit - good food issue
- Best editorial content:
Dollar Academy, ClackmannanshireThe Galley
- Best feature article:
Nyla Ahmad, Coatbridge High, North LanarkshireRare Beast
- Best magazine cover:
Trinity High, RenfrewshireTrinity Times
- Best online presence:
Stirling High, StirlingThe Insider
- Best original artwork:
Dollar Academy, ClackmannanshireThe Galley
- Best original photography:
Douglas Academy, East DunbartonshireJuvenis
- Most inspirational teacher: Jane Bonnar, Musselburgh Grammar, East LothianPlanet Teenager
- Outstanding pupil:
Hannah Hocine (aged 13), Paible School, Western IslesPaible’s Got Talent.
