Bright new look for Burntisland Primary

But is also left the rooms and corridors looking a little characterless and sterile and in need of a bit of a make-over.

Now the school has started to add its own stamp to its surroundings with a series of positive artwork, based on photographs of the school’s daily life, with attached slogans; a stunning stained glass window and one of the most eyecatching lifts of any school in Scotland!

The positive artwork was the brainchild of Julie Anderson, the school’s head teacher, who had read a book about priming – using artwork of positive images to increase motivation and encourage the desire to do well.

“I spoke to all the staff about it and we thought it would be nice to do this around the schoool, not just to brighten it up, but also to promote a positive outlook and encourage happy children.

“It has been proved that being surrounded by happy and positive images can improve your mood and outlook, as well as making you want to do better.”

They used a selection of photographs of the children learning and playing as well as the building of the new school, some taken by local photographer Jenny Dingwall, some by Andrew Beveridge, photographer with Fife Council and some by Julie herself, and had them made into large scale images with positive slogans attached and they were put up around the building.

“They have really transformed the blank walls and look great, and the children all love them,” said Julie.

“You can’t help but smile when you see some of their cheeky smiles on the wall as you walk by.”

Another new addition is a beautiful stained glass window, designed and made for the school by local artist Carole Robinson who has done a lot of work with the children at the school in the past.

Depicting the school badge in beautifully coloured stained glass, the window has been installed above the assembly hall and casts lovely patterns into the hall below as the light shines through it.

Julie added: “It is a beautiful and completely unique addition to our school and everyone who comes to visit the school comments on it when they see it. We are very grateful to Carole for doing this for us.”

The most recent addition to the school’s decor is the ‘timeline’ lift where bright and colourful panels showing the creation of the new school take users on a journey from the start of the building work through to the finished article.

Ms Anderson added: “It must be one of the most spectacular lifts in any school. Instead of looking at plain, boring walls as you go up or down, you see our new school’s journey from start to finish.

“We have pictures of the staff, the BAM Construction workers who built our lift and of our beautiful new school taking shape.

“It is really fantastic and is also a great distraction for some of our pupils who may not be so keen on using the lift.”