Prior to that, some of the pupils attended the Scottish Learning Festival in Glasgow on 25th and 26th September with the ceramic panels to highlight the Living Communities project that inspired their work.

The project that the children undertook focussed on what makes their own local community unique. They talked to families, local people from farms, shops, the old Abbey and the church to uncover the past history of Coupar Angus and how living there has changed over the years.

Inspired by the project, the young people then chose to work with textile and ceramic artists to create fantastic silk banners and ceramic panels depicting Coupar Angus through their eyes, looking at its past, present and future.

Their artwork includes imagery of the famous Scottish Fold cat, which is descended from a cat with unusual folded ears found on a local farm in 1961 – and is now a registered and sought-after breed. The ceramic panels also celebrate the everyday people of Coupar Angus who make a difference to their community, and the rainbow which appears on their pieces symbolises the pupils’ hopes for the future.

‘Real insight’ into local heritage for pupils

Lifelong Learning Convener, Councillor Bob Band congratulated the pupils for their creative efforts: “Living Communities is a fantastic project that the Council has been delighted to take forward in our communities, with the support of the Gannochy Trust. The work being done by Coupar Angus Primary School has given the pupils a real insight into the history of their local area. It has also gone on to spark their creativity with these fantastic banners and panels that are now going on prominent display this month and in December at the Scottish Parliament.”

Headteacher Margaret Cameron said: “Our children at Coupar Angus Primary School have benefited greatly from participating in the Living Communities Project. Through researching aspects of their local community they have gained a greater understanding of how events in other parts of Scotland and throughout the world, across the centuries, impacted on the development of Coupar Angus. The children interviewed many people in Coupar Angus and visited various buildings as part of their research. Working with the Living Communities artists helped the children to deepen their learning and showcase their learning in a number of different ways. The local community have supported this project and have celebrated the learning with the children.”