Inverness Royal Academy install Pride month art reflecting feeling about starting secondary school and advice for new pupils

Inverness Royal Academy have unveiled a progress pride flag of a different sort – having been the focus of an art project for incoming first year pupils and senior students.

During their transition, new S1 pupils looked at the progress pride flag in art and design classes, learning about how the rainbow colours represent life, healing, new ideas, prosperity, serenity and spirit.

The school says those are concepts which reflect their values, so invited the youngsters to write their thoughts and feelings about moving up to secondary school on paper chains that were connected to present a flag.

Senior pupils also got involved, similarly writing words of advice to help and welcome the new pupils.

After the display was set up, higher photography pupils were then able to use it to practice and develop their skills, showcasing the art while learning about compositional and technical aspects of using a camera such as viewpoint, framing and depth of field.

"We hope that this helps the pupils joining us in August to feel part of the fabric of Inverness Royal Academy and are very much looking forward to getting to know them all better after the summer," the school wrote on social media.

Inverness Royal Academy is a UN silver rights respecting school, and also have a pride flag flying high on the flagpole outside of the building.

Adding to their efforts, the school's Pride Club have displayed messages across the school of why Pride month is important to them.

Accompanied by factfiles on historic LGBTQ+ figures, one pupil wrote: "Pride is important to me as it's a time when you can be yourself.

"It's when you shouldn't feel ashamed of your identity but instead inspired by it."

Another wrote: "Pride is important to me because it's a month that really brings the LGBTQ+ community together.

"It also shows just how much support there is for and in the community with all the pride marches."

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