BEEKEEPING is providing the latest buzz for pupils ahead of moving into their brand new school in Kelso.

Students at the secondary school have raised over £11,000 towards a sustainability project to help endangered bees.

The school’s Bee Club are working with local primary schools and community groups to create a unique and highly original piece of collective artwork.

The Golden Swarm will consist of over 1,000 individually created clay golden bees.

The Bee Club has also been undertaking a science project to help gather biology, health and productivity data from their very own apiary.

Working with the support of the school’s scientist in residence, they have been exploring the use of Raspberry Pi, a computer programming learning tool, to support their research.

And they plan to share their findings with the wider beekeeping community.

Council education spokeswoman Caroline Hamilton told us: “This project is a wonderful example of young people using their initiative and creative skills to produce a stunning piece of community art that will not only commemorate their move to their new school building, but also help to raise awareness of both the importance of beekeeping and develop environmental awareness in our region’s schools and local communities.

"Their citizen science research project is further evidence of their commitment to this issue and they are to be commended for all their efforts."

Beekeeping pupils are taking a stand at the Border Union Show on Saturday to promote their project and also allow visitors to make their own clay bee.

The final artwork will be unveiled at the opening of the new high school in the autumn where it will remain on display until the following spring.

It will then journey to its permanent home in the gardens of Floors Castle.

The project also marks a highly successful partnership between the school and Roxburghe Estates who have housed the Bee Club’s apiary in their grounds since it was established in 2014.

Roddy Jackson, Roxburghe Estates Factor, said: “This is a very creative and stimulating project by Kelso High School which I am sure will generate strong interest among pupils and inspire them to learn more about the ecology of bees and about beekeeping.

"Congratulations to the school on raising the funds required and we look forward to the arrival of the Golden Swarm in spring 2018. It will be a wonderful and captivating addition to the gardens.”