Stewarton Academy recently welcomed students from abroad for a fun-packed visit to see how education works in Scotland. For the third year running, a group of students and two teachers from the Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore came to the school for a 15-day visit.

The 16 Singapore students met their Stewarton "buddies" and attended classes in school with them. They also enjoyed days out, including a visit to Edinburgh, taking in the spectacular Castle and the Scottish Parliament.

Other trips took them to Glasgow on a cultural tour of the city's galleries and museums and to St Andrews, where they stayed at Rusacks Hotel and toured the historic University.

The young visitors enjoyed meeting new friends and taking part in a variety of classes and activities. A highlight of their stay was a school concert in their honour, with Scots music and dance, in the Academy. The final Saturday was taken up with a tour of Kilmarnock's Rugby Park and a football match in the afternoon.

Councillor Jim Roberts, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: "It was great to welcome these young people to East Ayrshire. We have a reputation for being friendly and I think we kept that up. I hope they return to Singapore with a good idea of our culture and our values."

Executive Director of Educational and Social Services Graham Short said: "These exchange visits help representatives of both countries to learn more about each other. This is the third year Stewarton Academy has hosted the students from the Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore and once again, it has been a great success."