MASSAGE is the latest lesson on the curriculum for nursery children in Peebles.

Priorsford Primary School Nursery began the pilot project just before Christmas and are running a further four sessions in the New Year.

And, according to their teacher, it is already helping children, as young as three and four, concentrate in class.

Sophie McLeish, aged 24, from West Linton, runs the half hour Mini Massage sessions. She is an internationally recognised trainer.

Nursery teacher Diane Allanson said: “I have been targeting children’s development over the weeks that we have had Sophie giving classes and there is a noticable increase in the their ability to concentrate and focus.” Sophie, a former Peebles High School pupil, previously held successful classes at Broughton Primary School but Priorsford is the first school in Peeblesshire to try their hand at the innovative scheme.

Speaking on her visit to Peebles on Thursday, Sophie said: “There are many benefits for learning and behaviour and we look at relations and interaction between children, sometimes touch as a developmental need can be overlooked.

“Mini Massage has been run in nurseries before but there has not been a pilot study in Scotland.

”In November 2014 I ran a five week session at Broughton Primary School for P1/2 and P3/4.” For further information on the classes, log on to MISA’s website: www.massageinschoolsassociation.org.uk