EDINBURGH.- The National Galleries of Scotland schools programme has been awarded the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education. The Sandford Award, presented by the Duke of Wessex at a ceremony at Windsor Castle, is the only independent benchmarking of educational excellence in the heritage sector in the UK and recognises quality and excellence in educational services and facilities. The entrants were assessed by a panel of independent Judges including OFSTED Inspectors, former head teachers, education consultants and heritage-property-based education officers. The judges praised the National Galleries of Scotland for a commitment to helping children explore the collections themselves and making them feel confident about their ideas about paintings and artists. The National Galleries of Scotland schools programme is an established part of the Galleries education activity and attracts thousands of pupils an