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Speyside High receives prestigious Unicef award


By Sarah Rollo

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PUPILS at Speyside High are celebrating after the school received an award for its commitment to children's rights.

Youngsters in the secondary's Rights Group have driven forward the work required to obtain Unicef UK's Silver Rights Respecting School Award.

The honour is granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults and young people to respect the rights of others in school.

Silver is given to a school which takes strides towards embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its ethos and curriculum.

Speyside High receives a Silver Rights Respecting School Award from UNICEF. Proudly displaying the banner are members of the school's Rights Group with co-ordinator Imogen Nairn (left) and head teacher Patricia Goodbrand (right). Picture: Eric Cormack.
Speyside High receives a Silver Rights Respecting School Award from UNICEF. Proudly displaying the banner are members of the school's Rights Group with co-ordinator Imogen Nairn (left) and head teacher Patricia Goodbrand (right). Picture: Eric Cormack.

Head teacher Patricia Goodbrand said: "This is a huge achievement which recognises the efforts of pupils, staff and the school community in placing children’s rights at the heart of Speyside High School.

"We are enormously proud to be awarded silver, in recognition of the positive impact of putting children’s rights at the heart of the school.

"The evaluation commented on the value of the young people’s voices being heard through the Pupil Senate and through focus groups which help shape school policy, as well as the initiatives in place to support pupils’ wider opportunities through clubs and groups, and awareness and fundraising campaigns. The school’s Breakfast Club, mental health ambassadors, and proactive work on recycling and climate awareness were just some of the highlights of the evaluation.

"The Rights Group has committed a lot of hard work in enabling the school to move forward to this award and are to be congratulated."

Co-ordinated by Imogen Nairn, the group includes Sandy Bond MSYP, Myles Coull, Anna Doble, Lauren Fotheringham, Isla Horsbrough, Caitlin Leslie, Louise Leslie, Euan Morrice, Phoebe Rees, Emily Reid, Hannah Ross and Eilidh Simmons.

The Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools initiative is aimed at schools across the UK, including those in an early years setting.

The 30th anniversary of the establishment of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was marked in November when Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced Scotland will incorporate the convention into law.

A Bill will be laid before Parliament this year and members of Speyside High's Rights Group are hoping to visit Holyrood to be part of this process.


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