We are thrilled to have achieved the Rights’ Respecting Schools Gold Award, which recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice. External assessors read our Action Plan and spoke to staff and pupils during a virtual accreditation visit, and agreed that our work shows that we are “Rights Respecting”. 

UNICEF Assessor, Steven Kidd, noted “It was evident that children’s rights are embedded across the school and underpin every facet of school life.”

UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. The Rights Respecting Schools Award is granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults, children and young people to respect the rights of others in school. Gold is the highest accolade given by UNICEF UK and shows a deep and thorough commitment to children’s rights at all levels of school life. There are over 600 schools across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales that have received Gold. St Columba’s is the only Scottish school to achieve their initial accreditation for Gold from Early Years to Sixth Year simultaneously.

Rector, Victoria Reilly said: “Achieving Gold Rights Respecting School status is an important milestone in the history of our school; one that we are incredibly proud of. That we have achieved this together – from our littlest learners to the sixth-year students preparing to go out into the world – makes it even more special. My sincere thanks must go to Jan Fulton, Depute Rector (Pastoral), and her team of staff, pupils and parents who have worked tirelessly to guide us through our Rights Respecting journey. We may have reached our goal, but we know that the work does not stop here. We will continue to nurture a safe and inclusive community for all Columbans and to promote social justice.”

The Award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies and practice. A Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.

The report from UNICEF noted many strengths of the school including:

• Very articulate children who demonstrated good knowledge & understanding of rights.
• An ethos that places positive relationships based on mutual respect & trust at the heart of school life.
• Students felt listened to, that their views matter and that they could make a positive difference.

Congratulations to all the staff and pupils across the school – from both Junior and Senior School – who have been involved in driving forward this initiative.