Pupils, staff, and families at St Edward's Primary School in Airdrie are celebrating after the school achieved the prestigious Gold Rights Respecting School Award from UNICEF UK. This award is the highest level of recognition in the Rights Respecting Schools Award programme, honoring schools that place children's rights at the heart of their community.
Commitment to Children's Rights
The Gold Award reflects years of dedicated work by pupils and staff to embed children's rights across the curriculum, school policies, and daily activities. It highlights the school's commitment to ensuring every child feels valued, respected, and able to have their voice heard. Assessors praised the strong understanding of rights among pupils and the positive, inclusive culture throughout the school community.
Headteacher's Pride
Headteacher Mrs Siobhan Egan expressed immense pride in the achievement. She said: "This award is a wonderful recognition of the dedication shown by our pupils, staff, and families. At St Edward's, children's rights are at the centre of everything we do. We work hard to ensure every child feels safe, respected, and empowered to make a positive contribution to our school and wider community. Achieving Gold status is a fantastic milestone and one that everyone associated with the school should be proud of."
Pupils' Role
Pupils played a key role in securing the award, helping to promote children's rights and encouraging classmates to take an active role in school life. One pupil said: "We have learned that every child has rights and that everyone's voice matters. We make sure people feel included and respected, and we are proud that our school has achieved the Gold Award."
Community Impact
Mrs Hughes, the Rights Respecting Schools Lead, noted: "It was a privilege to work alongside the pupils and to see them making a tangible difference to the community through campaigns tackling dog fouling and car park safety."
Council Recognition
Councillor Michael McBride, Convener of Education with North Lanarkshire Council, congratulated the school on its success. He said: "I would like to warmly congratulate everyone at St Edward's Primary School on achieving the Gold Rights Respecting School Award. This is a significant accomplishment and reflects the commitment of pupils, staff, and families to creating a positive and inclusive learning environment. The school has demonstrated a genuine commitment to promoting children's rights and ensuring young people have a voice in decisions that affect them. This award is richly deserved."
