Windsor Park School was awarded the prestigious Gold Rights Respecting School status by UNICEF UK this month (June). The award recognises the school's commitment to embedding children's rights into its ethos and culture, ensuring pupils are not only aware of their rights but also respect the rights of others.

Going for Gold!

The aim of the Rights Respecting Schools Award is to help create safe and inspiring places for children to learn, where their rights are upheld, and their potential fully realised. The Gold award is the highest recognition given by UNICEF in the UK. It reflects widespread commitment to children's rights at all levels of school life.

Windsor Park School, one of only three Schools for the Deaf in Scotland, has been on its Rights Respecting School journey for several years, achieving Bronze in March 2023, Silver just 8 months later, and now Gold. This progression involved rigorous evaluations and the rollout of plans and activities to promote and uphold children’s rights.

Headteacher Amanda Walker expressed her pride and joy at receiving the award. She said:

"At Windsor Park we are committed to fostering an environment where every child feels valued and respected. Achieving Gold is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our pupils, staff, and the entire school community. As a School for the Deaf, this feels particularly special, and we hope that the deaf community in Falkirk and beyond can enjoy this achievement with us. It is an honour to lead this wonderful school community and I couldn’t be prouder."

Securing success

To achieve the Gold Award, Windsor Park pupils have actively participated in various initiatives and projects that promote rights awareness and respect. These include:

• Liaised with deaf community and a BSL interpreter to ensure accurate signs were being used for language associated with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. QR codes were then created for each word/term.
• Created a story bag to take home and share with families, promoting discussion and increasing knowledge among families.
• Designed a 'Duty Bearers’ card to be awarded to adults in the school community who fulfil this role effectively.
• Planned and facilitated a successful stakeholder event, showcasing their Rights Respecting learning journey.
• Created individual communication passports to highlight their needs and rights as deaf learners.
• Created and shared a video about gender-based violence and deaf women as part on the 16 Days of Activism Project.

Falkirk Council’s Director of Education Jon Reid sent his congratulations to the school. He said:

"Windsor Park School’s Gold award is a shining example of what can be achieved when a school community comes together with a shared vision of respect and rights for all children. Achieving Gold takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It really is an impressive achievement and a fantastic way to end the school year. Well done to all involved!"

For more information on Windsor Park School visit its website. Further information on the Rights Respecting Schools Gold Award can be found on UNICEF UK's website.