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This site shows a range of different aspects of how we are supporting your child's Rights at Penicuik High School
Our Rights..Story so Far.
In June 2022 we met the standard to receive our UNICEF UK's Silver Rights Respecting School Award(Rights Aware). This shows that we are raising the awareness of your rights in different aspects of school life.
In a Rights Respecting School, all our Rights are valued and promoted. All pupils and teachers work together to achieve this.
Our next step is to work together as a school to be recognised as having achieved the RRSA Gold award.
The difference that a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.
Children are healthier and happier
Children feel safe
Children have better relationships
Children become active and involved in school life and the wider world
What are Children's Rights?
What are Children's Rights?
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child(UNCRC) explains who children are, all their rights, and the responsibilities of governments. All the rights are connected, they are all equally important and they cannot be taken away from children.
In Scotland, Children's Rights are now protected by law. In January 2024, the UNCRC Incorporation Act came into force providing an additional layer of protection for young people.
There are 54 articles in the UNCRC. These can be broken down into 7 broad Principles:
Dignity - Respecting children’s dignity means all children should be treated with care and respect in all circumstances
Interdependence and indivisibility - All children and young people should enjoy all of their rights all of the time because all rights are equally important.
Best interests - The best interests of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children and young people. In all cases, children and young people should be involved in deciding what is best for them.
Participation - All children and young people have the right to have a say in matters that affect them and to have their views taken seriously.
Non-discrimination - Every child and young person should be treated fairly and protected from discrimination, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, language, family background or any other status. Having access to equal opportunities and best possible outcomes doesn’t mean being treated identically; some children and young people need more support than others to overcome barriers and difficulties.
Transparency and accountability - Open dialogue and strong relationships between children and young people, professionals and local politicians are key to making rights a reality. For this to happen, everyone needs to be supported to learn about and understand rights. Knowledge of rights also allows children and young people to hold to account the people responsible for ensuring their rights are protected and realised.
Life, survival and development - Every child has a right to life and each child and young person should enjoy the same opportunities to be safe, healthy, grow and develop
All adults have a role in supporting young people to exercise their Rights, but there are some adults - Duty Bearers - who international law states have a responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil the Rights of the Child. These would include:
Scottish Ministers,
Scottish Government officials,
local authority staff,
teachers,
social workers,
health workers, such as doctors and nurses, and
police officers.
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