Respect award for Forres primary school

A Forres primary has become the first school in Moray to gain an award for promoting children’s rights.

Pupils at Anderson’s Primary spent almost 18 months working towards Level One of the Rights Respecting School Award run by UNICEF, the international children’s charity.

They drew their inspiration from a play entitled The Rights of the Child which a visiting theatre group performed in front of the whole school.

Led by the pupil council, the children learned about human rights and a range of international issues such as child exploitation and took part in a number of projects based on the rights of children.

Officials from UNICEF visited the school where they met pupils and staff and assessed the work that had been done on promoting children’s rights.

Head teacher Maureen Mooney said everyone at Anderson’s was delighted to be able to say they were part of a Rights Respecting School.

“The children have enjoyed the journey and have learned a huge amount about their own rights and the rights of others,” she said.

“Staff have also observed a number of whole school benefits and they are consistently referring to rights during teaching and learning and in supporting individuals and groups of children.

“Overall the ethos of the school is one of respect and everybody feels safe, happy and able to learn when they come to school.”

Moray Council area stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Forres in the west. The council and its 4,500 employees respond to the needs of 95,510 residents in this beautiful part of Scotland, which nestles between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.

Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live.

Headquartered in  Elgin, the administrative capital of Moray.