A BRIDPORT school has been recognised for its work supporting children's rights.

The Sir John Colfox Academy has been awarded the Gold award from UNICEF in recognition of its ongoing work highlighting children’s rights in the school and wider community.

Colfox has been part of the UNICEF ‘Rights Respecting Schools’ programme since 2010, when the school achieved level 1.

In 2018, the school was awarded ‘silver’ and the next goal became to achieve the 'gold' award within the following two years.

The gold award is the highest level and is granted to schools that organisers believe have 'fully embedded the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into their ethos and curriculum.' The accreditation is then valid for three years.

Rebecca Hatch, rights respecting and PSHE teacher at Colfox, said: “Colfox’s passion for Rights Respecting has impacted upon the community as a whole. In 2018, Bridport town launched its Citizens’ Charter as part of its journey to become the UK’s first Rights Respecting Town. Colfox has been spearheading a Rights Respecting ethos across the trust and the town and seeing children and adults work together to achieve a common goal in improving rights for all is a pleasure to see.”

To receive a gold award, the school must be able to demonstrate a positive impact on children and young people’s learning and wellbeing and students.

The UNICEF assessors made note of the positive relationships between the school's students and its staff, particularly the students' roles in making decisions about the school.

Colfox head teacher, Adam Shelley, said, “We are the first secondary school in the south west to be awarded the Gold accreditation for Rights Respecting, which is a fantastic achievement and a recognition of the school’s commitment to providing a learning environment that puts the needs and rights of every child at the heart of everything we do.”