Castlemilk High School: Rights Respecting School

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) works with schools in the UK to create safe and inspiring places to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive. The Rights Respecting Schools Award embeds these values in daily school life and gives children the best chance to lead happy, healthy lives and to be responsible, active citizens. 

The Award recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond. 

The Rights Respecting group and Mrs Heffron are working hard to get the Gold award for Castlemilk High School. One part of this is a Book-of-the-Month promotion, to help raise pupils’ awareness of their rights under the UN Convention . Each month, the library promotes one book highlighting UNCRC articles. This month’s book is ‘Noughts and Crosses’ by Malorie Black, which links to a number of articles including:  

2: Nondiscrimination 

15: Freedom of association 

28: Right to an education 

In an alternate reality the population is divided into two: the white Noughts are second-class citizens, and the black Crosses are highly-revered and perceived as the superior race.Sephy is a Cross: she lives a life of privilege and power. Callum is a nought: he’s considered to be less than nothing – a blanker, there to serve Crosses.

They’ve been friends since they were children, and they both know that’s as far as it can ever go. Noughts and Crosses are fated to be bitter enemies – love is out of the question. Then – in spite of a world that is fiercely against them – these star-crossed lovers choose each other. But this is love story that will lead both of them into terrible danger . . . and which will have shocking repercussions for generations to come.

Noughts and Crosses is available now in book and ebook format from the school library.