Our school achieved the Bronze: Rights Committed Award and we are currently working towards the Silver: Rights Aware Award.

Working towards Silver means that we are embedding children’s rights more deeply in our school culture, alongside our vision and values. Pupils are learning about their rights, adults are supporting and modelling respectful relationships, and children are encouraged to share their views and take part in decisions that affect them.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international agreement that sets out the rights that every child should have in order to grow up safely, happily and with opportunities to reach their full potential.

Children’s rights cover many aspects of life including education, safety, health, play and having a voice in decisions that affect them.

Some of the articles we explore in school include:

• Article 3 – Adults should do what is best for children
• Article 12 – Children should have the right to express their views and be listened to
• Article 28 – Children have the right to an education
• Article 31 – Children have the right to relax and play

Children learn about these rights through lessons, article assemblies, collective worship, discussions and everyday school experiences.

“We have a right to always be safe”, Year 1 child.

“Rights keep you safe – they are the law”, Year 3 child.

Children’s rights are part of daily life in our school. Staff and pupils work together to create a respectful environment where everyone understands their rights and responsibilities.

We promote rights by:

• Creating class charters, where children agree how they will respect each other’s rights
• Discussing rights during assemblies, collective worship and in lessons
• Promoting positive play through our whole school playground charter
• Promoting compassion, respect and fairness in our behaviour and relationships.
• Displaying children’s rights around the school to remind us of the importance of treating everyone with respect.

“If someone’s rights are respected, they are not treated badly and the world will become a better place”, Year 5 child.

A key part of being a rights respecting school is ensuring that children have opportunities to share their ideas and help shape school life.

Children are encouraged to take part in decision-making within different roles in school:  

• Rights Ambassadors
• Eco Ambassadors
• Worship Leaders
• House Captains

These opportunities help children develop confidence and understand that their voice matters.

Children learn about rights across the curriculum. Teachers make links between children’s rights and many areas of learning to help pupils understand how rights apply in different contexts around the world, as well as within our own community.

Learning about rights may take place through:

• PSHE and specific Rights Lessons
• Rights Assemblies and Collective Worship
• Class discussions and discussions on the playground
• Restorative conversations

As children develop an understanding of children’s rights, they are encouraged to think about how they can make a positive difference in our school, local community and the wider world. Our school supports children to take action through activities such as:

• Fundraising for charities
• Awareness campaigns (e.g. Campaigning about safer parking in our village on World Children’s Day)
• Learning about global challenges and how we can create change
• Teaming up with Eco Ambassadors to support our local environment

“The whole school voted for the charities that we want to help”, Year 2 child.