Rights Respecting School
Rights Respecting School
At Newall Green Primary School, children's rights are at the heart of everything we do.
We are incredibly proud to be a UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School and are currently working towards achieving the prestigious Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award. The Rights Respecting Schools Award is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a globally recognised agreement which sets out the rights that every child should enjoy, regardless of who they are, where they live or what they believe.
Being a Rights Respecting School is about much more than learning about children's rights. It is about creating a school where every child feels safe, valued, respected and heard. It means helping children understand not only their own rights, but also the rights of others, and empowering them to become confident, compassionate and active members of their community.
What Difference Does It Make?
Our Rights Respecting approach helps children to:
Feel safe, respected and valued.
Develop confidence in sharing their thoughts, ideas and opinions.
Understand the importance of fairness, equality and inclusion.
Build positive relationships based on dignity and respect.
Develop empathy and understanding for others.
Learn how they can make a positive difference in school, their community and the wider world.
Children are encouraged to use their voices and know that their views matter. Through our School Council, Rights Champions, Peace Pals and many other leadership opportunities, pupils play an active role in shaping school life. Their ideas have led to meaningful improvements across school, including changes to lunchtimes, the introduction of a lunchtime Lego Club and library provision, quieter spaces for children who need them and the installation of our KS2 trim trail.
Learning Through Rights
Children learn about rights throughout the curriculum, in assemblies, PSHE lessons and everyday school life. Each week, classes explore a different article from the Convention and discuss how it applies to their lives and the lives of others.
Our children quickly learn that rights are not just something we learn about – they are something we live every day.
Each class creates its own Class Charter based on children's rights. Together, children and adults agree how Rights Holders (children) and Duty Bearers (adults) can work together to ensure everyone's rights are respected. These charters help to create positive, inclusive and respectful learning environments where everyone can thrive.
Pupil Voice Matters
One of the most important aspects of being a Rights Respecting School is ensuring that children know their voices are heard and that they can make a difference.
At Newall Green Primary School, children regularly share their views through:
School Council
Rights Champions
Class discussions
Surveys and questionnaires
Worry boxes
Leadership groups and pupil voice activities
Most importantly, children see the impact of their participation. They understand that their ideas can lead to real change and improvements within school.
Becoming Global Citizens
We want our children to understand that they can make a difference not only within our school but also in the wider world.
Through projects linked to children's rights, the Global Goals and UNICEF's OutRight programme, pupils learn about issues such as poverty, equality, climate change and children's rights around the world. They take part in fundraising, awareness campaigns, assemblies, community projects and advocacy work, helping them develop as responsible and compassionate global citizens.
Working Together
Parents and carers are an important part of our Rights Respecting journey. We regularly share information through newsletters, workshops, assemblies and events and encourage families to talk about children's rights at home.
We are incredibly proud of the caring, inclusive and respectful community we have built together. By working in partnership with children, families and staff, we continue to ensure that every child feels seen, heard, valued and empowered to reach their full potential.
Please speak to your child about the rights they have been learning about in school and explore how children's rights can be promoted and respected at home too.
How can parents and carers get involved?
Parents and carers play a vital role in helping children learn about and through rights. By working together, we can help children understand that rights are not just something we talk about in school—they are part of everyday life at home, in our community and across the world.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the parents and carers who have attended our Rights Respecting workshops, committee meetings and events. These sessions provide a wonderful opportunity to learn more about children's rights, share ideas and see first-hand how a rights-based approach supports children's wellbeing, confidence, participation and learning.
There are lots of simple ways that families can support our Rights Respecting journey:
Talk to your child about the rights they have been learning about in school.
Ask them about the Article of the Week and how it relates to their life.
Encourage your child to share their views and involve them in family discussions and decision-making where appropriate.
Create a family charter together, discussing the rights and responsibilities that help everyone feel safe, respected and valued at home.
Explore local and global issues together and discuss how children's rights are affected around the world.
Celebrate acts of kindness, fairness and respect within your family and community.
Attend our parent workshops and Rights Respecting events to learn more about the work we do in school.
We are always looking for parents and carers who would like to become more involved in our Rights Respecting journey. Whether you would like to attend workshops, join our Rights Respecting Committee, contribute ideas or support events, we would love to hear from you.
Together, we can help our children grow into confident, respectful and compassionate young people who understand their rights, respect the rights of others and know that their voices can make a positive difference.
If you were unable to attend one of our recent workshops, don't worry. Further opportunities will be available throughout the year and we look forward to welcoming you. In the meantime, please take a look at the resources below and speak to your child about what they have been learning in school.
Class Charters
A charter is a shared agreement created by children and adults based on children's rights. Rather than being a list of rules, a charter helps everyone understand how we can work together to ensure that rights are respected and enjoyed by all.
At Newall Green Primary School, every class creates its own Class Charter. Children discuss the rights they feel are most important for their classroom and agree what those rights should look like in practice. Together, they identify the responsibilities of both Rights Holders (the children) and Duty Bearers (the adults) to help make sure everyone's rights are respected.
For example, if a class chooses to focus on:
🗣 Article 12 – The Right to Be Heard
Children might agree to listen respectfully when others are speaking.
Adults might ensure that all children have opportunities to share their ideas and opinions.
📚 Article 28 – The Right to Education
Children might agree to try their best and help create a positive learning environment.
Adults might ensure that lessons are engaging, inclusive and support all learners.
Charters help children develop a deeper understanding of both rights and responsibilities while creating positive, respectful and inclusive relationships throughout the school.
Why not create a Family Charter?
Many families choose to create a Family Charter at home. This can be a wonderful opportunity to discuss the rights that are important to your family and agree how everyone can work together to ensure that all family members feel safe, respected, listened to and valued.
A Family Charter doesn't need to be complicated. Simply choose a few rights that are important to your family and discuss:
What do these rights look like at home?
What are the responsibilities of children?
What are the responsibilities of adults?
How can we help everyone enjoy these rights?
Creating a Family Charter is a great way to continue Rights Respecting conversations beyond the classroom and strengthen positive relationships at home.
Example work created by our children
Silver celebration lunch
To celebrate achieving our UNICEF Rights Respecting Silver Award, we held a special Silver-Themed Lunch for all of our pupils. Children enjoyed a range of silver-coloured foods and decorations while learning more about what it means to be a Rights Respecting School.
The celebration gave us an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come on our Rights Respecting journey and recognise the important role that every child, member of staff and family has played in helping us achieve this award. Throughout the lunch, children discussed the rights they have been learning about and how they can continue to respect and promote the rights of others both in school and beyond.
We are incredibly proud of this achievement and are excited to continue working towards the UNICEF Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award.
