We are a GOLD Rights Respecting School

A school with inclusion at its heart, where pupils feel safe and secure and are articulate about the importance of knowing about children's rights, the difference this makes to their lives and their desire and determination to help realise these rights for others (RRSA Accreditation Report - October 2022)

What is a Right's Respecting School?

All children under the age of 18 are ‘Rights Holders’. Their rights are found in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Duty bearers are the adults who are responsible for ensuring children receive their rights. This includes parents and care-givers, the government and those who are employed by the government (teachers, police, health care workers etc.). All adults associated with our school are duty bearers.

Our Rights Respecting School work is led by our Junior Leadership Team. This is made up of children from all classes across school, alongside some key adults.

Rights are for all children and young people throughout the world (universal), are there at birth (inherent), cannot be taken away (inalienable), do not come with any conditions attached to them (unconditional) and are all equally important (indivisible).

What is the Rights Respecting Schools Award?

The Rights Respecting Schools Award puts children’s rights at the heart of schools in the UK.

Unicef 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. Our 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.

Using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as a guide, Unicef are working with more UK schools than almost any other organisation. Over 1.6 million children in the UK go to a Rights Respecting School and nearly 5,000 schools up and down the country are working through the Award. Schools work with us on a journey to become fully Rights Respecting.

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.

Talking about being Rights Respecting

Class Charters

Gold - Rights Respecting

At Woodlands we are very proud to be Gold: Rights Respecting

A strong and enthusiastic commitment to children's rights and to RRSA from leaders at all levels, including the Local Academy Board, tied into the vision and values of the school. A clear strategic approach to embedding children’s rights in school life with the Convention serving as a driver for Academy improvement (RRSA Accreditation Report - October 2022)

We have explicitly adopted a child rights approach based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and have embedded it in our policy, practice and culture.
Children, young people and adults at Woodlands have a thorough understanding of child rights, and rights respecting attitudes and language are embedded across the school.
RRSA has had a positive impact on children and young people’s learning and wellbeing.
Children see themselves as rights respecting global citizens and are advocates for social justice, fairness and children’s rights at home and abroad.

Many interactions were witnessed which demonstrated the level of respect, care and dignity afforded to each individual pupil, such relationships are recognised by all as being central to the school’s success ((RRSA Accreditation Report - October 2022)

What next?

By exploring the ‘Rights Respecting School’ award (RRSA) we hope to help our children to grow into confident, caring and responsible young citizens, both in school and within the wider community. Through learning about what their rights are, and joining various ambassadors/pupil champion groups, our children will also learn how to respect those rights.

Our pupils are encouraged to reflect on how their behaviour and actions affect those around them, which allows us to build and maintain a positive and safe learning environment for all, both in the classroom and around the school. We have been doing this in class, in assemblies and through focus weeks such as Anti-Bullying or Mental Health Awareness Week, and focus months such as Black History month.

We really hope that you will feel able to support us and your child in working towards our goal of maintaining a Gold Rights Respecting culture.