UNICEF- Convention of the Rights of a Child What is the Convention on the Rights of a Child?
In 1989, governments worldwide promised all children the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention recognised that all children have the right to be treated with dignity and fairness, to be protected, to develop to their full potential and to participate. The rights in the Convention describe what a child needs to survive, grow, and live up to their potential in the world. They apply equally to every child, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Click here to see the Convention on the Rights of the Child
UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. The Award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies and practice. A Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.
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.
Woodside Primary was proud to achieve the Bronze Award in Jan 2025, swiftly followed by the Silver Award in Oct 2025!
There are three stages to the Rights Respecting Schools Award. Its transformative and rigorous approach means the journey to the highest stage can take up to four years.
Together young people and the school community learn about children’s rights, putting them into practice every day. The Award is not just about what children do but also, importantly, what adults do. In Rights Respecting Schools children’s rights are promoted and realised, adults and children work towards this goal together.
There are four key areas of impact for children at a Rights Respecting school; wellbeing, participation, relationships and self-esteem.
The difference that a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.
- Children are healthier and happier
- Children feel safe
- Children have better relationships
- Children become active and involved in school life and the wider world
We are so proud and delighted that all three of our federated schools are Rights Respecting Schools, with Steam Mills being the first primary school in Gloucestershire to have achieved the prestigious Gold Award!
Our children have a Rights Respecting weekly assembly to learn about an Article and how it relates to the world around them and to themselves. For example, around Remembrance Day the assembly focussed on Article 38- Children have the right to be protected during war and Article 22- Children who are refugees, should get help, protection and the same rights. This is also linked to appropriate British Values-in this case, tolerance and mutual respect/ equality. The weekly assembly focus is shared with parents on the newsletter.
We also provide a weekly assembly using Picture News, which focuses on a current affairs topic in a child friendly way, with very clear links to Rights Respecting Articles and to British Values.