Rights Respecting School

Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA) at St Thomas’s

Working with UNICEF UK to put children’s rights at the heart of school life

At St Thomas’s, we are proud to be working towards the UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA). The award is based on the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and aims to ensure that every child feels safe, valued and empowered.

Becoming a Rights Respecting School helps us to create an environment where relationships are positive, wellbeing is prioritised, and all children learn about their rights and the rights of others locally and globally.

We are currently working towards the Silver: Rights Aware stage of the award.

 
What Is a Rights Respecting School?

A Rights Respecting School is one where:

Children learn about their rights under the UNCRC (Article 42).
Adults model equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation in everything they do.
Children are supported to use their voice, make decisions and take action (Articles 12 & 13).
The whole school community works together to ensure all children enjoy their rights every day.
The UNCRC is not something children “earn” — rights are universal, unconditional, and belong to every child everywhere.

 
How Children Learn About Their Rights

At St Thomas’s, children learn about their rights through:

Pupil Parliament

Our Pupil Parliament includes six groups:

Community & Charity
Eco Warriors
Sports
Power of Prayer
Library & Literacy
Health & Well-being
Each group elects a Minister and Deputy, meets regularly, leads assemblies, organises events and helps make sure everyone’s rights are respected across school.

Curriculum and Assemblies

Weekly Picture News assemblies link current events to children’s rights.
RE, RSE, PSHE and wider curriculum subjects make explicit links to relevant Articles.
Rights are highlighted in floor books, class displays and lesson resources.
World Book Day, enrichment days and national events are connected to UNCRC Articles.

Our Rights-Respecting Environment

Across the school, displays and spaces highlight Articles linked to real life, such as:

Kitchen – Article 24 (health, food, water)
Library – Article 17 (access to information)
Headteacher – Article 29 (aims of education)
Year 6 – Article 42 (everyone must know children’s rights)
We also use playground developments to support Article 31 (rest, play and leisure).

 
Working With Our Community

We strengthen rights-based learning by connecting with:

Local church groups
Residential care homes
Other schools through the Sycamore Trust (including joint Parliament events and creating a shared Trust Prayer)
Families, who receive regular rights-linked updates via our Sway newsletter and invitations to assemblies
 
How Staff and Governors Support RRSA

All staff receive ongoing training and CPD on rights-respecting practice, including:

Modelling rights-respecting behaviour
Using the language of rights in teaching and behaviour conversations
Supporting children’s voice and participation
Governors are also kept informed through:

Termly Headteacher reports
Invitations to events and assemblies
Updates shared at meetings
 
Children’s Safety and Wellbeing

Children learn how to keep themselves and others safe both offline and online.
This includes:

Knowing their trusted adults
Understanding the link between safeguarding and rights (Articles 19, 34, 36)
Participating in surveys and check-ins so we can monitor how safe and supported they feel
Taking part in My Happy Mind, wellbeing initiatives and nurture support
We always highlight the right to be heard (Article 12) and to share opinions freely (Article 13).

 
Taking Action for Others

St Thomas’s aims to help children become active, compassionate global citizens.
We do this by:

Linking fundraising to specific rights (e.g., health, education, survival and development)
Running campaigns, themed weeks and charity events
Encouraging classes to take on rights-based projects throughout the year
Participating in community and Trust-wide social action
Every child at St Thomas’s will have opportunities to make a difference — locally and globally.

 
Want to Know More?

You can learn more about the UNCRC and the Rights Respecting Schools Award at:
👉 https://www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/

If you’d like to see what Rights Respecting looks like at St Thomas’s in action, explore our newsletters, follow our school events or speak to a member of our RRS Steering Group.