What Is a Rights Respecting School?
The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) is based on principles of equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation.
A rights-respecting school is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted. Young people and the school community learn about children’s rights by putting them into practice every day.
At CPS we are a proud Gold RRS and believe that when children learn about their rights, it’s equally important they develop a deeper understanding of what rights truly mean. That’s why we teach them the ABCDE of rights — a framework designed to help them connect with the principles behind the words.
ABCDE of Rights
We work hard to embed the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into every aspect of school life. From the classroom to the playground, children are not only taught about their rights — they live them. This means:
- 🗣️ Voice and Agency: Pupils are encouraged to express their views, take part in decision-making, and actively shape their learning environment, through Pupil Voice groups and as a member of CPS.
- 🤝 Respect and Relationships: We foster a culture of mutual respect, where kindness, empathy, and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do.
- 🌍 Global Citizenship: Children learn to see themselves as part of a wider world, understanding their responsibilities and the impact they can have beyond the school gates. The Global Goals have a powerful and complementary impact on CPS as a Rights Respecting School — they help bring children’s rights to life in a global context and deepen pupils’ understanding of their role as active citizens.
- A Rights Respecting School encourages pupils to understand their rights and responsibilities. The Global Goals take this further by helping children see how they can contribute to solving global challenges like poverty, climate change, and inequality.
Outright Campaign – 2025-2026
Theme for 2025–2026: International Aid
The Outright Campaign is led by UNICEF UK, is a dynamic initiative that empowers children and young people to learn about their rights and take action on global issues that matter to them.
This year’s campaign focuses on helping children understand:
- What international aid is and why it matters
- How aid supports children’s rights globally — especially in areas like climate change and education.
The Rights Respecting Pupil voice group will be working closely with the Enterprise group on an International aid Project fo r the school.
