Rights Respecting School   

Rights Respecting Schools Award at Beaconsfield Primary

At Beaconsfield Primary School, we are proud to be a Gold Rights Respecting School, accredited by UNICEF UK. The Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) places children’s rights at the heart of everything we do, creating a school community where respect, inclusion, and empowerment are central to our ethos. Achieving Gold accreditation showcases our commitment to embedding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) across all aspects of school life.

Our Journey: Gold Accreditation and Beyond

Our journey to becoming a Gold Rights Respecting School has been one of growth and transformation. Starting at Bronze level, we advanced to Silver by ensuring children’s rights became an integral part of daily school life. Now, as a Gold-accredited school, we have further strengthened our dedication to the principles of the UNCRC, embedding children’s rights into our policies, assemblies, curriculum planning, and everyday interactions. We are committed to continuing this journey, empowering our pupils as active global citizens and making rights-respecting values a permanent part of our school culture.

Our Achievements

Embedding Children’s Rights into the Curriculum

Children’s rights are a central part of our curriculum. Teachers use standardised lesson slides, which include a dedicated section on the UNCRC, helping them link rights to any subject. For example, in Geography, pupils may explore environmental rights, while in English, they may develop persuasive writing skills by advocating for global issues like equality and sustainability.

Citizenship Week: Inspiring Change Makers

Citizenship Week is a highlight of our school calendar. This annual event has been part of the school from 2007 until the present day. This year pupils were engaged in exploring their roles as Change Makers. Activities included creating a Change Maker Tree, writing persuasive speeches on global challenges, and designing posters advocating for positive change. The week culminated in a whole-school assembly attended by parents and our local MP, Deirdre Costigan, celebrating the children’s work and their understanding of rights.

A Whole-School Ethos

RRSA is embedded into the fabric of our school.

• Assemblies: Weekly assemblies connect themes like kindness, inclusion, and respect to specific UNCRC articles.
• Policies: Our behaviour and safeguarding policies are firmly grounded in children’s rights, promoting fairness and wellbeing for all.
• Community Involvement: Parents and families are engaged in our Rights Respecting work through assemblies, displays, and regular communication.

4. Empowering Pupil Voice: As a Voice 21 Oracy Project School, we ensure that every child has the opportunity to use their voice effectively. Pupils are encouraged to incorporate rights-based language into their discussions, debates, and presentations, fostering confidence and critical thinking. Our School Council, eco-committees, and pupil-led initiatives provide meaningful platforms for children to advocate for themselves and others.

 The Rights Respecting Team

Our dedicated Rights Respecting Team, which includes staff, parents and pupils, drives forward our RRSA work. The team comprises:

• Mrs Dukseyeh (SMT, Teacher + RRSA Lead)
• Mrs Tonge (Deputy Head)
• Ms Samatar (Teacher + Voice 21 Oracy Lead)
• Mr Chambers (SMT, Teacher and PSHE Lead)
• Ms Chase (Teaching Assistant)
• Nitima Jaswal (Parent Governor)
• Besmira Kulici (Parent Governor)
• School Council Representatives

Together, we ensure that children’s rights remain at the heart of our school community.

The Impact of RRSA

Our commitment to the RRSA has transformed the culture of our school:

For Pupils:

• They confidently articulate their opinions, using the language of rights.
• They demonstrate empathy, responsibility, and leadership in their actions.
• They have a deep understanding of how their rights connect to global issues.

For the School Community:

• Relationships between staff, pupils, and parents are grounded in mutual respect.
• A shared understanding of rights has strengthened our sense of inclusion and belonging.

Looking Ahead

At Beaconsfield Primary, we are excited to continue our journey towards Gold accreditation. Our focus is on:

• Expanding global citizenship projects to connect pupils with real-world challenges.
• Strengthening community engagement to ensure a collective commitment to children’s rights.
• Embedding rights even further into our curriculum to create lasting impact.

Join Us on Our Journey

We believe that every child has the right to be heard, valued, and respected, and we are proud to champion this vision at Beaconsfield Primary. Together, we are creating a generation of confident, compassionate, and active global citizens.

For more information about our Rights Respecting Schools work, please contact our Rights Respecting Schools Lead – Mrs Dukseyeh.

 Class Charters

The pupils in all classes have contributed to a ‘Class Charter’ that links to the 'United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child' and these charters are referred to regularly, helping us to respect each other's rights in school.

Please see some examples of class charters from across the school below: