Rights Respecting School

Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA)

At Park Academy, children’s rights are firmly embedded at the heart of our ethos and culture. As a UNICEF Silver Rights Respecting School, we are proud to champion the values of dignity, equality, respect, and participation whilst ensuring every child is empowered to thrive academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

Our mission is clear: to equip every pupil with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to flourish and contribute meaningfully to society. Through our rich and dynamic curriculum, carefully designed enrichment opportunities, and a wide range of clubs, trips and events, we nurture the whole child: fostering curiosity, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility. Our children are not only learners, but leaders - future World Citizens ready to make a difference.

As part of our commitment to this vision, we began our Rights Respecting journey in earnest, proudly achieving the Bronze Award in 2024, followed by Silver in July 2025. This nationally recognised award, granted by UNICEF UK, acknowledges the work we’ve undertaken to embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) across all aspects of school life.

What is RRSA?

The Rights Respecting Schools Award recognises a school’s success in putting the UNCRC at the heart of its planning, policy, practice, and ethos. It goes beyond classroom teaching to include how relationships are formed between pupils, staff, and the wider community. In a Rights Respecting School, children learn about their rights by living them daily.

How are we a Rights Respecting School?

At Park Academy, our core values: Passion, Urgency, Positivity, Aspiration, and Commitment - are more than words. They shape our daily interactions and underpin everything we do. These values are celebrated weekly in our Friday assemblies and demonstrated across every corner of school life.

We actively foster a culture where every child is heard and valued. Our pupils regularly engage in meaningful dialogue through class discussions, Pupil Parliament, and Class Ambassadors, all of whom play an active role in shaping our Rights Respecting journey. Children are empowered to express their views, reflect critically, and contribute ideas that make a real impact.

Emotional wellbeing is equally vital. Through our Philosophy for Children curriculum and a comprehensive PSHE programme, pupils learn to articulate their thoughts, manage emotions, and show empathy for others. This foundation helps build not only confident learners but compassionate citizens.

Our Silver Award reflects our growing commitment to children's rights, with clear evidence that:

• The UNCRC is explicitly embedded in our policies, practices, and school culture.
• Knowledge and understanding of children’s rights are actively promoted across the school community.
• The actions from our Silver Action Plan—rooted in the foundations laid at Bronze level—are being implemented effectively.
• These actions are having a measurable impact on pupils, staff, and the overall school environment.
• Our children are beginning to see themselves as rights-respecting global citizens, advocating for justice and fairness both locally and globally.

As we now progress towards Gold Accreditation, we remain focused on deepening this impact and continuing to weave children’s rights into every aspect of school life.

Thank you to our parents, carers and our wider community for your continuous support on our school journey towards Gold accreditation. Together we are nurturing and developing the character, intellect and curiosity of each child to ensure they become esteemed World Citizens of tomorrow.  

You can find out a bit more about the Convention on the Rights of the Child by visiting unicef.org.uk/crc. For further information about Rights Respecting Schools please visit: www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa