UNICEF is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. The Rights Respecting Schools Award is granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults, children, and young people to respect the rights of others in school. Silver is given to schools that make excellent progress towards embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its ethos and curriculum. There are over 1,300 schools across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales that have achieved Silver and over 600 schools that have been awarded Gold, the next step up and highest accolade granted by UNICEF UK.

Headteacher of Will Adams Academy, Emma Smith, said: “As a school we are so proud to have achieved the Silver Rights Respecting School Award. It is a great accomplishment and we are eager to begin the work towards the Gold Award. I would like to recognise Jo Taylor, our UNICEF ambassador, who has worked tirelessly to support the school in achieving this award. She has made a great impact within the whole school community, and completing this work has reinforced the importance of putting children’s rights at the heart of our school, in all we do. I would also like to thank all the students and staff who have contributed with this project. It has been great to see the school community flourish and I am excited to see how it will continue to grow and evolve.”

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.

The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Schools initiative is aimed at schools across the UK, including those in an early years setting. Currently, it works with nearly 5,000 primary schools, secondary schools, schools for children and young people with special educational needs and pupil referral units across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Schools have reported a positive impact on pupil behaviour, relationships and well-being by enhancing pupils’ self-esteem, leading to less truancy and bullying, better learning and improved academic standards.