What does it mean to be a Rights Respecting School?

Rights Respecting Schools is an award by the charity UNICEF. The award is for schools that are working towards children’s rights becoming an embedded part of their school ethos. It teaches children about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and enables them to be Rights Respecting Global Citizens and advocates for fairness and social justice in our local community, our country and across the globe. This encompasses our British Values and Prevent.

What does RRSA look like in our school?

We gained our recognition of commitment in July 2025 and achieved the Silver award.

Ribble Drive Community Primary School aims to be a school where children’s rights are at the heart of our ethos and culture, to improve well-being and to develop every child’s talent and ability to their full potential.

Unicef is the world’s leading organisation working for children and young people and their rights. In 1989, governments across the world agreed that all children have the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). These rights are based on what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential.

Ribble Drive Community Primary School pupils will learn about their rights by putting them into practice every day. A Rights Respecting School models rights and respect in all its relationships. You can find out a bit more about the Convention on the Rights of the Child by visiting unicef.org.uk/crc. [or you can include one of our CRC summary leaflets from unicef.org.uk/resources and mention this here]

For further information about Rights Respecting Schools please visit:  www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa. 

Steering group

We have named our steering group the 'Rights Ambassadors'. The steering group consists of our lead RRSA ambassador, our head boy and head girl and children from years 1 to 6. Their role is to ensure that the whole school is aware of the Rights Respecting Schools Award, to provide a link between the children, all staff members, the governors and the wider community and to plan and deliver events to help our children become Rights Respecting Global Citizens.

Class Charters

Every class in school has discussed, agreed on and designed their own class charters using the articles below:

Article 3 (best interests of the child)

The best interests of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children.

Article 12 (respect for the views of the child)

Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.

Article 13 (freedom of expression)

Every child must be free to express their thoughts and opinions.

The whole class agree to focus on and incorporate these into their day to day lives. The children have discussed what both the adults (Duty Bearers) and the children (Rights holders) must do to ensure the rights are met and have included these on their charters.

Zones of Regulation

At Ribble Drive Primary School, we recognise the importance of promoting positive mental health and emotional well being to our students and their families. We aim to create an open culture around the discussion of mental health and well being to empower our pupils to be able to regulate their emotions. Over this half term we will be implementing the Zones of Regulation curriculum across the school. We aim to teach our pupils to identify emotions in themselves and others and provide them with a bank of strategies to help regulate their emotions and improve their well being. 

The Zones of Regulation is based around the use of different emotions to help pupils self identify how they're feeling. It helps our pupils to better understand their emotions, sensory needs and thinking patterns. The children learn different strategies to cope and manage their emotions. Additionally, Zones of Regulation helps pupils to recognise their own triggers, learn to read and understand facial expressions, develop problem solving skills, and become more attuned to how their actions affect themselves and others.