Pupils and staff at an Accrington school are celebrating after becoming the first in Lancashire to receive a coveted children’s rights award.
Peel Park primary school has been given a Level 2 Rights Respecting School Award by the leading children’s charity Unicef UK.
The award is the highest accolade given by Unicef UK for showing a ‘deep and thorough commitment to children’s rights at all levels of school life’.
Only 220 schools across the UK have received the award with Peel Park being named the first in the Lancashire authority.
Assessors have described the work at the Alice Street school as ‘groundbreaking and radical’.
Judith Williams, headteacher of Peel Park, said: “We are delighted to achieve this award from Unicef.
“The values and principles of The Convention of the Rights of the Child underpin all that we do at Peel Park. The teaching and learning about children’s rights has had a very positive impact.
“Pupils understand how their behaviour impacts on others and they treat everybody with respect, recognising that their rights are everyone’s rights.
“We are very proud of the way they look after and help each other around school. Our children are also very active in campaigning for children around the world to receive their rights and are always eager to be involved with various fundraising events.
“It is a real privilege to work with children who are actively working on making the world a better place.”
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.
Frances Bestley, Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools programme director, said: “Peel Park can be very proud of becoming a Level 2 Rights Respecting School. This Unicef award recognises that the school has placed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at the very heart of all they do.
“We are particularly impressed by the way in which the children at Peel Park are empowered to speak up and take action for the rights of children locally and globally.
“They really understand and put into practice the idea of global citizenship.”
The Rights Respecting Schools initiative involves more than 3,300 primary and secondary schools.
