Children are healthier and happier, Children feel safe, Children have better relationships, Children become active and involved in school life and the wider world...
Being a Rights Respecting School
In 2015, Unity became a Rights Respecting school.
In 2017 we gained our Level 1 Silver award and in 2019, we achieved the GOLD level of the award!
Since then, we have continued working hard in our journey to maintain GOLD for our July 2025 re-accreditation.
What is a Unicef Rights Respecting School?
In 1989, the governments across the world adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), recognising that all children have the right to be treated with dignity, fairness, to be protected, to develop to their full potential and to participate.
The Convention states what countries must do to ensure that all children (those under the age of 18) can enjoy their rights, regardless of who they are and where they come from!
The UNCRC consists of 54 articles that set out children’s rights and how governments should work together to make them available to all children.
There are four key areas of impact for children at a Rights Respecting school; wellbeing, participation, relationships and self-esteem. The difference that a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.
Unity Community Primary as a Rights Respecting School
Unity is part of the Big Life Group and shares the 6 core Big Life values; Valuing Difference, Thoughtful, Honesty, Courageous, Creative and Inspiring. Becoming a Rights Respecting school means that everyday our children can demonstrate these core values when they learn about their rights.
Both staff and children continue to work hard to maintain our Gold level award because we believe that in learning about the rights, we will uplift our school values, vision and ability to enable our children to become happy, confident adults that make positive contributions to their communities. Our Gold award means that each child not only values and understands their differences but also values and understands the differences in others.
To help us maintain our Gold level, we use the ABCDE of rights and understand the 3 I’s (Inherent, Indivisible, Inalienable) and the 2 U’s (Universal, Unconditional). We also talk about the responsibilities that all adults have as the ‘rights bearers’ to make children’s rights available to them. We have been learning about what dignity means and what it looks like all around our school; children and staff believe that if we show respect (dignity) to ourselves and others, we can help to create a happy and healthy atmosphere and are then at a better place to learn.
The best interests of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children.
– Article 3: Best Interests of the Child
Our student elected Rights Parliament team serves as the voice of Unity, advocating for the rights of every child, in line with Article 13 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child—Freedom of Expression. We aim to foster a safe space where they can freely express their thoughts and emotions, nurturing their growth and self-awareness.
Every class has a Rights Respecting Charter to remind children about their rights and how they link with the Big Life Values. We choose articles that best suit our class community. We agree what makes a happy and safe classroom and how adults can best support this.
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 12: Respect for children’s views
The Rights that Unity children and staff hold very close are:
- Article 2 – No Discrimination
- Article 3 – Best interests of the child
- Article 12 – Respect for children’s views
- Article 13 – Sharing thoughts freely
- Article 19 – Protection from violence
- Article 24 – Good healthcare, water, food and environment
- Article 28 – Access to education
- Article 29 – Aims of education
- Article 30 – Minority, culture, language and religion
- Article 31 – Rest, play, culture, arts
Our 2024/2025 Events:
Polling Day
Our special Polling Day saw every year group from Year 1 to Year 6 get the chance to vote for their representatives in our Pupil Parliament. Each class chose someone they believed could be a strong voice for them and lead on sharing the UNICEF Rights of the Child across school.
Our elected Pupil Parliament leaders now help make sure that all children know their rights and have a say in what happens in school. It was a brilliant day that celebrated pupil voice, choice, and respect!
Green Heroes
Unity Community Primary School took part in a global campaign, where our Green Heroes helped to clean up the pathway along the side of the school. Our heroes are working hard to improve our environment and reduce the amount of waste around school.
During Parents’ Evening, our Green Heroes sold clothes for just 50p, helping families and saving over 160 pieces of clothing from ending up in landfill – a brilliant example of reusing and reducing waste!
Some of our amazing Green Heroes also attended the Climate Assembly at St. Margaret’s Primary School in Whalley Range. They learned about the impact of fast fashion on our environment and climate, and explored ways we can all help protect our planet.
International Day
Every year, Unity Community Primary School dedicates a whole day to celebrating our diverse community and various nationalities. Children come to school dressed in their traditional, cultural clothing, each class learns about a chosen country & families bring in dishes for our big community picnic. The day is a proud celebration of the diversity within our school, as well as a chance for our students to learn about different countries, cultures, languages and religions.
Road Safety Awareness
Our Rights Parliament team took action to help improve road safety outside our school. They worked together to raise awareness about the dangers of stopping on yellow lines and discussed the importance of keeping the area outside school clear and safe for everyone.
To make a difference, the children created posters and signs with clear messages, asking parents and carers not to stop or park on the yellow lines. We displayed these around the school gates and entrances to remind drivers of the risks and to show how protecting our school community starts with small, responsible choices.
UNICEF Fundraiser for Palestine
Our School Council led the powerful initiative Wear White for Peace – Standing Together for Gaza. This meaningful decision was made by the pupils themselves, as a way to show solidarity and raise awareness about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
On the day, every child arrived dressed in white, symbolizing hope, unity, and peace. Alongside this, families generously donated to UNICEF, helping to support children affected by the conflict.
We also hosted a tombola to boost fundraising efforts, which was a huge success thanks to the support of our school community. It was a day filled with compassion, pupil voice, and action — showing how even small steps can make a big difference in the world.
Anti-bullying Policy
At Unity Community Primary School, the Pupil Parliament created a child-friendly Anti-bullying policy that aligns with the principles of the UNCRC. This initiative underscores our commitment to ensuring that every child recognizes their right to protection from all forms of violence, including bullying.
- Our Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy Download
