RRSA

Rights Respecting Schools at St. Mary’s

At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we are proud to be a Bronze Rights Respecting School and are actively working towards achieving the Silver Award. Our commitment is rooted in creating a school culture where every child not only knows their rights but also feels empowered to advocate for the rights of others.

Our approach is based on the values of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Pupils have taken an active role in shaping our school ethos by creating class charters, which are grounded in specific articles from the UNCRC. These charters guide positive behaviour, respectful relationships, and inclusive interactions across our school community.

We strengthen our understanding of rights by linking them meaningfully to themed days and curriculum events. For example:

• Remembrance Day is connected to Article 38 – the right to protection in times of armed conflict.

• Mental Health Awareness Day links to Article 24 – the right to health and well-being.

• Our learning about world religions is connected to Article 14 – the right to freedom of thought, belief, and religion.

• Our participation in the OPAL programme celebrates Article 31 – the right to relax, play, and join in a wide range of cultural and artistic activities.

Our Rights Respecting Monitors of Service lead the way in making rights a lived reality in our school. From running interactive games such as "Wants and Needs" to designing lanyard tags for staff, they ensure that conversations about rights are visible and ongoing throughout school life.

Together, we are building a community where rights are understood, respected, and actively promoted — within our classrooms, across our school, and in the wider world.