A primary school is one of the biggest advocates for children's rights.
Mytham Primary School in Little Lever has been awarded Gold by UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting School programme, which recognises schools that embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into their ethos and practice.
The accolade, awarded by the UK branch of the global children’s charity, is the highest level of recognition and is currently held by over 600 schools across the UK.
Headteacher Angela Bogle said: "This award is special because it celebrates the fact that children are at the heart of everything we do here at Mytham.
"Ensuring that their rights are met not only makes the child feel that they are valued but also enables them to take part in all that the school has to offer."
Ms Bogle explained that children are involved not just in learning about their rights, but also their responsibilities to ensure that others’ rights are respected.
She said: "Children have learnt that along with their rights they also have responsibility for ensuring that other children’s rights are met too.
"This means that we often talk about how their actions may impact on the learning of other children.
"Our ‘Mytham way’ is based on three very simple values; we promote kindness, resilience and respect towards adults, each other and themselves."
She described the depth of work involved in gaining the Gold award, including a portfolio of evidence and input from staff and pupils.
Ms Bogle said: "To achieve the gold award, we had to provide evidence that we put Children’s Rights at the heart of our decision making.
"The difference between Gold and Silver level was about children having an understanding of what equality and equity means, an understanding about how charities and organisations can support children both globally and locally – as well as an understanding of the role that adults play as duty bearers.
"Of course, adults were involved with putting the evidence portfolio together but so too were a group of children who were very keen to talk about the evidence.
"We have a team called ‘Mytham Changemakers’.
"These are children from each year group – selected by their classmates – who live and breathe our Mytham Way.
"They did a fantastic job when they met the assessor."
She said that one of the most rewarding moments was hearing the children confidently discuss school projects from the past 18 months.
The Mytham Changemakers recently raised £450 by organising a series of fundraising events in support of Urban Outreach, a Bolton charity helping children and families.
One event was a ‘Wheely Good Fun Day’, where pupils brought bikes and scooters to school and enjoyed a circuit, colour run, and water run.
Ms Bogle said: "Thankfully it was a beautiful day and the children did not stay wet for long."
Year Six pupils also enjoyed a ‘Big Night In’, staying at school for an evening of hide and seek and watching a football match together.
In celebration of the Gold award, the Changemakers created seven banners promoting children’s rights, now proudly displayed in the school hall.
Ms Bogle said: "Even though we have achieved this award this summer Children’s Rights are important -must be maintained for every child in the school."
The Rights Respecting Schools Award is designed to help schools place the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the centre of all areas of school life.
The programme has been shown to improve pupil wellbeing, relationships, and behaviour, as well as academic outcomes.
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