A primary school has been awarded the Gold accreditation for being a Rights Respecting School.

UNICEF has awarded Blackawton Primary School the honour, making it the only school in Devon to achieve this standard.

To receive the award, Blackawton Primary School had to show the children, teachers, governors and parents at the school all have a good understanding of the United Nationals Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and that this underpins how the children are taught and cared for by the school.

Two accessors from UNICEF spent a day at the school last term talking in depth to the children, parents, teachers, governors and the senior leadership team. They also evaluated whether the school had reached the required standard in three areas.

Firstly, the school needed to show the children and adults had a good knowledge of children’s rights and could argue about the rights and the implications they bring.

The school also needed to show the UNCRC is central to its ethos. Policies, procedures, planning and curriculum is all planned with children’s rights explicitly referred to, discussed and prioritised.

Thirdly, the school showed how the children are empowered to enjoy and exercise their rights and to promote the rights of others locally and globally.

When visiting, one of the pupils told the accessors: “Now there’s no punishment, like you don’t have to sit on your own, instead we talk about what has happened and how we can fix it.”

Tina Rodwell-Lyn, head teacher said she has noticed how behaviour and attainment has improved throughout the school since becoming a Rights Respecting School. She said this is also because the children have been encouraged to lead their own learning and think about how their behaviour may be affecting others.

In the report detailing the primary school’s assessment for the award it reads the school has: “A total commitment to placing the CRC and children’s participation at the heart of the school’s ethos and practice which has led to an innovative and collaborative approach in which children are central to decision making.

“Children who are knowledgeable and passionate about the CRC and who understand the positive impact this knowledge has on learning and wellbeing.

“A clear understanding of how embedding a rights respecting approach impacts on improved outcomes for children.

“A caring and nurturing approach demonstrated by children and staff towards each other."