We are delighted to announce that our school has achieved the Silver Rights Respecting School Award. This recognises our strong commitment to promoting children’s rights and embedding the values of respect, equality and inclusion across our school community. Achieving Silver means that children’s rights are well understood by pupils and staff and are actively influencing learning, behaviour and decision‑making throughout the school.

The assessor reflected that: It is clear that a child rights approach is increasingly being embedded at Westbridge Academy, with pupils learning about rights through assemblies, across the curriculum and through regular quiz activities designed to develop their rights fluency. Pupils described how “we learn about rights in our classrooms, from posters around the school, in our weekly assemblies and in the early morning work.” Senior leaders spoke of rights being “really ingrained across the entire school culture”, and staff described the links between school processes and rights, with the RRSA Coordinator explaining that “our behaviour system is based on the right to be heard.” Pupil leadership structures, including the People Parliament and class ambassadors, were referenced as contributing to the promotion of rights, with pupils leading assemblies and aspects of the quiz programme. Students were also able to outline specific changes they had made as a result of their leadership structures. A teacher noted that “there is a real sense of responsibility here… they are really empowered to make change.” Pupils also spoke positively about inclusion, sharing that “every culture, background, religion belongs here… we are all included. It is like a family.”

We are incredibly proud of our pupils and staff for their dedication and look forward to continuing our journey as a Rights Respecting School.