Rights Respecting School

Please meet our Rights Respecting Ambassadors. Each week, they meet with our Rights Respecting leads Miss Knipe & Miss Meakins. Meeting agendas will vary, including discussing future campaigns, embedding rights across the school, school improvement. 

Our ambassadors are the representatives for the school and for pupil voice. They were voted in by their peers and teachers after writing a letter of application.

Article 12 - every child has the right to have a say on matters affecting them, and to have their views taken seriously.

Ambassadors are also involved in different events that happen during the school year. These events are a way for children to understand their role as a global citizen. Please see our Events page for some examples of where our ambassadors have been involved with planning or delivering different events throughout the year.

Throughout the year, we host a number of events. These include fundraising for different charities, displaying an awareness of what it takes to be a global citizen.

These events are separate to our campaigns, through which we strive to make change in the world and our local community.

September 2024 - Macmillan Coffee Morning (Article 24 - every child has the right to the best possible health.)

We hosted our annual coffee morning (in the afternoon!) and invited parents, carers and children into our school halls to purchase cakes and bakes for a donation towards Macmillan Cancer Support. We were so grateful to receive so many food donations to sell and were able to raise a total of £215 as a school. This was such an amazing achievement for our relatively small school! 

As a whole trust, Inspire Academy Movement raised a total of £1,574, which is incredible. A huge well done to all of our schools and a massive thank you to those who donated! 

Our Rights Respecting Ambassadors and Year 6 pupils were involved in setting up the halls with decorations and displaying the cakes for our visitors. They spoke confidently to everyone who came through and supported each other through the event.

November 2024 - Children in Need (Article 23 - a child with a disability has the right to live a full and decent life with dignity and independence, and to play an active part in the community.)

In November, we fundraised for Children in Need, as we do each year. The children came to school in their sports gear, ready to take part in the activities and challenges set by our Rights Respecting Ambassadors during break and lunch. Contributions from the pupils went towards the Trust's total of £856 raised for charity. 

February 2025 - Children's Mental Health Week (Article 24 - every child has the right to the best possible health.)

During this week, wellbeing lessons were focused on this year's theme of 'Know Yourself, Grow Yourself' and pupils asked themselves the question: "What's Your Spark?". An assembly was held and pupils learned about how and why Place2Be set up Children's Mental Health Week so pupils understood why they were invited to wear clothes that express who they are and what they love. Rusthall contributed to the Trust's overall fundraising total of £240 for Place2Be. 

March 2025 - Red Nose Day (Article 27 - every child has the right to a standard of living that is good enough to meet their physical, social and mental needs.)

This year's event celebrated the 40th anniversary of Comic Relief and Red Nose Day, so at Rusthall we wanted to make a big deal of this fantastic opportunity for fundraising and awareness. Rights Respecting Ambassadors discussed their ideas and wrote a letter to Mrs Smurthwaite with suggestions for the day. As a result, all pupils came to school in their best 80s outfits, with big hair and bright colours. The day begun with an assembly explaining how and why Red Nose Day occured back in 1985 and why we still need it today. At the end of the assembly, children had a mini dance party to 80s music before returning to lessons. It was a very successful day, and Rusthall contributed to a wonderful total of £702 raised for Comic Relief.

March 2025 - Rights Easter Egg Hunt (Article 42 - every child has a right to know their rights.)

In the lead-up to Easter, pupils at Rusthall took part in an Easter Egg Hunt that led them to articles located around the school, highlighting where their rights are respected. Classes went round together or in groups, following clues to crack the code. Staff going round with the pupils were heard discussing what the rights meant from Reception up to Year 6. The children had a lot of fun, finding the letters to spell out the phrase 'Use Your Voice' as a reminder that pupils have the right and the power to share their ideas and make the school and the world a better place for them. 

June 2025 - Ambassador Policy Day (Article 15 - every child has the right to meet with other children.)

On Monday 2nd June, ambassadors from all four schools within the Trust are meeting to look through policies and create child-friendly documents. They will share their ideas through collaborative work to produce policies and packs that can be shared with children in the school.

Part of being a Rights Respecting School involves campaigning to make a difference. These campaigns can be local, focusing on the school itself or the local community, or they can aim to make a difference further afield and focus on global issues. 

Local Campaigns

KS2 Library - Autumn 24

Pupils voted on the area of school they thought required a difference and it was decided that the Key Stage 2 library would be renovated. This area of the school is used regularly by children, either changing their books or delving into a story so we want it to be an engaging and inviting space. 

Pupils were able to have a say on what they wanted to see from the renovation (Article 12), including wall decorations and furniture, so we know that we are going to make it relevant and exciting.

Unfortunately, due to upcoming electrical updates, we are unable to put this project into action until the next academic year. In the meantime, we are going to be fundraising to ensure the renovation has the most impact possible.

Global Campaigns

Sustainability Campaign - Spring 25

Looking at global issues, we considered the most important focus area to be the sustainability of our schools. This campaign has been completed Trust-wide, to ensure that Inspire Academy Movement is conscious of making changes for the benefit of not only our schools, but the planet. 

The Big Switch Off poster