Rights Respecting Schools Award in Nursery Schools
The programme is open to nurseries for children aged 0 to 5. Children learn about their rights through songs, stories, puppets and play, and staff ask for their views on the nursery space and activities.
At a Glance
108
nursery schools registered (2021)
0–5
age group
3 years
per award, then reaccreditation
3 nations
England, Scotland and Wales
The Decision at Stake
How to introduce children's rights, and respect their views, in settings for children who are often too young to be consulted through conventional methods.
How Children Participated
Staff watch how children behave, use simple questionnaires and voting, and develop charters with young children to replace adult-made rules. One nursery's 'I Feel Safe Charter' uses Makaton sign language so that every child can take part.
Children take part in choices about their nursery space and activities, and help shape the charters that guide behaviour. Assessors observe a familiar member of staff asking children questions, rather than questioning very young children directly.
Songs, stories and puppets
Nurseries teach rights through songs, stories, games, photos and puppets, including a rabbit mascot named Ronnie the Rights Respecting Rabbit.
Views gathered by watching, asking and voting
Staff watch how children behave and use simple questionnaires and voting to find out what they think about the nursery space and activities.
Charters made with children
Charters, such as one nursery's 'I Feel Safe Charter', are developed with young children to replace rules, and use Makaton sign language so every child can take part.
What Happened Next
UNICEF UK and participating nurseries report that children became more vocal and confident about sharing their views, more aware of their own and others' safety, and more empathetic. Some nurseries report replacing adult-set rules with charters developed with the children. These outcomes come from staff reports and accreditation reports.
What nurseries report
More confident voices
Staff describe children as more vocal and confident about expressing their views.
Safer and more caring
Staff report that children are more aware of their own and others' safety and show more empathy.
Rights go with them
Staff report that children take the language of rights with them when they start school.
Measured outcomes
No measured outcomes are documented in the available sources.
Reach
| Nursery schools registered (2021) | 108 |
|---|---|
| Award valid for | 3 years, then reaccredited |
Lessons learned
Rights-respecting outcomes in nurseries match those in primary and secondary schools, but the process differs: no written charter is required in the curriculum because many children are pre-verbal, and accreditation relies on a familiar staff member asking the questions.
Sources & Limitations
- UNICEF (2021). Child Rights Education with Children Aged 0–6 Years: Discussion Paper
- UNICEF UK: Rights Respecting Schools Award
This summary is based on UNICEF's 2021 discussion paper and UNICEF UK's public programme information. Outcomes are reported by nursery staff and accreditation assessors, and UNICEF's own paper notes that the wider evidence base is still limited. The available sources do not include an independent evaluation of these outcomes or results for individual nurseries.
Inclusion in this collection does not imply endorsement, partnership or an independent evaluation of the initiative.
Want to adapt a practice like this in your context?